NASA News
National Aeronautics and
Space Administration
John C. Stennis Space Center
Stennis Space Center, MS 39529-6000
(228) 688-3341
Paul Foerman
NASA News Chief
(228) 688-3341
JTE-04-049
July 13, 2004
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
STENNIS SPACE CENTER MARKS 35th ANNIVERSARY OF APOLLO 11 LUNAR LANDING
HANCOCK COUNTY, Miss. – The public is invited to join NASA Stennis Space Center (SSC) in celebrating the 35th anniversary of the first human landing on the Moon by Apollo 11 on July 20, 1969.
On Tuesday, July 20, SSC’s visitor center, StenniSphere, will relive the excitement of the Apollo era with activities, including an Apollo exhibit, the planting of a “Moon Tree” and the unveiling of a new stage play.
The Apollo exhibit transports visitors back in time to trace the history of the program and explains SSC’s important role in sending Americans to the Moon. Items on display include an authentic Moon rock, Apollo-era spacesuits and other displays honoring the Apollo program and its achievements.
“Moon Trees” are descended from seeds carried to the Moon and back by Apollo 14 astronaut and longtime Mississippi Gulf Coast resident Stuart Roosa, who carried the seeds with him in his personal kit. Upon their return to Earth, the seeds were germinated by the U.S. Forest Service at stations in Gulfport and Placerville, Calif. The resulting seedlings were planted in locations across the United States, including local sites like the River Walk in New Orleans, La., and on the campus of Mississippi State University in Starkville. A tree descended from that first generation of seeds will be planted at 10 a.m. in honor of the first lunar landing, and dedicated to the next generation of explorers.
At 11 a.m., a new stage play, “The Eagle has Landed,” will begin its three-week run. The play was produced in partnership with WINGS, the children’s performing arts division of the Lynn Meadows Discovery Center in Gulfport, Miss. Performances will continue at 11 a.m. each weekday through Aug. 3.
StenniSphere offers free tours of America’s largest rocket test complex, where engines were tested for the Saturn V moon rockets, and where all Space Shuttle Main Engines are tested today. Visitors begin their journey at the Launch Pad at the I-10, Exit 2, Mississippi Welcome Center.
Admission to StenniSphere is free. Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily through Labor Day Weekend. Winter hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. StenniSphere is closed all major holidays.
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News releases provided by NASA’s Stennis Space Center are available at https://www.nasa.gov/centers/ssc/news/newsreleases/2004 For more information, call the NASA Public Affairs Office at Stennis at 1-800-237-1821 in Mississippi and Louisiana only, or (228) 688-3341.
2004 News Releases