Nebraska Astronaut Comes Home, Returns Flown Ball to College World Series

HOUSTON From one college athlete to another, Nebraska native and Hastings College alumnus NASA astronaut Clay Anderson will present an NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) College World Series baseball and cap flown in space to the NCAA at the College World Series in Omaha, Neb., on Sat., June 19. Anderson, the baseball and hat, flew more than six million miles aboard space shuttle Discovery April 5-20 during the STS-131 mission to resupply the International Space Station.

Anderson, a veteran of three spaceflights, will be in Omaha June 17-19. During his College World Series appearance, baseball fans will see footage of Anderson and his crewmates play a game of weightless ball aboard the space station. As part of the STS-131 crew, Anderson conducted three extravehicular activities, or spacewalks.

During his visit, Anderson will be available for limited media interviews as he presents several items flown aboard Space Shuttle Discovery to various organizations. Details of his appearances include (all times central):

Thursday, June 17
10 a.m. 11 a.m.: Omaha Childrens Hospital & Medical Center
1 p.m. 2 p.m.: Omaha Childrens Museum

Friday, June 18
6 p.m. 7 p.m.: present flown items at the City of Ashlands Towers of History Ornament

Saturday, June 19
12 p.m.: College World Series with an on-field recognition during the middle of the fifth inning of the game

To schedule an interview or for more information about his appearances, contact Dana Davis at 281-244-0933 or dana.l.davis@nasa.gov.

Andersons hometown is Ashland, Neb. He is married with two children and enjoys officiating college and high school basketball, coaching youth sports, flying, writing music and playing the piano. He has a Bachelor of Science (Cum Laude) in Physics from Hastings College, Neb., and a Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Iowa State University. Anderson joined NASA in 1983 and was selected as an astronaut in 1998. Anderson has logged more than 183 days in space, including one long-duration spaceflight where he spent five months living and working aboard the space station.

For more about NASA, its programs and astronaut information visit: www.nasa.gov

Follow Anderson on his twitter at: www.twitter.com/Astro_Clay