GREAT LAKES SCIENCE CENTER KICKS OFF INAUGURAL ‘SPACE WEEK’
WITH SPACE-THEMED EVENTS, ACTIVITIES AND OMNIMAX® MOVIES
NASA astronaut Mike Foreman to make special appearance

July 16th, 2010

CLEVELAND (July 16, 2010) – Whether you want to launch rockets, talk to an astronaut or spend the night in the NASA Glenn Visitor Center this summer, Great Lakes Science Center has the family fun Clevelanders are looking for with its brand new Space Week, July 19 – 25.

Visitors will get to blast off into seven days of family fun with space-themed activities, hands-on workshops, OMNIMAX movies and exciting demonstrations that will surprise and delight the most scientific of minds! NASA astronaut Mike Foreman, a Cleveland-area native, will be at the Science Center on July 20 at 1 p.m. to discuss his experiences in space, as well as sign autographs. A veteran of two space flights, Foreman flew on STS-123 Endeavour in March 2008 and the STS-129 in November 2009, logging more than 637 hours in space, including 32 hours and 19 minutes of EVA hours in five spacewalks.

“Our designation as the new NASA Glenn Visitor Center has given us a lot of leverage and resources to put on a week-long event like this,” said Dante Centuori, director of creative productions for the Science Center. “Families will be able to explore the Visitor Center as well as enjoy a bevy of hands-on activities they won’t be able to find anywhere else.”

Space Week Schedule

July 19 – 25 – OMNIMAX Movies

Hubble – OMNIMAX Film – July 19 – 25; 1 p.m., 3 p.m. daily
Explore the mystery and grandeur of distant galaxies and journey with astronauts as they launch and service the most iconic scientific instrument of our time: the Hubble Space Telescope.

Destiny in Space – OMNIMAX Film – July 19 – 25; showing daily at 11 a.m.; special 5 p.m. showing on July 20
Showing for one week only! Discover the future of space exploration and experience a day in the life of an astronaut in space!

July 20 – Meet NASA Astronaut Mike Foreman; 1 p.m.

NASA astronaut Mike Foreman, a Cleveland-area native, will be at the Science Center to discuss his experiences in space, as well as sign autographs. A veteran of two space flights, Foreman flew on STS-123 Endeavour in March 2008 and the STS-129 in November 2009, logging more than 637 hours in space, including 32 hours and 19 minutes of EVA hours in five spacewalks.

Foreman will be available to sign autographs after his presentation.

July 21 – Guests from NASA Glenn Research Center; afternoon time TBD

Employees from the NASA Glenn Research Center in Brook Park will be on site to talk with guests about the work they do for NASA. Check the web page for updates on visits by NASA Glenn researchers and engineers.

July 23 – Space Sleepover; 7 p.m. – 10 a.m. the next morning

The Space Sleepover, perfect for families and youth groups, will let attendees spend a night at the Science Center and experience an evening chock full of space-themed activities. Guests will get to explore the NASA Glenn Visitor Center after dark, launch rockets, build lunar landers, watch one of the Science Center’s newest OMNIMAX films, Hubble, sleep among their favorite exhibits and so much more!

Cost is $35 for members, $39 for non-members. Call (216) 621-2400 to register.

July 22 – 25 – Pose with E.V.A.; NASA Photo Booth

NASA’s larger-than-life E.V.A. space suit will be manned and “spacewalking” at Great Lakes Science Center. Families are invited to get their pictures taken with the larger-than-life inflatable astronaut.

In addition, the “Picture Yourself in Space” photo booth will be available for families and friends to take home a free souvenir digital photograph of themselves in space.

Daily Programs – Free with general admission

The Great Lakes Science Center team will be on hand all week long to help visitors take their very own space odyssey via special activities and demonstrations. Examples include:

Space Shuttle Tile – staff will demonstrate how an actual space shuttle thermal tile can protect the shuttle from several thousand degrees of heat.

Gyroscope – visitors can try out what it feels like to be controlled by a gyroscope, just like a spaceship and the Hubble Space Telescope!

Lunar Soil Simulant – examine high-quality examples of lunar soil replicas as used by scientists at NASA Glenn Research Center to learn about the moon.

Vacuum of Space – see how a vacuum can affect everyday items and why a spacesuit is so critical to astronauts.

The Science Center became the official home of the NASA Glenn Visitor Center this past March, unveiling phase one of the new Visitor Center. Just a few weeks ago the Apollo Command Module was moved into the Visitor Center, becoming the gallery’s thematic and physical centerpiece. The command module was used during take-off and re-entry in the 1973 Skylab 3 mission. A full exhibition redevelopment is planned for that will be completely built out in 2011.

For more information on Space Week at Great Lakes Science Center, visit http://www.greatscience.com/spaceweek2010.

About the 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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