Amber Marek                                                                                                                  April 7, 2004
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
(Phone: 321/867-2468)

KSC Release No. 16-04

NASA's Assistant Administrator for Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, Ralph C. Thomas III, and a NASA astronaut will visit Bunche Middle School, a NASA Explorer School in Atlanta, on April 13 to share the new vision for space exploration with the next generation of explorers. The presentation will begin at 9:30 a.m. EST at the cafeteria the school, located at 953 Ralph David Abernathy Blvd.

"To meet our mission in going back to the moon in 10 years, we have to inspire the youth of this nation right now," said Thomas. "It is today's students who will build tomorrow's space program."

Thomas will talk with students about our destiny as explorers, NASA's stepping stone approach to exploring Earth, the Moon, Mars and beyond, how space impacts our lives, and how people and machines rely on each other in space.

For media interested in arranging interviews with Thomas in conjunction with his visit to the school, contact Amber Marek at 321/867-2468.

For information about the NASA Explorer Schools Program on the Internet, visit:

http://explorerschools.nasa.gov

For more information about the Vision for Space Exploration, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/missions/solarsystem/bush_vision.html

For information about NASA, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov

text-only version of this release

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