Cleveland – For the 15th straight year, NASA’s Glenn Research Center will host over 300 students from 24 local schools and youth organizations for Young Astronaut Day, a Saturday filled with hands-on activities and a visit with a NASA astronaut.

Starting at 10 a.m. on Saturday, November 3, in the Developmental Engineering Building Auditorium, Glenn Deputy Director Ray Lugo will welcome the students.

Astronaut Mario Runco will serve as guest speaker and start the students on their way toward a day filled with excitement in a number of engineering and scientific challenges.

Guidelines, instructions and a summary of the day’s activities will then be given by organizers of the event, most of whom are NASA scientists and engineers. Pilots (6th grade and younger) will meet in Glenn’s Developmental Engineering Building Cafeteria, while Commanders (7th grade and older) will convene at the same time in the Main Cafeteria for the competition portion of the event.

The students, in grades K-12, have fun competing in events designed to help stimulate an interest in aeronautics, space science and engineering. Challenges this year include Space Spud, where competing student teams use the same materials to design different protective suits for the Space Spud from an onslaught of small meteorites from an impactor; and the InSpace Repair Challenge, where each team experiences how difficult it is to perform simple tasks when working in space.

Astronaut Runco began his flight career as an astronaut candidate in 1987 and is a veteran of three space shuttle flights, having logged over 551 hours in space, including a 4.5-hour spacewalk.

Runco was part of the STS-54 crew that demonstrated how everyday toys behave in space, in what has since become a popular children’s education video, “Physics of Toys.” He subsequently made several appearances on the children’s television show Sesame Street.

This year’s event is sponsored by Glenn and the Northern Ohio section of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

Media representatives interested in covering the activities should call Lori Rachul at 216-433-8806 or 216-509-1071 in order to be cleared through security.

A list of communities with schools and organizations participating follows:

  • Ashland
    Ashland Elementary School

  • Bay Village
    Bay Village Middle School

  • Berea
    Ford Middle School
    St. Adelbert School

  • Brecksville
    Girl Scout Troop 1578
    South Suburban Montessori School

  • Bryan
    St. Patrick’s School

  • Burton
    Berkshire Junior and Senior High School
    Shore Explorers

  • Cleveland
    Birchwood School
    John Glenn Elementary School
    Martin Luther King Junior High

  • Ledgemont
    Young Astronauts

  • Lorain County
    Civil Air Patrol

  • Montpelier
    Superior Middle School

  • North Canton
    Brownie Troop 516

  • Oberlin
    Young Explorers

  • Parma
    Parma Heights Christian Academy
    Parma High School
    Warrior Astronauts

  • Rocky River
    Magnificat High School

  • Sheffield
    Sheffield Middle School

  • Shaker Heights
    University School

  • Westerville
    Edison Academy