NASA to Celebrate First Apollo Moon Landing at Dayton Air Show

CLEVELAND — NASA Glenn Research Center will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first lunar landing with exhibits and aircraft at the 2009 Dayton Air Show, in Ohio, on Saturday and Sunday, July 18-19.

While visiting Glenn’s exhibit area, enjoy seeing many displays: an Apollo model, a real moon rock, an aeronautical display that tells the story of NASA benefits to air travel and how NASA is making it safer and quieter, and displays that highlight a variety of successfully commercialized NASA technology or “spinoffs.”

NASA will also present the F-18 Hornet aircraft that is used for research support and pilot proficiency. Pilots at NASA’s Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, Calif., currently fly the F-18, which is configured to transmit live video pictures from the air back to Dryden so engineers can visually monitor the mission as it is being flown and also fills the role of escort aircraft during research missions.

NASA pilots Frank Batteas and James W. “Smoke” Smolka, both of Dryden, will be available to talk with visitors and sign autographs during scheduled times on both days. Batteas is chief pilot of the Flight Crew Branch and Smolka is a research test pilot.

Everyone can take home a free digital photograph from the “Picture Yourself in Space” photo booth.

For more information about Glenn, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/glenn

For a list of Apollo 40th anniversary events and more information about the anniversary, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/apollo/40th/events.html

For more information about the Dayton Air Show, visit: http://www.daytonairshow.com/

For more information about the NASA pilots, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/dryden/news/Biographies/Pilots/index.html