An Apollo astronaut's helmet and space-station food helped local teachers reach for the stars earlier this week.

The equipment was unveiled at the official launch of Keighley College's hi-tech STAR Centre.

Teachers were invited along to see the £1.5 million facility with its Space Shuttle mock-up and Martian landscape.

Dave Shayler took along space mementos that he normally uses while visiting schools to talk about space exploration. Dave -- from the Astro Information Service -- has helped Keighley College staff prepare their own space-based curriculum at the centre.

The STAR Centre is designed to make learning about science, technology, engineering and maths fun for children and teenagers.

The young visitors can operate a realistic mission control, dress as astronauts, collect rock samples with robots and carry out high-tech experiments.

Yorkshire Forward, the government's regional development agency, has given £1.5 million to build, equip and run the centre for the next 12 months.

Further funding is likely to be available if the project proves popular with schools and inspires pupils to get interested in science subjects.

The centre features a planetarium, technology lab, classroom, satellite-tracking equipment and one of Europe's biggest Marscapes.

The aim is to move the centre from its current location -- at Keighley College's Harold Town annex off Dalton Lane -- to the proposed new college campus.