August 21, 2008
Space flyers to land in Seattle Sept. 15–20
Dozens of space flyers will land in the Northwest next month. The Planetary Congress, held each year by the Association of Space Explorers, a professional organization of astronauts and cosmonauts, is being held in Seattle from Sept. 15 to 20. This year’s meeting is titled “Exploring Space – Inspiring Planetary Stewardship.” This is only the third time that the Congress has been held in the United States.
As part of the weeklong meeting the UW will host two public events on Tuesday, Sept. 16. In the morning astronauts and cosmonauts from Europe, Russia, Canada, Japan and the U.S. will discuss their countries’ space programs. The panel discussion takes place in Meany Hall from 9 to 11:45 a.m.
In the afternoon, speakers will discuss the effects of space travel on human health. That seminar, “Human Health for Long Duration Exploration,” takes place in Meany Hall from 1:15 to 4 p.m.
Both presentations are free and open to the public. The UW sessions are sponsored by the College of Engineering, the School of Medicine and the Office of the President.
The panel discussions are part of a week-long conference of former and current space flyers. Some 75 space explorers are scheduled to attend the event from Sept. 15 to 20, including Americans Bonnie Dunbar, Buzz Aldrin, Scott Carpenter, Rusty Schweickart and Tammy Jernigan. International visitors include Russians Alexander Poleshchuk, who spent 179 days in orbit, and Valentina Tereshkova, the first woman in space.
The larger five-day event is sponsored by the Museum of Flight. Other venues are the Museum of Flight, the Sheraton Hotel and the Microsoft campus.
The Association of Space Explorers, formed in 1985, is an international nonprofit organization for astronauts and cosmonauts. It offers professional development and promotes education, environmental awareness and international cooperation in space exploration. Association members meet annually at the Planetary Congresses to review developments in their countries’ space programs and to communicate with government agencies and the public.
More information on the Planetary Congress is available at http://www.space-explorers.org/congress/xxi.html. As more information about the UW panel discussions becomes available, it will be posted on the UW home page. For questions about the UW panel discussions, contact Gail Gautestad at 206-616-9733 or gautesta@u.washington.edu.
