Purdue University
News Service
1132 Engineering Administration Building
West Lafayette, IN 47907-1132
Voice: 765-494-2096
FAX: 765-494-0401
To: Journalists
From: Jeanne Norberg, Director, Purdue News Service
Date: Oct. 8, 1999
Subject: News opportunities during astronaut reunion
Journalists are invited to cover two events in conjunction with Purdue University's reunion of 18 of its 19 living alumni astronauts on Friday and Saturday, Oct. 22 and 23. Among those planning to attend are Neil Armstrong and Gene Cernan, the first and last men to walk on the moon.
News Conference
The only opportunity you will have to ask questions of the astronauts will be at a news conference at 3:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 22, in the Auditorium of the Krannert Building, which is at State and Grant streets. Most of the astronauts are expected to attend.
Purdue will provide a KU band satellite feed from 3:15 p.m. to 4:15 p.m. Friday, beginning with b-roll during the 15-minute window before the news conference. Stations will be provided an 800 phone number to ask questions. The coordinates are Galaxy 7, transponder 14 upper. The downlink frequency is 12005 horizontal. Time will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis.
Tribute At Football Game
The astronauts will be honored on the field during halftime at the Purdue vs. Penn State home football game Saturday, Oct. 23. They will be accompanied by the widows of Virgil "Gus" Grissom and Roger Chaffee, who died Jan. 27, 1967, in a fire inside their space capsule during a preflight test of Apollo 1.
Reserve Your Spot
Please contact Jeanne Norberg at the Purdue News Service at (765) 494-2084 or [email protected] to reserve a seat for the news conference.
TV reporters who want to ask questions via satellite should reserve time by contacting Grady Jones at Purdue News Service, (765) 494-2079, or [email protected].
For background about the astronauts, Purdue's role in the space program, and 200 dpi photographs, visit this Web site: http://news.uns.purdue.edu/UNS/astro/purdueinspace.html
Roster Of Purdue's Alumni Astronauts
Neil A. Armstrong, bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering, 1955.
John E. Blaha , master's degree in astronautical engineering, 1955.
Roy D. Bridges Jr., master's degree in astronautical engineering, 1966.
Mark N. Brown, bachelor's degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, 1973.
John J. Casper, master's degree in astronautical engineering, 1967.
Eugene A. Cernan, bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, 1956.
Roger B. Chaffee, bachelor's degree in aeronautical engineering, 1957.
Richard O. Covey, master's degree in aeronautics and astronautical engineering, 1969.
Guy S. Gardner, master's degree in aeronautics and astronautical engineering, 1970.
Virgil I. Grissom, bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, 1950.
Gregory J. Harbaugh, bachelor's degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, 1978.
Michael J. McCulley, bachelor's and master's degrees in metallurgical engineering, 1978.
Gary E. Payton, master's degree in aeronautics and astronautical engineering, 1972.
Mark L. Polansky, bachelor's and master's degrees, aeronautical and astronautical engineering, 1978.
Jerry Ross, bachelor's and master's degrees in mechanical engineering, 1970 and 1972.
Loren J. Shriver, master's degree in astronautical engineering, 1968.
Janice E. Voss, bachelor's degree in engineering science, 1975.
Charles D. Walker, bachelor's degree in aeronautical and astronautical engineering, 1971.
Mary Ellen Weber, bachelor's degree in chemical engineering, 1984. (She is preparing for a space flight and will not be able to attend the reunion.)
Donald E. Williams, bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering, 1964.
David A. Wolf, bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, 1978.
###
RSS