SAN JOSE, Calif. — NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale will announce a significant new education initiative at a NASA Future Forum on May 14 at The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose, Calif.

Dale will make the announcement during a keynote address at 8:45 a.m. PDT and be available to answer questions during a media opportunity at 10 a.m. The forum focuses on how space exploration benefits California’s economy and is part of a year-long series celebrating NASA’s 50th anniversary. Ames Research Center Director S. Pete Worden will serve as master of ceremonies.

NASA astronaut Rex Walheim, a San Francisco Bay area native, will discuss his February space shuttle mission that delivered the European Space Agency’s Columbus Laboratory to the International Space Station, and James Norman, director of NASA Headquarters’ Constellation Systems Division in Washington, will discuss the development of the vehicles that will travel to the moon, Mars and beyond.

Reporters who would like to attend the forum should contact Kelly Humphries at kelly.o.humphries@nasa.gov or 650-605-5026 by May 12.

Event schedule for the NASA San Jose Future Forum (all times PDT):

– 8:30 a.m. – Welcome by host, Peter Friess, president of The Tech Museum of Innovation
– 8:45 a.m. – Remarks by NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale
– 9:15 a.m. Overview of the NASA Exploration Program, James Norman, director, NASA Constellation Systems Division at NASA Headquarters, Washington
– 9:50 a.m. – Innovation Panel: “Unleashing the power of technology and creativity”
– 10 a.m. – Media question and answer session with presenters
– 11 a.m. – Discovery Panel: “Pushing the limits of knowledge to inspire new generations”
– 12:10 p.m. – Luncheon with address by astronaut Rex Walheim
– 1:40 p.m. – Inspiration Panel: “Building idea factories for the future”
– 3 p.m. – Closing remarks and wrap-up

For more information about NASA’s 50th Anniversary on the Web, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/50th/future_forums/index.html

For complete biographical information about Dale, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/dale_bio.html

For more information about The Tech Center of Innovation, visit:

http://www.thetech.org

For more information about NASA and agency programs, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov