NASA to Present State Flag Flown in Space to South Dakota School

Debbie V. Nguyen
Johnson Space Center, Houston
281/483-5111

11.07.05
RELEASE: JE05-015


NASA to Present State Flag Flown in Space to South Dakota School

A South Dakota flag flown aboard space shuttle Discovery during the STS-114
mission last July will be presented to Little Wound School in Kyle, S.D., by
NASA during a visit on Wednesday, Nov. 9, as part of a NASA Explorer Schools
activity. Astronaut Roger Crouch and Flight Director Michael Sarafin will
share the Vision for Space Exploration with the future explorers at Little
Wound during the event. Media are welcome to attend.

When:
9:30 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 9

Who:
Astronaut Roger Crouch, Payload Specialist
Flight Director Michael Sarafin, NASA Johnson Space Center

Whe
Little Wound School, 100 Main St., Kyle, S.D., school gymnasium

A media availability will be held at 3:30 p.m. in the school library
following the program and classroom visits. Media interested in arranging
interviews with Crouch and Sarafin should contact Debbie V. Nguyen at
832-567-1081 and Delores Pourier at 605-455-6160 for Little Wound personnel.

A family night will be held at 4 p.m. at the school to engage parents and
discuss the importance of science and math education.

In 1997, Crouch logged more than 471 hours in space as a payload specialist
on shuttle missions STS-83 and STS-94, traveling 7.8 million miles in 314
orbits. He has served in key positions in investigations and research
groups, including program scientist on five Spacelab flights. A Tennessee
native, Crouch earned a bachelor's degree in physics from Tennessee
Polytechnic Institute in 1962, and a master's degree and a doctorate in
physics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute in 1968 and 1971, respectively.

From October 1995 until August 2005, Sarafin supported 31 space shuttle
missions as a guidance, navigation and control officer. He is in training as
a flight director for both the space shuttle and International Space Station
programs. Once trained and certified, he will oversee the entire flight
control team operating out of the Mission Control Center to ensure safe and
successful human spaceflight missions. He is slated to be a space shuttle
flight director for the upcoming STS-119 and STS-120 missions.

The NASA Explorer Schools Program provides educators, students and families
with classroom resources and innovative technology based on NASA's unique
research, discoveries and missions. During the three-year partnership, NASA
assists schools in addressing needs in science, technology, engineering and
mathematics. Little Wound was selected as a NASA Explorer School in May
2005.

For information about the NASA Explorer Schools Program on the Internet,
visit:

http://explorerschools.nasa.gov

For more information about NASA and the Vision for Space Exploration on the
Internet, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/home


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Jacques :-)

www.spacepatches.info