Lockheed Martin is taking the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex out of this world! Space enthusiasts of all ages will celebrate science on May 5 and May 6 in recognition of Space Day. Hands-on activities and experienced astronaut Rick Hieb will help students discover the power of science.
Thursday, May 5
The celebration kicked off at the Science Place in Fair Park. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Lockheed Martin volunteers assisted with various Space Day activities and space demonstrations, including Signatures in Space.
This evening, the Dallas Museum of Natural History and KERA 90.1 will present “Space Flight – A View from the Inside” sponsored by Lockheed Martin. The program will feature Mr. Hieb, former astronaut and Lockheed Martin Vice President and Program Manager of Science, Engineering, Analysis and Test Operation. The program will begin at 6:30 p.m. in the KERA community room located at 3000 Harry Hines Blvd. Admission is free for Dallas Museum of Natural History and KERA members and a $5 contribution is requested for non- members.
Friday, May 6
The celebration continues in Fort Worth on Friday, May 6, where Lockheed Martin teams up with Texas Christian University for Space Day at TCU. From 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., 250 fifth through eighth graders will discover the wonders of the universe with their own hands through inquiry-based activities led by TCU science students and Lockheed Martin engineers.
During the day, from 8 a.m.-2 p.m., Space Day will be celebrated at Ben Milam Elementary School in Grand Prairie. The celebration will begin with a paper airplane launch and hovercraft demonstration followed by presentations to classrooms by Lockheed Martin volunteers. In addition, the students will hear Mr. Hieb speak about his adventures in space.
Then, in the evening, the public is invited to join the celebration. Guest speakers, including Mr. Hieb and a Deep Impact mission specialist, Hollywood movie debunking and telescope classes will kick off the celebration.
When the sun has set, half a dozen telescopes will be available in the library courtyard for celestial viewing. The Monnig Meteorite Gallery will also be open all evening for self-guided tours.
All week, schools around the metroplex will participate in Signatures in Space, a program that allows students to make their mark in outer space. Students sign a poster, the poster is photographed and then the negative is put aboard a future Space Shuttle flight. The students then track the Space Shuttle’s progress.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin employs about 130,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture and integration of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2004 sales of $35.5 billion.
