Members of the press are invited to attend Young Astronaut Day at NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland Saturday, Nov. 3, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Young Astronaut Day is a daylong event designed to challenge, educate and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers.
Over 400 first through 12th grade students from Broadview Heights, Brecksville, Cleveland, Chagrin Falls, Medina, Mentor, Middleburg Heights, North Royalton, Perrysburg, Strongsville and Twinsburg will compete for ribbons in a full day of hands-on, STEM activities.
The competition will take place in two sessions: session one from 9 to 11 a.m. and session two from 3 to 5 p.m.
At 11:15 a.m. and 2:10 p.m., keynote speaker Grant Slusser will present a talk about his experience training astronauts and flight controllers, what it takes to keep astronauts alive while they perform space walks and his work as a former flight controller. Slusser is the chief training officer at Johnson Space Center. He will be available for interviews immediately following both presentations.
Students who dream of becoming an astronaut, or flying in space, will participate in various design challenges including designing an air-powered rocket, a planetary rover, a submarine, a solar-powered pumping system, an apparatus to capture an asteroid, and a contraption to lift marbles inside a vacuum chamber to show how the vacuum of space affects objects that NASA launches into space.
“Each year I’m amazed at the level of interest this event generates,” said Ashlie Flegel, a Glenn aerospace engineer and the Young Astronaut Day organizer. “It’s so much fun watching the student’s creativity thrive and passion for NASA blossom.”
Also, in honor of NASA’s 60th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of Apollo, students and Canstruction Cleveland will make a replica of NASA’s 60th anniversary logo and the Apollo Lunar Module out of cans of food. After the competition, all the canned food is donated to the Cleveland and Akron Harvest for Hunger campaigns.
Sponsors and volunteers of Young Astronaut Day are: NASA’s Glenn Research Center, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) Northern Ohio Section, Cleveland State University AIAA Student Section, Onyx Creative, MSM Group, Inc., HX5 LLC, Jacobs Engineering Group Inc., Vantage Partners LLC, DB Consulting Group Inc. and Alcyon, Inc.
Members of the press must register in advance for a NASA visitor’s badge by noon on Friday, Nov. 2. Send an email to jeannette.p.owens@nasa.gov with the reporter/videographer’s full name, citizenship, news organization and time of arrival. You may also contact Jeannette Owens at 216-433-2990.
For more information about Young Astronaut Day 2018 and a list of participating schools, visit:
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Jeannette Owens
NASA Glenn Research Center
216-433-2990
jeannette.p.owens@nasa.gov