Astronaut Mark Kelly, husband of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, to attend
NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden Jr. will address a National Press Club luncheon on July 1, one week before the final scheduled space shuttle launch. Discussing America’s continued commitment to leadership in human spaceflight, Bolden will also speak about NASA’s plans to extend human presence beyond low-Earth orbit.
Astronaut Mark Kelly, who commanded the last flight of the Endeavour shuttle and is the husband of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, will be among the administrator’s guests at the head table, along with NASA Deputy Administrator Lori Garver.
Bolden flew aboard the space shuttle four times between 1986 and 1994, twice as commander. His flights included deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope and the first joint U.S.-Russian shuttle mission, which featured a cosmonaut as a member of his crew.
Bolden also had a long career with the Marine Corps and was a member of NASA’s Astronaut Office for 14 years.
The July 1 luncheon will begin promptly at 12:30 p.m. Administrator Bolden’s remarks will begin just after 1:00 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session. Advance reservations should be made through (202) 662-7501 or reservations@press.org. Luncheon admission is $18 for National Press Club members, $29 for their guests, and $36 for the general public.
The National Press Club is on the 13th floor, 529 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C. Credentialed press may cover this event. To submit a question in advance, type BOLDEN in the subject line and email president@press.org before 10 a.m. on July 1.
The luncheon program will be simulcast on C-SPAN and NASA Television and webcast live on www.press.org. Follow the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #NPCLunch, or on Facebook (www.facebook.com/PressClubDC) and Twitter (@PressClubDC).
About the National Press Club
Known as “The Place Where News Happens,” the National Press Club has more than 3,500 members, including journalists from every major news organization. Each year the Press Club hosts more than 250,000 visitors at more than 2,000 events and provides a global forum for prominent figures in government, industry, athletics, and the arts. For more information, go to www.press.org .
CONTACT: Melinda Cooke, +1-202-662-7516, mcooke@press.org
