Apr 20 2011
From The Space Library
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-078 NASA SYMPOSIUM MARKS KEY HUMAN SPACEFLIGHT ANNIVERSARIES
WASHINGTON -- NASA's History Program Office and the National Air and Space Museum's Division of Space History are hosting a joint symposium entitled "1961/1981: Key Moments in Human Spaceflight." The symposium is April 26-27 in the James Webb Auditorium at NASA Headquarters, located at 300 E St. SW in Washington from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. EDT. It is open to the public and news media. The symposium reflects on 50 years of human spaceflight using 1961 and 1981 as starting points for broader investigation and insight. Leading historians and social scientists will address the rich history of human spaceflight marking four important anniversaries. Three key events occurred in 1961: Yuri Gagarin became the first human to travel in space; Alan Shepard became the first American in space; and President John F. Kennedy gave his famous speech before Congress which started the Apollo program. This conference also marks the 30th anniversary of STS-1, the first space shuttle mission which launched April 12, 1981. The 54-hour, 36-orbit test flight mission verified the shuttle's capabilities and ushered in a new era of exploration. NASA Administrator Charles Bolden will open the symposium. Other speakers include the agency's Chief Historian Bill Barry, and Paul Ceruzzi, Roger Launius, and Michael Neufeld of the National Air and Space Museum's Division of Space History. Keynote speakers include Michael F. Robinson of the University of Hartford, who will discuss "Lessons from the Last Frontier," and George C. Herring of the University of Kentucky on the "The Cold War and Human Spaceflight."
MEDIA ADVISORY: M11-081 NASA MARKS EARTH DAY WITH ONLINE ACTIVITIES, CENTER PROGRAMS
WASHINGTON -- NASA is celebrating the 41st anniversary of Earth Day this week with several online activities to engage the public in the agency's mission to use the vantage point of space to explore and protect our home planet. One of the activities is a webchat on Earth Day, which is Friday, April 22. Scientists involved in an airborne campaign in Greenland to monitor Arctic ice cover will participate. NASA maintains the world's largest contingent of dedicated Earth scientists and engineers to lead and assist other agencies in preserving the planet's environment. NASA Chat: Live from the Top of the World Friday, April 22 (3-4 p.m. EDT) -- A team of Arctic explorers is in Greenland keeping a careful eye on changes in the ice landscape. Chat online with NASA's Lora Koenig from Kangerlussuag, Greenland, and Tom Wagner from NASA Headquarters in Washington about the Operation IceBridge airborne mission. NASA Earth Day Video Contest 2011 Share your vision of what NASA's exploration of Earth means to you by creating a short YouTube video. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., announced on Wednesday a contest for the best video about discoveries or real-world benefits resulting from NASA's Earth science program. Producers are encouraged to draw from NASA's extensive collection of public domain Earth imagery. Student Video Chat with a NASA Earth Scientist Thursday, April 21 (1-1:30 p.m. EDT) -- The Education Office at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., is hosting a live web video chat with JPL scientist Annmarie Eldering who will answer questions submitted in advance by middle school students. Eldering is the deputy project scientist for NASA's upcoming Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 mission that will measure carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. NASA Center Activities Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, Ala., Thursday, April 21 (10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. CDT) -- Events organized around the theme "Sustainability" include ceremonial tree planting, announcement of photo contest winners, and exhibits by environmental vendors and organizations. Ames Research Center, Mountain View, Calif., Wednesday-Friday, April 20-22 (3:30-4:30 p.m. PDT) -- Employees can tour the "Sustainability Base," a new facility that has re-purposed NASA technology designed for closed-loop systems in space. The project is a candidate for the platinum-plus rating by the internationally recognized LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) green building certification system.
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