They'll Also Display Many Of NASA's Contributions To Aviation

Forty years and one week after humans first walked on the moon, visitors to the country's biggest annual air show will be able to see a piece of the lunar surface in person.

This is a rare visit by a moon rock to AirVenture. The rock is part of a larger exhibit that celebrates NASA's contributions to space exploration, aeronautics research and Earth science.

"This year we're celebrating not only our historic landing on the moon 40 years ago, but also looking forward to the next generation of moon missions," said Jim Hull, NASA exhibits manager at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

Visitors to the NASA pavilion can see an example of an inflatable lunar habitat design concept and learn more about those robotic moon missions with the help of interactive media including mission animations, project videos, models, and lunar mapping images.

The exhibit will feature models that show how NASA plans to return to the moon and why. Air show participants also can see a full-scale replica of one of the Mars exploration rovers in front of a three-dimensional image of a Martian landscape.

No NASA presentation at an air show would be complete without a look at NASA's contributions to aeronautics. Exhibits feature a number of NASA-developed aviation technologies that are common in airplanes today. In an education area, youngsters can make and take their own ring wing gliders and participate in other hands-on activities.

A number of other people who work at NASA will share their expertise at AirVenture 2009, too. Aerospace craftspeople will be there to reveal mysteries of science and show how they develop experiments and equipment to help keep America a leader in aerospace technologies.

NASA representatives also will give presentations throughout the show at various AirVenture pavilions. Scheduled forum speakers include a test pilot, a space shuttle flight director and research engineers. They will discuss subjects including uncrewed aircraft, recent robotic moon missions and mission control tips for experimental aviators.

FMI: www.nasa.gov