Official Nasa Communication 05-019 Ohio Astronaut

May 18, 2005 Lori J. Rachul Media Relations Office 216-433-8806 [email protected] RELEASE: 05-019 OHIO ASTRONAUT TO APPEAR AT LOCAL AMUSEMENT PARKS Astronaut Donald A. Thomas, a veteran of four space flights who has logged over 1,000 hours in space and is a native Clevelander, will join hundreds of high school students and their teachers at the Physics Day events at Cedar Point, Sandusky, Ohio, and Geauga Lake, Aurora, Ohio. At 11 a.m. on May 19, Thomas will speak to students at Cedar Point on how to relate concepts they have learned in school to real life problems. Following his talk, the top eight winners of the Space Trivia Contest will win the prize of having lunch with Thomas. At noon on May 20, he will repeat his talk at Geauga Lake. A number of Glenn researchers will also conduct presentations on the similarities between the sensations experienced on amusement park rides and those experienced in space. NASA's Glenn Research Center, Cleveland, will provide learning activities at both Physics Day events, during which students will apply physics concepts to solve problems involving amusement park rides. Students will also have the opportunity to watch demonstrations presented by members of Glenn's Exploration Systems Division to learn how science applies to amusement park fun. Other activities conducted by NASA include a Scavenger Hunt, the Solar System Scale, where students can determine their weight on other planets, a visit with Microgravity Man and his weightless friends, a FIRST (For Inspiration of Research, Science and Technology) robotic demonstration, rocketry demonstrations and the popular Picture Yourself in Space photo booth. Physics Day is a collaboration among Cedar Point, Geauga Lake, the NASA Glenn Research Center and the National Center for Space Exploration Research. More information about Donald Thomas can be found at:

http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/htmlbios/thomas-d.html

More information about Glenn's Exploration Systems Division can be found at: http://exploration.grc.nasa.gov/hsrt/ -end-