05.03.05

Marny Skora
Langley Research Center
(Phone: 757/864-3315, 757-344-6111 mobile)

Meghan Steele
Virginia Air & Space Center
(Phone: 757/727-0900)
RELEASE: 05-025

CELEBRATE SPACE DAYS WITH AN INTERNATIONAL FLAIR



NASA astronaut Sidney Gutierrez will celebrate Space Day with local 
students at the Virginia Air & Space Center Friday, May 6, 10 a.m. to 
noon. A veteran of two space flights, Gutierrez was the first 
Hispanic Space Shuttle commander and, during his tenure at NASA, 
logged nearly 500 hours in space.



Image to right: NASA astronaut Sidney Gutierrez



Gutierrez will return to celebrate Space Day with Virginia air & Space 
Center visitors on Saturday, May 7, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. He will speak 
about his experiences in space and sign autographs.



Take part in the journey. The theme of this year's Space Day is, 
appropriately, "A Journey to our Future." The priority for NASA's 
Vision for space exploration is returning the Shuttle to flight. Then 
it's back to the Moon, on to Mars . . . and beyond.



Learn by doing. Joining Gutierrez and contributing to the 
international flair of Space Day will be Hispanic researchers from 
NASA's Langley Research Center. These aerospace experts will lead 
educational activities investigating life in space, Mars exploration, 
and aeronautical advancements. And a bonus -- learn just how many of 
the things we use today are spinoffs of aerospace research.



Brush up on your Spanish. NASA Langley's Distance Learning Center will 
showcase “Noticiencias NASA,” the Spanish version of NASA's Kids 
Science News Network. This series of one-minute news breaks on 
aerospace topics feature students from the Hampton Roads area. Meet 
some of them Saturday.



Created in 1997, Space Day is designed to encourage students to 
consider careers in space exploration and study math, science, 
engineering and technology.



For more information on NASA's Vision for space exploration, visit:



www.nasa.gov

	
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