NASA will be the guest of honor at Houston’s Minute Maid Park on Monday, Aug. 14 for the 7:05 p.m. CDT Houston Astros game against the Chicago Cubs.
During opening ceremonies, the astronaut crew of last month’s Space Shuttle Discovery mission STS-121 will throw out the ceremonial first pitch. Video highlighting the relationship between NASA and the Houston Astros also will air. Astronaut Tracy Caldwell will sing the national anthem.
Booths and exhibits highlighting NASA’s work and recent missions will be located throughout the main concourse of the stadium, available to fans. During the game, Astros players and coaches will wear special commemorative caps honoring the STS-121 crew and NASA. The cap will feature the STS-121 mission patch and an Astros star on the side.
A press conference will be held in the Astros press conference room across from the club house at 6 p.m. CDT. Astros owner Drayton McLane and the STS-121 astronauts will participate.
The Astros club has been tied to NASA since the Colt .45s changed their name to Astros in 1965 and moved to the Astrodome. NASA and the Astros have participated together in community events and host NASA Nights each year. Past nights included ceremonial first pitches by astronaut Dan Bursch as a tribute to the International Space Station in 2002; astronaut David Leestma in a pre-game celebration of space exploration and NASA Explorer Schools in 2004 and a tribute to the crew of Return to Flight mission STS-114 in 2005.
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