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Mark 50th Anniversary Of Moon Landing At Wright Brothers National Memorial

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Astronaut Eric Boe will be at Wright Brothers National Memorial to celebrate the 1969 moon landing/HO

Astronaut Eric Boe will be at Wright Brothers National Memorial to celebrate the 1969 moon landing/HO

If you're planning a trip to North Carolina's Outer Banks this week, swing by Wright Brothers National Memorial to help celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the first lunar landing through a variety of special events that kick off Thursday.

The park's special guest on Saturday will be NASA Astronaut Eric A. Boe (Colonel, U.S. Air Force Retired). Boe was selected as an astronaut in 2000, and is a veteran of two space shuttle flights, serving as a pilot for the Space Shuttles Endeavour and Discovery.

Boe and his crewmates are currently working with Boeing to develop their new spacecraft systems, which will provide crew transportation services to the International Space Station and return the ability to launch humans into space from United States soil.

At Wright Brothers, Boe will give a special “Ask an Astronaut” program and take part in a public meet-and-greet on Saturday, prior to speaking at the evening’s feature event. 

During Saturday evening, a viewing party will be held on the grounds of Wright Brothers National Memorial from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., where the original news footage of the first lunar landing will be rebroadcast. This will recreate a viewing party that took place at the visitor center on July 20, 1969.

Here's a look at the other special activities:

Thursday, July 18

* 6:30 p.m. Apollo 11 Activities at Dowdy Park (Ranger Program)

Join park rangers for hands-on learning activities for kids prior to the 8 p.m. movie showing.

* 7 p.m. Apollo 11, Final Chapter in the Space Race (Special Program)

National Park Service volunteer, Chris Godart, will present a program called "Apollo 11, Final Chapter in the Space Race." Explore the events leading up to the historic mission of Apollo 11, and learn how the mission progressed to safely land man on the moon and return to earth.

* 8 p.m. “Apollo 11” Documentary at Dowdy Park (Special Event)

At around 8 p.m., the “Apollo 11” documentary will be shown at Dowdy Park in Nags Head. This free event is supported by the First Flight Foundation.

Friday, July 19

* 10 a.m., 11 a.m. Sand Dunes & Moon Dust (Ranger Program)

* 12 p.m., 4 p.m.

Learn about the events leading to the first powered flight in 1903 and its similarities to the Apollo 11 mission.

* 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m. The Wright Stuff (Ranger Program)

Explore the Legacy of the Wright Brothers from Kitty Hawk to Tranquility Base

Saturday, July 20

* 10 a.m., 11 a.m., 4 p.m. Sand Dunes & Moon Dust (Ranger Program)

Learn about the events leading to the first powered flight in 1903 and its similarities to the Apollo 11 mission.

* 10 a.m., 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m. Planet Walk (Ranger Program)

Join a park ranger to walk a scale model of the solar system on the grounds of the memorial. Learn about distant planets and how they relate to each other.

* 12 p.m. Apollo 11, Final Chapter in the Space Race

National Park Service volunteer, Chris Godart, will present a program called “Apollo 11, Final Chapter in the Space Race.” Explore the events leading up to the historic mission of Apollo 11, and learn how the mission progressed to safely land man on the moon and return to earth.

* 2 p.m. Ask an Astronaut with NASA Astronaut

NASA Astronaut and Space Shuttle veteran Eric Boe will give a short presentation on his experiences in space and lead a question and answer session with the audience.

* 3 p.m. The Wright Stuff (Ranger Program)

Explore the Legacy of the Wright Brothers from Kitty Hawk to Tranquility Base

* 5 p.m. Meet and Greet with NASA Astronaut Eric Boe (Public Event)

Meet a real-life astronaut, and interact informally.

* 7 p.m. Special Guest Speakers (Feature Event)

Active NASA astronaut Eric Boe will discuss spaceflight and the newest NASA initiatives to return to the moon and beyond.

* 8:10 p.m. Walter Cronkite Footage of the Moon Landing (Feature Event)

Rebroadcast of Walter Cronkite’s famous moon landing news coverage will begin just after 8 p.m. and conclude around 8:45 p.m.

Additional July 20 details:

  • Visitors should bring beach chairs and flashlights.
  • Visitors are encouraged to dress up as astronauts or in 1960s era costumes.
  • Special activities for kids will be provided by the NPS and NASA Langley Research Center in the Junior Aviator Store.
  • Food trucks will be available at the memorial for guests to purchase food.
  • In the event of rain, the speakers will still present their talks under a tent, as well as the viewing party. In the event of severe weather, the event will be canceled.

Sunday, July 21

* 10 a.m., 11 a.m. Sand Dunes & Moon Dust (Ranger Program)

* 12 p.m., 4 p.m. Learn about the events leading to the first powered flight in 1903 and its similarities to the Apollo 11 mission.

* 1 p.m., 2:30 p.m. The Wright Stuff (Ranger Program)

Explore the Legacy of the Wright Brothers from Kitty Hawk to Tranquility Base.

Comments

Most of the Apollo era sites were only saved from destruction due to the National Park Services study, Man in Space, which identified 26 sites worthy of preservation including Mission Control Center as NASA Johnson Space Center. Almost all of these designations as National Historic Landmarks were opposed by NASA and the USAF. After 4 years of struggle the sites were designated and are now preserved for all Americans to see and enjoy. The preservation of these sites was a victory for all Americans.


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