From: Jan Wee <jwee@mail.arc.nasa.gov>
Subject: From Ken Edgett
Date: Sun, 08 Dec 1996 16:18:44 -0600
Dear discuss-lfm members, I thought you would like to see this message from Ken after I asked him about how educators get invited to attend launches at Cape Canaveral. Thought you would all benefit from his response, especially the info about Planetfest '97! Jan Wee >>From ken.edgett@asu.edu Sun Dec 8 09:27:05 1996 >Return-Path: <ken.edgett@asu.edu> >Date: Sun, 08 Dec 1996 10:27:37 -0700 (MST) >From: ken.edgett@asu.edu (Ken Edgett) >Subject: Re: Thanks and a question >To: jwee@mail.arc.nasa.gov > >> You mentioned that teachers ought to start planning early to >> attend one of the upcoming Mars Mission launches. > >Jan, this was supposed to be sort-of tongue-in-cheek. The next Mars >launches aren't until December 1998 (orbiter) and January 1999 (lander). > >There was a decent number of teachers at both the MGS and MPF launches. >Those that attended were put on special NASA invitation lists, so they >got VIP treatment along with the scientists, engineers, and their families >involved with the missions. In the case of MGS and MPF, I personally suggested >several names to the people at JPL that were asking for these names. > >However, since the next launches aren't for 2 more years, there is no >rush. And since I am not involved with these two missions, I probably won't >be in a position myself to suggest names (we'll see... a lot can happen in >2 years). > >When I was at the MPF launch, I discovered that the best viewing area was >"Jetty Park..." a public park that did not require any NASA invitation. So >anyone could have been there (but they would not have been invited to the >special picnic and dinner events that I went to along with several teachers). > >When I was suggesting "start planning" for the next launches, I was simply >suggesting that folks keep it in mind in Fall 98 that they might want to try >to go to one of these. Perhaps LFM can help them, assuing LFM is still >going in the 98-99 school year. > >As for events that are coming up sooner-- I give my strongest reccomendation >to the idea that everyone should be thinking about going to Pasadena, CA, >for the July 4th Mars Pathfinder landing. JPL is planning a big open >house event, but even more exciting is PLANETFEST 97, being organized by >The Planetary Society to celebrate not only Pathfinder, but also the >great Galileo/Jupiter pictures, among other things. EVERYONE in the world >should be thinking about going to Planetfest 97, not just teachers but >kids, families, etc. Unlike the launches, which can slip, Mars Pathfinder >is landing on Mars (one way or another) on July 4, 1997. Pasadena will >be the place to be for the 4th! > >Ken Edgett > >p.s. feel free to forward this to the LFM listserve if you think it is useful. > >