FAIRBORN — Explore space with the National Museum of the US Air Force this month as we commemorate the anniversaries of two special moon missions during Family Day 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, July 15.
July 20 will mark the 48th anniversary of Apollo 11 — the first time humans set foot on the moon— and July 30 is the 46th anniversary of the Apollo 15 mission— which had an all Air Force crew and landed on the moon in 1971. Visitors can see the Apollo 15 command module in the museum’s Space Gallery in the fourth building!
Throughout the day, visitors can participate in demonstration stations and hands-on activities to learn about space exploration, including the Apollo missions and the mighty Saturn V moon rocket.
NASA Solar System Ambassador Tyler Hines will offer a one-hour tour titled “History of Manned Space Flight” at 10 a.m., 12 p.m. and 2 p.m. and will be available throughout the day to answer questions near the entrance to the Space Gallery.
In addition, the first 500 visitors will be able to participate in a free “Build and Launch” rocket workshop in the second building from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., while supplies last. Children will be given a free rocket kit to build on site and then launch on museum grounds. The launch of these rockets as well as additional demonstration rocket flights is being hosted by Wright Stuff Rocketeers, a local rocketry club.
Museum visitors may only launch rockets built during the workshop on museum grounds prior to 3 p.m. The free rocket kits are being provided by the Air Force Museum Foundation Inc.
Storytime begins at 11:30 a.m. and 1:15 p.m. in the STEM Learning Node located in the Presidential Gallery. Preschool and primary-grade children are invited to hear space-related stories and make a free craft project.
The National Museum of the US Air Force located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base has free admission and parking. For more information, visit www.nationalmuseum.af.mil.
