Discovery crew to throw first pitch at astro's NASA night

DISCOVERY CREW TO THROW FIRST PITCH AT ASTROS' NASA NIGHT

September 7, 2005

Linda Singleton
Johnson Space Center, Houston
Johnson Space Center, Houston



Report #J05-035

DISCOVERY CREW TO THROW FIRST PITCH AT ASTROS' NASA NIGHT

The astronauts who returned the Space Shuttle to flight aboard Discovery
will throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Houston Astros' game
Sept.13.

Opening ceremonies for the 7:05 p.m. CDT game against the Florida Marlins
will include a video highlighting the relationship shared by NASA and the
Houston Astros. NASA Johnson Space Center Director Jefferson D. Howell Jr.
will join the seven Discovery astronauts on the field.

Howell will present Astros owner Drayton McLane with NASA's Public Service
Medal during pre-game ceremonies. The NASA Public Service Medal is the
highest honor presented by NASA to a non-civil servant. It is presented in
recognition of exceptional contributions to the mission of NASA.

In addition to presenting the medal, NASA will return Houston Astros
memorabilia flown on Discovery's recent mission. The items, a baseball, cap
and jersey, were presented to NASA during the Astros' 2003 Opening Day
ceremony honoring the astronauts who lost their lives in the Columbia
accident.

Throughout the 2003 season, the Astros paid tribute to the Columbia crew by
wearing the STS-107 patch on their jerseys. Several astronauts were
recognized in their hometowns and threw out ceremonial first pitches in
remembrance of the Columbia crew. Astronauts threw out the first pitch at
Astros' games in New York, Boston, Phoenix, Chicago, St. Louis and
Pittsburgh.

The Astros club has been tied to NASA since the Colt .45s changed their name
to Astros in 1965 and moved to the Astrodome. NASA and the Astros have
participated together in community events and host NASA Nights each year.
Past nights included ceremonial first pitches by Astronaut Dan Bursch as a
tribute to the International Space Station in 2002; Astronaut David Leestma
in a pre-game celebration of space exploration and NASA Explorer Schools in
2004; and, in 2005, by the astronauts who will fly the next Shuttle mission,
STS-121.


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Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.info