George Mason Space Day 2024
Admission CTAs
Join us for George Mason Space Day - September 28, 2024 | 3 to 9 p.m.
George Mason Space Day is an exciting, collaborative, and engaging event, with an aim to educate the public on the technology and science behind some of the leading aerospace projects in the area. The day offers lectures from those at the forefront of space exploration and a number of organizations with hands-on space-related activities, educational information, and more.
Reach for the stars with NASA Astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren
Join us at George Mason Space Day for an inspiring session with NASA Astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren, where he will take you on a journey beyond the Earth's atmosphere. Discover what it's like to explore the final frontier and gain unique insights into the future of space exploration. Don't miss this extraordinary opportunity to hear firsthand from someone who has truly gone out of this world.
Important information for George Mason Space Day
Saturday, September 28, 2024
3 to 9 p.m.
Dewberry Hall, Johnson Center, Fairfax Campus
4400 University Drive
Fairfax, VA 22030
Campus Map
Co-hosted with: Welcome2Mason. Space day is accessible and ASL interpretation is being provided.
Not suitable for children under the age of 8.
All minors MUST be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at all times.
Event Schedule
All events will take place on the ground floor of the Johnson Center on Mason's Fairfax Campus.
2 p.m. Registration open
2:30 p.m. Doors open
Please be seated in Dewberry Hall by 3 p.m. sharp
3 p.m. Opening remarks
3:15 p.m. Keynote: Dr. Kjell Lindgren, NASA Astronaut
4 p.m. Oleg Goushcha,
Return to the Moon Through Artemis: Analyzing Launch Vehicle Aerodynamics with Wind-tunnel Test and Artemis I Flight
4:40 p.m. Tom Reinert and Eileen Kragie
Starlight Lost: Understanding Light Pollution and Its Impact in Our Lives
5:05 p.m. Peter Plavchan
The NASA Landolt Mission
5:30 p.m. Shobita Satyapal
Hidden monsters in Galaxies: Supermassive black holes in the era of the James Webb Space Telescope
5:55 p.m. Jie Zhang
Solar Storms and Space Weather
6:20 p.m. Erdal Yigit
Exploring Mars in 21st Century
6:45 p.m. Alan Zhu and team
Caelus Rocketry: Pioneering High School Liquid-Fueled Rocketry
7:10 p.m. Expert Panel: “How do you become a space expert?”
Panelists:
Kjell Lindgren, NASA Astronaut
Oleg Goushcha, NASA Engineer
Peter Plavchan, Executive Director GMU Observatory, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Piotr Pachowicz, Associate Professor, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Volgenau School of Engineering
7:30 p.m. Closing and Raffle drawing
Exhibit and Activities
Exhibit area 1: Vendor booths
Lobby in front of Dewberry Hall
Exhibit area 2: Planetarium Shows and vendor tables
Atrium, Johnson Center, first floor
Exhibit area 3: Introduction to the Night Sky
Meeting room A, Johnson Center, third floor
Exhibit area 4: Bottle rocket launches and other activities
West Plaza
Exhibit area 5: Sun viewing with telescope
South Plaza
Observatory tours will start at 4 p.m. and end at 9:20 p.m.
Event speakers
Caelus rocketry
Oleg Goushcha, Aerospace Research Engineer, NASA Langley Research Center
Eileen Kragie,Founder, Dark Sky Friends
Kjell N. Lindgren, NASA Astronaut
Piotr Pachowicz, Electrical and Computer Engineering, George Mason University
Peter Plavchan, Landolt Mission Principal Investigator, Physics and Astronomy, George Mason University
Tom Reinert, President, DarkSky International
Shobita Satyapal, Physics and Astronomy, George Mason University
Erdal Yiğit, Physics and Astronomy, George Mason University
Jie Zhang, Physics and Astronomy, George Mason University
Participating organizations
Analemma Society
BAE Systems
Caelus Rocketry
George Mason Chemistry Club
Dark Sky Friends
DarkSky NOVA
Fairfax County Parks and Recreation
NASA
Northern Virginia Astronomy Club
Planetary Geology
Department of Physics and Astronomy
Smithsonian Partners
SPEC Innovations
Because Science
Parking
They event will take place in the Johnson Center on Mason's Fairfax Campus.
Free parking is located in Lot A.
Bus transportation is also available. There is a main bus terminal on campus for the Cue bus system. There are also a couple of Metro bus stops near campus, including the 176, 306, 17G and 29K lines.
If you have questions, contact Gabriele Belle.
Code of conduct
Please treat everyone with respect at all times, and abide by Mason's Physics and Astronomy Department Code of Conduct
Children and minors in attendance:
All minors MUST be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian at all times.
Organizing Committee
Gabriele Belle, Committee Chair
Aarushi Bommidi, Representative of Caelus Rocketry
S Falgiano, George Mason Observatory
Natasha Gilliam, Marketing and Communications
Lesley Irminger, Sponsorships
Audrey Kelaher, Co-Chair, Sponsorships
Zander Leon, Marketing and Communications
Tracy Mason, Co-Chair, Marketing and Communications
Peter Pachowicz, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering
Rob Parks, Co-Chair, George Mason Observatory
Laura M Powers, Marketing and Communications
Alan Zhu, Representative of Caelus Rocketry
Thank you to our corporate sponsors
Interested in being an event sponsor, having a table at the event, or are you a local DMV area space-related organization? Check out available sponsorships.