Centennial of Flight Celebration planned at Air Force Academy

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 30, 2003) — Erik Lindbergh, grandson of Charles Lindbergh and trustee and vice president of the X PRIZE Foundation, will soon greet teachers and students from Colorado, New Mexico, Minnesota, Oregon and Alaska at the Colorado Centennial of Flight Celebration, scheduled Nov. 6-7, 2003, at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA). Lindbergh will discuss his own flight experience on the New Spirit of St. Louis with fascinating images and lessons learned. “Two of the key reasons for the New Spirit of St. Louis flight were the opportunity to educate the public about the future of flight and to provide a message of hope,” said Lindbergh. “I believe our future in space depends on people who are interested and motivated about how they can participate in exploring this final frontier. I’m delighted to have the chance to talk with educators and share experiences from my flight in a way that they can take back to their classrooms.” The Space Foundation, recognized by the United States Centennial of Flight Commission as the host for Centennial of Flight, has teamed up with the USAFA and NASA to offer educators and students an exciting educational workshop filled with hands-on activities, knowledge, and historical importance. “The Centennial of Flight Celebration is a once-in-a-lifetime event,” said Dr. Patricia Arnold, vice president of education and workforce development at the Space Foundation. “Both educators and students will better understand the history of flight, what has transpired over the last 100 years, and how history drives the future of flight.” Conference participants choose from several different hands-on breakout sessions to attend, including exploring the aspects of flight through hot air balloons, flying and landing an F-4 fighter simulator, building a glider, learning about the history of aviation, or touring the USAFA Aeronautics or Astronautics Lab. For Centennial of Flight registration or sponsorship information, call the Space Foundation at 1-800-691-4000. Registration includes standards-based lesson plans, hands-on inquiry student activities, educational CDs, Centennial of Flight educational posters, decals, stickers, bookmarks, and more. All educators are eligible for NASA scholarships. About the Space Foundation The Colorado Springs-based Space Foundation is a national non-profit organization, which vigorously advances civil, commercial, and national security space endeavors and educational excellence. The Space Foundation contributes to its education mission by hosting an on-site NASA Educational Resource Center; offering two distinct Master’s in Space Studies Degrees in conjunction with the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs and Regis University; and training more than 30,000 teachers since 1986 on Teaching With Space through Space Discovery graduate courses and national conferences. The Space Foundation and its partnering organizations annually conduct Space at the Crossroads, next scheduled for Feb. 18, 2004, in Washington, D.C; the National Space Symposium, which takes place March 29 – April 1, 2004, at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs; and Strategic Space 2004, scheduled Oct. 5-7, 2004, in Omaha, Neb. For more information, visit www.spacefoundation.org.