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February XX, 2013, Peoria, AZ – Three upcoming events in February at Challenger Space
Center Arizona will offer the public an opportunity to meet and interact with NASA astronauts, athletes, a NASCAR driver and more. These public outreach events serve to fulfill the Center's mission – to inspire, excite, and educate people of all ages about the mysteries and wonders of space and science.
The events "An Evening with the Crew" and "Train Like an Astronaut" are held in cooperation with the Honeywell Fiesta Bowl Aerospace Challenge Finals Competition and are sponsored by
COX Communications. "Gears & Galaxies – NASCAR Meets NASA" is supported by the Night
Rover Challenge Invention Experience and The NASCAR Foundation.
All three events are Official Signature Events during the 2013 Arizona SciTech Festival.
An Evening with the Crew: On Friday, February 22, 6:00-9:30 p.m., meet astronauts Clayton
Anderson, Sunita Williams, and Richard Linnehan as they offer individual presentations about their adventures in space. Doors and exhibits open at 6 p.m., with the astronaut presentations and question-and-answer period from 7:00-8:15 p.m. An autograph session follows from 8:15-
9:30 p.m. This event is free with seating on a first-come, first-served basis. Seats may be reserved at www.azchallenger.org
.
Former U.S Astronaut Clayton Anderson was a Mission Specialist on Space Shuttle missions
STS-117, STS-118, STS-120, and STS-131, as well as an ISS Science Officer on Expedition
15/16. U.S. Astronaut Sunita Williams served as a Mission Specialist on Space Shuttle missions STS-116 and STS-117, and as an ISS Science Officer on Expedition 14/15 and
Expedition 32/33. U.S. Astronaut Richard Linnehan was a Mission Specialist on Space Shuttle missions STS-78, STS-90, STS-109, and STS-123.
Train Like an Astronaut Challenge: On Saturday, February 23, 1:00-2:00 p.m., Astronauts
Clayton Anderson, Sunita Williams, and Richard Linnehan will join local athletes and school children for the Train Like an Astronaut Challenge on the Center's outdoor basketball courts. In partnership with the White House Let's Move! initiative, NASA's Train Like an Astronaut program aims to increase opportunities for kids to become more physically and mentally active.

This program uses the excitement of space exploration and astronaut training to challenge, inspire, and educate kids to set physical fitness goals and practice proper nutrition. Following the outdoor event, visitors are invited to enjoy exhibits and activities inside Challenger Space
Center from 2:00-400 p.m. The event is free to the general public with a preprinted online coupon.
Gears and Galaxies: NASCAR Meets NASA - Featuring the NASA Night Rover Challenge
Invention Experience: On Wednesday, February 27, from 5:00 – 9:00 p.m., this special event offers an opportunity to meet a NASCAR driver and an astronaut and learn about the common characteristics of each of their careers. Learn about the many ways that research at NASA has contributed to the safety of NASCAR drivers and team members. Photo and autograph opportunities will be available as well as a Q&A session with both the driver and the astronaut.
Visitors will also learn more about the Night Rover Challenge Invention Experience, a program that encourages students to explore innovation and entrepreneurship and gain experience that will help them invent the next great idea. This event is free and open to the public, but seating is limited and on a first-come, first-served basis. Seats may be reserved at www.azchallenger.org
.
For more information, visit www.azchallenger.org
.
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Upcoming Programs & Events at Challenger Space Center:
(please see website or call 623-322-2001 for complete details)
They Came from Outer Space–The Exhibition: This amazing new exhibit features many of the spectacular meteorites found by Geoff Notkin and Steve Arnold on the TV series "Meteorite Men" during their travels around the world, original wardrobe and expedition gear, props, equipment, maps, and behind-the-scenes photographs.
One of the centerpieces of the exhibition is a 230-lb pallasite meteorite found while filming the pilot episode of
"Meteorite Men." Most of these items have never been seen in public. Fee: Free with paid general admission. For details, visit www.theycamefromouterspace.com
.
