MEET TWO ASTRONAUTS ON FREE TUESDAY AT GREAT LAKES SCIENCE CENTER, HOME OF THE NASA GLENN VISITOR CENTER

December 27th, 2011

CLEVELAND (December 27, 2011) – Meet two NASA astronauts, Gregory H. Johnson and Catherine (Cady) Coleman, at Great Lakes Science Center on Tuesday, January 3 at 2 pm. They will share highlights from their time together during STS-134’s mission to complete the International Space Station (ISS), which was the final flight of the orbiter Endeavour. Since this event is on Free Tuesday, all youth 18 and under can enjoy free general admission to the Science Center when accompanied by an adult (this does not include OMNIMAX Theater).

Visitors will enjoy a mission-briefing presentation about the two astronauts’ missions to space, complete with videos and pictures chronicling their adventure. Glenn Research Center will have artifacts, including the Russian-style space suit that Coleman used on the Space Station, as well as a model of the ISS, on display. James Free, Deputy Director of the NASA Glenn Research Center, will provide the event’s remarks and introductions. Following the presentation will be a public meet and greet session with the astronauts.

“As home of the NASA Glenn Visitor Center, we find it important to host a variety of aerospace-related programs that educate and inspire young minds,” said Dante Centuori, director of creative productions at Great Lakes Science Center. “On a day like Free Tuesday, we are able to give even more guests the opportunity to learn about life outside of Earth’s atmosphere, as well as the opportunity to actually meet the astronauts who are brave enough to explore it.”

Colonel Johnson was the shuttle pilot on the STS-134 mission to the International Space Station this past May on Endeavour’s last mission. He has flown on the Space Shuttle as a pilot twice and has more than 31 days in space. Johnson is currently the Associate Director of External Programs at the Glenn Research Center.

Dr. Coleman was a flight engineer for a 159-day mission on Expeditions 26 and 27 to the ISS. In addition to her experience at the Space Station, Coleman has flown on two Space Shuttle missions, including one that launched the Chandra X-ray telescope in 1999, and she has spent over 180 total days in space. Last December, she was a part of a live video conference to the Science Center directly from the Space Station.

For more details on this event, 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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