Launch Countdown on For Huge Space Party in Downtown Hampton

HAMPTON, Va. – Space enthusiasts are counting down the days until the 2012 Yuri’s Night celebration, to be held Sat., April 14, from 7 p.m. to midnight, at the Virginia Air & Space Center (VASC) in downtown Hampton.

On April 12, 1961, Yuri Gagarin became the first person in outer space. Twenty years later, April 12, 1981, marked the launch of the first U.S. space shuttle. Yuri’s Night celebrates these out-of-this-world accomplishments at hundreds of parties. Last year’s total included 567 officially recognized events in 75 countries on all seven continents. This year Yuri’s Night Hampton Roads will also mark the 20th anniversary of the VASC and the 95th anniversary of one of the Virginia Air & Space Center’s founders, NASA’s Langley Research Center.

Yuri’s Night Hampton Roads’ aerospace technology theme will let partygoers explore what’s new at NASA and how NASA technology improves our everyday lives. Visitors can track their internal temperatures on a body heat map, view fantastic images of Earth from space, learn more about this summer’s rover mission to Mars and see the first robot astronaut – Robonaut I. NASA’s “Mindshift” technology, an offshoot of NASA Langley research to help pilots concentrate better, will test participants’ stress levels and even offer insight in how to control stress.

The event will feature a fusion of entertainment, including music mixed by Hampton Roads’ DJ Jeyone, performances by an Alien Dance group, a high-tech hula hoop artist, local reggae favorite United Souls and more. There’s even a space-themed costume contest where entrants can win prizes.

Yuri’s Night tickets are now on sale at $10 per person/$12 after April 13. They are available by calling 757-727-0900, extension 705, or on-line at: http://www.yurihr.com

Food is included with admission and beverages are available for purchase. Yuri’s Night is an event for those 18 and older.

For more information about NASA’s Langley Research Center, go to: http://www.nasa.gov/langley

For more information about the Virginia Air & Space Center, go to: http://www.vasc.org