NASA ASTRONAUT SHARES “50 YEARS OF EXPLORATION AND INSIRATION” IN HONOR OF THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF JOHN GLENN’S FRIENDSHIP 7 FLIGHT
Join us for a space-themed Presidents Day

February 13th, 2012

CLEVELAND (February 13 , 2012) – NASA astronaut Gregory H. Johnson will present “50 Years of Exploration and Inspiration” at Great Lakes Science Center, Home of the NASA Glenn Visitor Center, on Monday, February 20 at 11 am. This is in honor of the 50th anniversary of John Glenn’s Friendship 7 flight, when he was the first American to orbit the Earth. Media representatives are invited to attend.

Greg Johnson will be available for autographs from 10:15 to 10:45 am, prior to the presentation. Autographs are on a first come, first serve basis. After the presentation, visitors will be able to browse special John Glenn exhibits, including a flight suit he wore in 1998 with his STS-95 shuttle mission training and appearances, plus an interactive kiosk with an overview of John Glenn’s achievements.

“As home of the NASA Glenn Visitor Center, we’re honored to have Greg Johnson share inspiring remarks with our guests on such an important anniversary in space history,” said Dante Centuori, director of creative productions at Great Lakes Science Center. “We’ll also offer a variety of space-themed programming throughout the day for guests to enjoy, including our “Forces in Space” demonstration, gyroscope wheel and vacuum pump activity.”

Other Presidents Day happenings at the Science Center consist of:

• Special showings of the OMNIMAX film, Destiny in Space, at 1 pm and 3 pm.

• Just for kids – Presidents Day Camp: Return to Space. Learn about stars, meteors, comets, black holes and more. Build and launch a rocket, view a real moon rock, train to become an astronaut, sample “soil” from Mars and experience the STARLAB planetarium. Watch the OMNIMAX movie, Hubble. 8:30 am – 3:30 pm. $42 ($39 members). Advanced registration required. Call 216-621-2400 (Monday – Friday, 9 am – 5:30 pm).

• Also as part of Engineering Week (2/18 – 2/25), we'll have special programs, NASA engineers, demos and a display of innovative design and engineering projects. Check the daily schedule for specific events and programs.

For more details, visit www.GreatScience.com.

Media Contact:
Kristen Shorkey
Marketing & PR Manager
216-696-3823
shorkeyk@glsc.org

About Great Lakes Science Center
Great Lakes Science Center is one of the nation’s leading science and technology centers and home to Northeast Ohio’s NASA Glenn Visitor Center. Its mission is to stimulate interest in and increase understanding of the sciences, with a particular emphasis on the interdependence of scientific, environmental and technological activities in the Great Lakes region. It features hundreds of hands-on exhibits, themed traveling exhibits, daily demonstrations, the awe-inspiring OMNIMAX® Theater and the Steamship William G. Mather. The Science Center is open daily 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Discounted parking is available for guests in the attached 500-car garage. Great Lakes Science Center is generously funded by the citizens of Cuyahoga County through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. For more information, contact the Science Center at (216) 694-2000 or visit www.GreatScience.com.

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