MOFFETT FIELD, Calif. — To honor the astronauts and brave members of the NASA family who gave their lives in the pursuit of space exploration and service to our nation, NASA’s Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif., will will hold a Day of Remembrance Ceremony in the Ames Exploration Center on Friday, Feb. 1, 2013.

The Exploration Center also will unveil an exhibit to pay tribute to NASA Astronaut and STS-107 space shuttle Columbia Mission Specialist, Kalpana Chawla, a friend and colleague to the Ames community during her tenure as an astronaut candidate.

Ames employees and ceremony participants are invited to hear remarks from Ames Center Director S. Pete Worden, see a presentation about Chawla by former Ames colleagues, see a video featuring Columbia, and observe a moment of silence. Across the country, flags at NASA Headquarters in Washington and the NASA field centers will be flown at half-mast in memory of the colleagues lost in the cause of exploration.

The Columbia memorabilia exhibit features Chawla’s personal belongings, items and awards associated with her career at NASA, and will be open to the public through March 25, 2013.

Reporters interested in participating must contact Rachel Hoover at rachel.hoover@nasa.gov or 650-604-4789 by 5 p.m. PST, Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013.

Schedule of events for Friday, Feb. 1, 2013 (all times PST)

– 10 a.m.: Exploration Center doors open
– 10:15 a.m.: Opening remarks by Ames Center Director S. Pete Worden
– 10:25 a.m.: Moment of Silence
– 10:30 a.m.: Presentation about NASA Astronaut and Columbia mission specialist, Kalpana Chawla
– 10:40 a.m.: Columbia video
– 10:45 a.m.: Memorabilia exhibit unveiling

The program featuring the video, exhibit, and presentations about Chawla will repeat at 4 p.m. and is free and open to the public. The Exploration Center closes at 6 p.m.

NASA’s Exploration Center is the large white dome located at the main gate of NASA’s Ames Research Center. To reach NASA Ames, take U.S. Highway 101 to the Moffett Field, NASA Parkway exit and drive east on Moffett Boulevard towards the main gate and bear right into the parking lot.

A decade has passed since the loss of the crew of space shuttle Columbia on Feb. 1, 2003 just minutes before landing. More than 40 years ago, on Jan. 27, 1967, the crew of Apollo 1 perished in a terrible fire. And nearly 30 years ago, on Jan. 28, 1986, the crew of space shuttle Challenger died less than two minutes after launch.

A wreath-laying ceremony at the Space Mirror Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, hosted by the Astronauts Memorial Foundation will be broadcast live on NASA Television starting 7 a.m. PST Friday, Feb. 1, 2013.

For NASA Television downlink information, schedule information and streaming video, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/ntv

For more information about NASA’s Day of Remembrance, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/externalflash/dor