Cleveland State University Hosting The Commemorative Program

NASA's Glenn Research Center will host an event today, March 2nd, to commemorate the 50th anniversary of John Glenn's orbital flight, the first by an American.

"Celebrating John Glenn's Legacy: 50 Years of Americans in Orbit" will be held at 1300 EST at Cleveland State University's Wolstein Center, 2000 Prospect Ave., in Cleveland. More than 800 complimentary tickets were distributed to the general public for this event through a lottery by Cleveland State University in partnership with NASA Glenn.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden and Glenn Director Ramon "Ray" Lugo will provide remarks during the one-hour program, which will include a welcome from Cleveland State University President Dr. Ronald Berkman. Space shuttle mission STS-95 pilot Steve Lindsey will pay tribute from the astronaut corps to Glenn. The program will culminate with a keynote address by the guest of honor Sen. John H. Glenn Jr. Musical performances will be provided by the Cleveland Institute of Music, The Singing Angels and a soloist from Cleveland State University's music program. Doors open at noon and a special pre-program musical performance by the Cleveland Institute of Music will begin at 1215, followed by a video tribute to Glenn.

"This is a great opportunity for our community to come together and celebrate the achievements of John Glenn," Lugo said. "We are delighted to combine the 50th anniversary celebration with the anniversary of the center renaming. The inspiration that John Glenn gives to millions of people along with the pioneering spirit that lives in the hearts of all who work at the center will continue to keep our nation on the path of exploration and discovery."

On March 1, 1999, the Lewis Research Center was officially renamed the NASA John H. Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field in recognition of Glenn's contributions to science, space and the state of Ohio. As one of the original seven Mercury astronauts, Glenn trained in 1960 at Lewis in the Multiple Axis Space Test Inertia Facility.

Others attending the tribute event include agency officials, Ohio astronauts, NASA employees and contractors, elected officials, several hundred high school students throughout northeast Ohio, and 100 Twitter followers selected to participate in a day-long Tweetup event that includes tours of NASA Glenn and its visitor center at the Great Lakes Science Center.

FMI: www.nasa.gov