SpaceTots: This exciting introduction to space and science is designed specifically for ages 4-6, to teach preschool and kindergarten-age children about our planet, solar system and what it takes to be an astronaut. This series of nine monthly adventures for parent and child includes story time, a science activity, and play structured by the week’s themes. Upcoming dates are: Monday/Tuesday, February 18/19, 9:30 -11:30 a.m. for “Earth and Moon;”
Monday/Tuesday, March 18/19, 9:30 -11:30 a.m. for "Rockets, Astronauts and Aliens." The same program repeats on Monday on Tuesday each month.
Family STAR Night: The doors open at 6:30 p.m. for an interactive astronomy night, including hands-on activities, a simulated space launch, and a “Scout Corner.” At 7:30 p.m. professional stargazer Tony LaConte gives an interactive slide presentation on constellations, planets, and upcoming sky events with outdoor stargazing, weather-permitting. Please call ahead to reserve Scout Activity Packets, 623-322-2001. The fee is $7 per person with children 2 and under free; 25% discount for Challenger Members. The next Family STAR Night is Saturday,
February 23 (The Orion Nebula).

StarLab Planetarium: The Giant StarLab Planetarium presents a 40-minute shows at 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. inside Challenger Space Center on select weekend days. The next appearance date is Saturday, March 2. Inside the dome, visitors are transported into a night sky environment perfect for learning about upcoming sky events, the stars, the moon, constellations, planets, deep space objects, celestial coordinates, the seasons, multicultural folklore, and mythology. The fee for the StarLab Planetarium is $4 per person plus the cost of general admission, with a 25% discount for Challenger members. Please call ahead to reserve Scout Activity Packets for your group,
623-322-2001.
Guided Tours: Guided tours are available throughout the week at the designated times with paid admission to the
Center. Please call in advance to verify guided tour availability. The Center is open daily from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Group discounts are available for adult groups of 12 or more people, special needs groups, and AAA Members; groups of 12 or more people must make reservations a minimum of two weeks in advance to ensure receiving a guided tour. Guided tour times are: Monday-Friday at 10:15, 11:15, 1:00, 2:00, 3:00; Saturday-Sunday at 10:15,
11:15, 12:15, 1:15, 2:15, 3:15. Self-guided tours are available during regular hours. Occasional special engagements may alter schedule.
Grandparents’ Day: The second Saturday of each month is Grandparents’ Day at Challenger Space Center. The general admission fee is half-price for grandparents escorting a grandchild and there will be complimentary coffee in the Cosmic Café on Grandparents’ Day. The next Grandparents’ Day is Saturday, March 9, 2012.
An Astronaut’s Life: Articles Flown in Space: This Smithsonian Institution exhibit features items on loan from the
National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., including several artifacts which have flown in space on various eras of manned spaceflight. The artifacts tell the story of how astronauts live in space. Free with paid admission to the Center; artifacts may be viewed during a Guided Tour.
Saturday Simulated Space Missions: During space missions, team members take part in a daring trek of exploration inside a simulator of Mission Control and the International Space Station.
“Rendezvous with a Comet” (every first, second, fourth and last Saturday) - Become a crewmember on a
2-hour space mission! Once again Comet Encke will travel close to the Sun and Earth. This time, human space travelers, as well as space probes, will undertake scientific missions to the great comet. Team members in both the Spacecraft and Mission Control must work together to rendezvous with the comet's tail, and successfully launch a scientific probe. Along the way, team members will also encounter many important tasks that need to be performed.
“Voyage to Mars” (every third Saturday) - The time frame of this mission is sometime in the not-toodistant future, when humans have established a permanent base on Mars. Crew members will serve as the first crew on Mars and the relief crew en route to the planet. While on the Martian surface, the team will collect and analyze a great number of planetary samples and data. This information is vital to scientists for a better understanding of the planet Mars. Crew members will also gain an appreciation for the "luxuries" of planet Earth such as air, water and food as compared to a barren planet such as Mars.
Prepaid Reservations are required for all missions by calling the Center at 623-322-2001. Simulated space missions are not suitable for 2nd grade and under. Students in 3rd and 4th grade must be partnered with ticketed adult.
Visit www.AZChallenger.org
for more information on visiting Challenger Space Center Arizona.
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