Houston Celebrates Moon Landing Anniversary

Organizations Across the City Present Special Events, Exhibitions Honoring 40th Anniversary of Moon Landing

Special Resource - Other Houston Things To Do

HOUSTON (June 11, 2009) — On July 20, 2009, America will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the moon landing, when astronaut Neil Armstrong uttered the first word from the moon--Houston--when he said, "Houston, Tranquility Base here. The Eagle has landed."

Outer space has fascinated mankind for centuries, and space is often synonymous with Houston, home to Johnson Space Center and Mission Control. The space program has had a great impact on Houston, as seen in the various events below.

Space Center Houston*
Year-Round
www.spacecenter.org

The official space museum in Houston is one of only a few places in the world where visitors can see a Saturn V rocket, an Apollo capsule that was actually flown (Apollo 17), see and touch rocks brought back from the moon by Apollo astronauts and sit in the gallery of Mission Control where the famous words of the Apollo 11 touchdown were first heard. In addition, Space Center Houston offers Level 9 tours, behind-the-scenes tours that let visitors glimpse into the lives of astronauts.

The Health Museum*: Facing Mars
May 30-September 2, 2009
www.thehealthmuseum.org

Facing Mars is a U.S. premiere that features interactive stations that encourage visitors to "walk on Mars," test and launch rockets, "fly over" the Martian landscape and consider the implications humans face in their quest to reach the Red Planet. This innovative exhibit focuses on the real challenges of sending human explorers to Mars.

With more than 28 experiences, Facing Mars combines a range of hands-on experiences with compelling artifacts, such as a rare Mars meteorite from West Africa and stunning imagery to engage participants in the physical, psychological and scientific challenges involved in journeying to Mars.

Facing Mars addresses questions such as:

• What happens to your face in space?
• How can you protect astronauts from cosmic rays and solar radiation?
• Who would you choose for a Mars crew?

Visitors become a rocket scientist for the day and explore the challenges of aerodynamic stability. They experience what it is like to "walk on Mars" at a station that subtracts 60 percent of their weight to simulate Martian gravity. Visitors also explore some of the potential pyschological and emotional stresses that astronauts may face on their journey, examining how contagious emotions can be and discovering where their own personal space threshold lies. The museum will also have an actual size model of the Mars Exploration Rover on loan from NASA on display throughout the summer.

Freedom Over Texas with Fireworks presented by Shell
July 4, 2009
www.freedomovertexas.org

Fireworks will fly and tunes will fill the air at Houston's star-spangled Fourth of July celebration. This year's event, saluting Houston's military heroes and honoring the 40th anniversary of NASA's Apollo XI Lunar Landing, will feature the largest land-based fireworks show in the nation, unbeatable entertainment and a lively outdoor festival. Admission is free. Country music superstar Clay Walker will perform, followed by the largest land-based fireworks show in the nation, presented by Shell Oil Company and produced by the world-renowned fireworks artists from Pyro Spectaculars North by Souza.

NASA will provide on-site exhibits, and NASA will be featured in the musical bed of the fireworks. There will also be a special message from the Space Station.

Discovery Green: Spacefest
July 17-20, 2009
www.discoverygreen.com

Discovery Green downtown park has partnered with NASA and Rice University to celebrate this historic anniversary. A partial list of activities include:

• Driven to Explore NASA mobile exhibit
• Discovery Dome honoring the Apollo astronauts
• Live music by the El Orbits an
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