12.13.05 Lindsay Crouch Phone: (757) 864-3189, (757) 870-6912, (mobile) MEDIA ADVISORY: 05-081 NASA BRINGS VISION FOR SPACE EXPLORATION TO ARLINGTON Former Astronaut Roger Crouch and Deputy Chief of NASA's Office of Safety and Mission Assurance James Lloyd will visit Kate Waller Barrett Elementary School, Arlington, Va., on Friday, Dec. 16, to kick off the newly established educational partnership between NASA and the school and to bring the Vision of Space Exploration to students and their families. Crouch will also participate in a Family Night presentation on Thursday, Dec. 15, at Kate Waller Barrett Elementary School at 6:30 p.m. The public is invited to the Family Night event. Crouch and Lloyd will encourage students to study math and science so they can pursue careers in aeronautics and space as they discuss NASA's plans to return to the moon and go on to Mars. The Family Night event is designed to bring the excitement of space exploration to all residents of Arlington and the surrounding area. What: Family Night When: 6:30 - 8:00 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 15 Who: Former Astronaut Roger Crouch Where: Kate Waller Barrett Elementary School What: Student Assembly When: 9:30 a.m., Friday, Dec. 16 Who: Former Astronaut Roger Crouch and Deputy Chief of NASA's Office of Safety and Mission Assurance James Lloyd Where: Kate Waller Barrett Elementary School Media interested in covering the events or arranging an interview with Crouch or Lloyd should contact Lindsay Crouch at 757-864-3189 or 757-870-6912 (mobile) by 2 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 15. Roger Crouch served as a payload specialist on Space Shuttle missions STS-83 and STS-94 (both in 1997), and has logged over 471 hours in space. He has also been NASA Headquarters' senior scientist for the International Space Station and has served as program scientist on five different Spacelab flights. Lloyd currently serves as the deputy chief for the Office of Safety and Missions Assurance. He began his federal government career with the U.S. Army and held a variety of leadership positions. He transferred to NASA Headquarters in 1987 to participate in the rebuilding of a safety program in the aftermath of the Shuttle Challenger disaster. In 1993, he moved to become the director, Safety and Risk Management, NASA Office of Safety and Mission Assurance. Lloyd was NASA's safety director and was responsible for safety policy and guidelines for all of NASA's operations. Kate Waller Barrett Elementary School was named one of NASA's 2005 Explorer Schools in May. The school started the program this fall and will continue the partnership for the next three years. The NASA Explorer School (NES) program is sponsored by NASA to help educators and students join NASA's mission of discovery through educational activities and special learning opportunities tailored to promote science, mathematics and technology applications and career explorations. Over the next three years, students in the NES program will participate in digital conferences with scientists and engineers at NASA. Educators will also take the hands-on activities to their students to provide exciting learning experiences in the science, mathematics and technology fields. To learn more about the NES program, please visit: http://explorerschools.nasa.gov For information about NASA and agency programs on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/home -end-