New England Air Museum's Space Expo Timed Perfectly with News of U.S. Plans to Return to the Moon

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Space is back in the news, and the New England Air Museum in Windsor Locks couldn’t have selected a better time for their annual Space Expo.

The New England Air Museum’s annual Space Expo returns on Saturday, August 20, 2022 featuring former NASA Astronaut Thomas Jones, Ph.D. as this year’s keynote speaker. Jones is a veteran NASA astronaut, scientist, author, pilot, and speaker. In more than eleven years with NASA, he flew on four shuttle missions and led three spacewalks, spending fifty-three days in space.

Just days ago, NASA announced plans to return to the moon with a new mission planned for later this month as a key step towards that goal. Fifty-three years after the historic landing of Apollo 11 in 1969, the new mission to orbit the moon is tentatively set to begin on Aug. 29, according to agency officials.

“With Artemis missions, NASA will land the first woman and first person of color on the Moon, using innovative technologies to explore more of the lunar surface than ever before, NASA officials announced.  “What we learn on and around the Moon (will lead us) to take the next giant leap: sending the first astronauts to Mars,” the NASA website proclaims. 

An Air Force Academy graduate, Jones piloted B-52D strategic bombers, earned a doctorate in planetary sciences from the University of Arizona, studied asteroids and robotic exploration missions for NASA, and engineered CIA intelligence-gathering systems.  As a senior scientist for Science Applications International Corporation in Washington, D.C. Tom did advanced program planning for NASA, investigating future robotic missions to Mars, asteroids, and the outer solar system.

He will speak about his fascinating career at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. on August 20, and will be available to meet with visitors from 10:00-10:45 a.m. and 2:15-3:00 p.m.

Guests also have an opportunity to meet Dr. Jones at this year’s Breakfast with an Astronaut on Saturday, August 20 from 8 am – 9 am. This is a unique opportunity to personally meet one of NASA’s legendary astronauts and participate in Q&A. (Tickets are $50.00 per person and include admission to the museum. A limited number of tickets are available for this exclusive event.)

Space Expo 2022 will also feature opportunities for visitors to meet life-size droids and intergalactic characters from the 501st Legion Connecticut Garrison. Children ages 4-14 are also invited to participate in a new Cosmic Kids Challenge. Participants will receive a stamp on their Cosmic Kids Challenge passport at four hands-on activity stations, and a full passport will earn children a prize from the museum gift shop.

Other special guests for Space Expo 2022 include the Danbury FIRST Robotics Teams, EAA Chapter 166, NASA Solar System Ambassador Program, Springfield Museums, Springfield Stars Club, and the Talcott Mountain Science Center.

The New England Air Museum is the largest aviation museum in New England comprised of three large public hangars, outdoor exhibits, and more than 100 aircraft ranging from early airships and flying machines to supersonic jets and helicopters.  Space Expo is supported by the NASA Connecticut Space Grant Consortium. Additional support is provided by the Sheraton at Bradley International Airport.  Additional information is available at https://neam.org/pages/space-expo-2022 or by calling (860) 623-3305.

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