NASA Astronaut Don Pettit To Dicuss His Residency in Space

HOUSTON–NASA astronaut Don Pettit, a veteran of three spaceflights, will discuss life and science aboard the International Space Station at the Arizona Science and Astronomy Expo Saturday, Nov. 10. Pettit,s multi-media presentation, which is open to the public, begins at 4:30 p.m. CST at the Tucson Convention Center.

Pettit completed 193 days in space as a member of the Expedition 30 and 31 crews, and returned to Earth in a Soyuz spacecraft July 1. Combined with his previous space station expedition and space shuttle flights, Pettit is fourth among U.S. space fliers with 370 days in space. He also has two spacewalks to his credit.

Pettit and his space station crew members spent the majority of their time aboard the orbiting laboratory performing scientific research. Their efforts supported more than 200 investigations involving more than 400 researchers around the world. The studies ranged from integrated investigations of the human cardiovascular and immune systems to fluid, flame and robotic research. They also welcomed the first commercial cargo vehicle to the station, the SpaceX Dragon, which Pettit caught and berthed to the complex using the station’s robotic arm.

During Expedition 30 and 31, Pettit also used household objects aboard the station to perform a variety of unusual physics experiments for the video series "Science Off the Sphere." Through these demonstrations, Pettit showed more than a million Internet viewers how space affects scientific principles.

Pettit is a native of Silverton, Ore., and a 1978 graduate of Oregon State University. He earned a doctorate in 1983 from Arizona State University and worked as a scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory before being selected as a NASA astronaut in 1996.

For more information about this appearance or to schedule an interview with Pettit, contact Dana Davis, publicist, Astronaut Appearances Office, at 281-244-0933.

For information about NASA and agency programs, visit: http://www.nasa.gov

For information about the Arizona Science & Astronomy Expo, visit: http://www.scienceandastronomy.com/