Cleveland — Saturday marks the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 1 fire in which three astronauts lost their lives pursuing the exploration of space. The public is invited to come to the Visitor Center at NASA’s Glenn Research Center for an astronaut memorial presentation. The Visitor Center will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
In addition to remembering the Apollo 1 crew, the memorial will honor the astronauts who perished in the Space Shuttle Columbia and Challenger accidents, as well as all other members of the NASA family who have lost their lives in the pursuit of knowledge.
At 1 p.m., NASA Glenn engineer Jeffrey Woytach will give a talk entitled “Space Heroes” that will highlight the roles these crews played in expanding our reach beyond the confines of Earth in the exploration of the moon and in our quest for scientific knowledge.
Throughout the day, visitors can view the astronaut memorial wall in the lobby of the Visitor Center. Visitors also are encouraged to spend time in the human spaceflight gallery where the Combustion Module-2 Crew Trainer and the “Mission Support Center” console are located. The trainer, used by the Columbia crew, has been dedicated to their memory, and the console includes an STS-107 post-flight multimedia presentation on “Explorations in Microgravity.”
Located at 21000 Brookpark Road, the Visitor Center is free and the building is wheelchair accessible. Access is limited to U.S. citizens. All adult visitors are required to present government-issued photo identification upon entering the center’s main gate and vehicles are subject to inspection.
For information about the Visitor Center or upcoming events, call 216-433-2000 or visit the Web at: http://visit.grc.nasa.gov
