Yuri’s Night: The World Space Party, rocking the world
on April 12, reached its goal of 100 parties today by
blasting into orbit. The 99th and 100th Yuri’s Night
parties take the form of video messages from the
International Space Station (ISS) and the US Space
Shuttle.

The greetings transform Yuri’s Night from a planetary
celebration of space to one that has taken its first
steps into the solar system.

“I just wanted to tape a short greeting to all of
those of you who are attending Yuri’s Night,” said
astronaut Jim Newman, speaking 360 miles above the
Earth’s surface onboard Shuttle Mission STS-109.
“There are really no boundaries visible from space,”
Newman continued, “and I just wanted to leave you with
this short message, celebrating the accomplishments of
humans in space, and hoping for a better future for
humans on Earth.”

Newman’s message will join a special greeting from the
Expedition Four ISS Crew of Yury Onufrienok, Daniel
Bursch and Carl Walz, that will be broadcast worldwide
on April 12.

Both videos will be the centerpiece of Yuri’s Night
parties around the world. The dual recordings hold
particular significance for Yuri’s Night, as April 12
is not only the anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s historic
first spaceflight, but also the anniversary of the
first launch of the Space Shuttle.

The Space Station greeting was recorded at the Russian
Mission Control Center in Korolyov, Russia, and made
possible by the support of the Youth Space Center,
Bauman Moscow State Technical University (BMSTU).
Victoria Mayorova, Youth Space Center Director, Yulia
Stetskyuk, BMSTU student, and Julia Tizard, a student
at Manchester University, joined forces to bring the
World Space Party into orbit.

“Yuri’s Night unites humanity in a peaceful
celebration of space,” said Tizard. “Since humanity
is now in orbit, it only makes sense to celebrate
Yuri’s Night there as well.”

A transcript of both messages will be available on
www.YurisNight.net after April 12.

Yuri’s Night is a non-profit organization founded with
the support of the Space Frontier Foundation and
sponsored by individuals, major corporations, and
charitable foundations. All Yuri’s Night events are
organized and managed by an international grassroots
network of volunteers.

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Editors: For a general press release on the Yuri’s
Night: The World Space Party, please see:
http://www.yurisnight.net/news/greengalacticnr.pdf 

Contact:    Mila Pavek, Media Coordinator
Phone:      +1 (562) 951-7400
Fax:        +1 (310) 868-2785
Email:      mila@yurisnight.net
Web:        www.yurisnight.net