Space Day Celebrates First Spacewalks Saturday, May 2 at the National Air and Space Museum

This year’s Space Day at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum will take place Saturday, May 2, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visitors of all ages are invited to celebrate 50 years of extra-vehicular activity through talks by NASA astronauts and hands-on activities during this family day at the museum in Washington, D.C.

The day will feature special activities to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first two spacewalks and discuss diversity and international collaborations within the space program. Visitors can hear from Patrick Forrester, NASA astronaut, and Paolo Nespoli, European Space Agency astronaut, about their experiences in space. There will be presentations about spacesuits from ILC Dover and NASA Johnson Space Center. Children can learn about spacesuit layers by dressing an astronaut paper doll and making their own a “Snoopy Cap,” a communications carrier that the Apollo astronauts wore. There will be a book talk and signing with Richard Paul and Steven Moss, authors of We Could Not Fail: The First African Americans in the Space Program. The Chromatics will provide musical entertainment and Flights of Fancy Story Times will be offered, featuring Space Walk by Salina Yoon.

Space Day, an annual event sponsored by Lockheed Martin, is designed to highlight scientific innovations and encourage students to consider careers in space exploration as they study math, science, engineering and technology.

The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., is located at Sixth Street and Independence Avenue S.W. The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located in Chantilly, Va., near Washington Dulles International Airport. Both facilities are open daily from 10 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. (closed Dec. 25). Admission is free, but there is a $15 fee for parking at the Udvar-Hazy Center.

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