HAMPTON, Va.– Space Shuttle Atlantis delivered essential items to the International Space Station during a 14-day flight in June. Next week, Astronaut Patrick Forrester, University of Virginia graduate and mission specialist on STS-117, will deliver items with Hampton Roads significance that flew aboard that flight.

Thursday, Sept. 6
10 a.m., Historic Jamestowne
Forrester will return to AVPA Preservation Virginia for display in their new Archaearium a nearly 400-year-old luggage tag artifact entrusted to NASA for the history-making flight.
He will also deliver one set of commemorative coins to the National Park Service.

11:15 a.m., Jamestown Settlement
Forrester will deliver the second set of commemorative coins marking the 400th anniversary of the founding of the first permanent settlement in America.

Friday, Sept. 7
10:30 a.m., Virginia Air & Space Center, Hampton
Forrester will return to representatives of the Hampton Roads Partnership a banner bearing the words "Hampton Roads, America's First Region" for permanent display at the Air & Space Center. Area students and community leaders will participate.

Saturday, Sept. 8
10 a.m., Historic Jamestowne
Forrester will help welcome home a replica of the 28-foot shallop used by John Smith that has been retracing Smith's 121-day expedition of the Chesapeake Bay. He will also speak with the public about his recent mission and its parallels with early exploration.

A veteran of two shuttle flights, Forrester has logged over 620 hours in space including four spacewalks, totaling more than 25 hours.

Learn more at NASA's Jamestown 2007 page.

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