October 25, 2007

Purdue Homecoming salutes first man on moon, 50th anniversary of NASA

A video highlight package

2:30-3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 27

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As NASA gets ready to celebrate its 50th anniversary, NASA and Purdue University - a cradle of astronauts - is saluting its alumnus Neil Armstrong, the first man to walk on the moon, with a series of events Oct. 26-27:

* Purdue will dedicate its new $53 million Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering on the West Lafayette, Ind., campus. Armstrong and Purdue alumnus Eugene Cernan, the last man on the moon, will speak at the dedication.

* NASA administrator Michael Griffin will join Armstrong to speak during a dinner, at which there will be as many as 16 of Purdue's 22 astronaut alumni.

* Also speaking at the dinner will be Purdue's new president, France A. Córdova. An astrophysicist, she was the first woman and youngest person to hold the position of NASA chief scientist.

* An 8-foot bronze sculpture of Armstrong as a college student will be unveiled. Leading away from the statue are moon boot impressions reminiscent of Armstrong's historic lunar excursion.

* A mural and moon rock in the new building also pays tribute to another Apollo astronaut, Purdue alumnus Roger Chaffee. Chaffee was killed in 1967 along with alumnus Virgil "Gus" Grissom and Ed White while training for the Apollo I mission.

* A replica of an Apollo 1 command module has just been installed inside the new building.

* NASA is sending its traveling exhibit to campus for that weekend.

When

Sculpture unveiling is 10 a.m. Friday, Oct. 26. Dinner is 7 p.m. Friday. Building dedication is 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 27.

The building

The building's distinctive winglike roof extensions are part of a design that mimics the appearance of an aircraft to symbolize Purdue's contributions to flight and the space program. The building contains "learning modules" intended to facilitate student teamwork, an important facet of engineering education and preparation for the engineering work force.

Neil Armstrong Hall will house the School of Aeronautics and Astronautics, School of Materials Engineering, Department of Engineering Education and several engineering programs, including the Minority Engineering Program, Women in Engineering Program and Engineering Projects in Community Service, or EPICS.

Who

Astronauts expected to attend are:

* Armstrong, commander of Apollo 11 and Gemini-Titan VIII, earned a bachelor's degree from Purdue in aeronautical and astronautical engineering in 1955.

* John Blaha, who earned his master's degree in aeronautical engineering from Purdue in 1966, has flown on six Space Shuttle missions, the last in 1997.

* Mark Brown, who earned his bachelor's degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering in 1973, has flown on two shuttle missions, the last in 1991.

* Cernan, who earned his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1956, was a member of the Apollo 10 and Apollo 17 crews as well as the Gemini-Titan IX-A crew. He was the last man to walk on the moon.

* Richard Covey, a 1969 graduate with a master's degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, flew on four shuttle missions, the last one in 1993.

* Drew Feustel, who earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in earth and atmospheric sciences in 1989 and 1991, respectively, is slated to fly a shuttle mission next year that will service the Hubble Space Telescope.

* Greg Harbaugh, a 1978 graduate with a bachelor's degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, has flown on four shuttle missions, the last one in 1997.

* Michael McCulley, who earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in metallurgical engineering in 1970, flew on one shuttle mission in 1989.

* Gary Payton, who earned his master's degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering in 1972 and participated in a 1985 shuttle mission.

* Mark Polansky, who earned his bachelor's and master's degrees in 1978 in aeronautical and astronautical engineering and participated in two shuttle flights, the last in 2006.

* Jerry Ross, who earned his bachelor's degree in 1970 and his master's degree in mechanical engineering in 1972 and has flown on seven shuttle missions, the last one in 2002.

* Loren Shriver, who earned his master's degree in aeronautical engineering in 1968 and was on three shuttle missions, the last in 1992.

* Janice Voss, who earned her bachelor's degree in engineering sciences in 1975 and has flown on five shuttle missions, the last one in 2000.

* Charles Walker, a 1971 graduate with a bachelor's degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering and has flown on three shuttle missions, the last one in 1985.

* Don Williams, who earned his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1964 and flew on two shuttle missions, the last in 1989.

* David Wolf, who earned his bachelor's degree in electrical engineering in 1978 and has participated in three shuttle missions, the last in 1998.

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu

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