Sarah Keegan
Headquarters, Washington, DC                      May 1, 2001
(Phone: 202/358-1902)

NOTE TO EDITORS: N01-28

NASA CONFERENCE TO COMMEMORATE 40 YEARS OF HUMAN SPACE FLIGHT

     Forty years ago Alan Shepard's 15-minute flight ushered 
in a new era for Americans, one in which they came to view 
themselves, the Earth and the Universe in fresh, new ways. On 
Tuesday, May 8, 2001, NASA, in collaboration with the Space 
Policy Institute at The George Washington University, 
Washington, DC, will sponsor a one-day symposium to 
commemorate the 40th anniversary of human space flight.

The conference, "Looking Backward, Looking Forward," will 
reflect on the significance of human space flight to American 
society over the past forty years and its likely role over the 
next four decades and beyond. Daniel S. Goldin, NASA 
Administrator, will provide opening remarks. Speakers will 
include current and former astronauts, authors, historians and 
academics studying various aspects of human space flight. The 
program is available at: 

             http://history.nasa.gov/40hsconf.pdf

The symposium will be held in the university's Dorothy Betts 
Marvin Theater at 800 21ST St., NW, Washington, DC. The 
theater is between H and I ("Eye") Streets near the Foggy 
Bottom-GWU Metro station and is handicapped accessible. The 
proceedings will be broadcast on NASA Television, available on 
satellite GE-2, transponder 9C, at 85 degrees West longitude, 
vertical polarization, with a frequency of 3880 MHz and audio 
of 6.8 MHz.

Attendance is free of charge, but seating is limited. Members 
of the public should contact the Space Policy Institute at 
spi@gwu.edu to reserve a place. Media representatives should 
contact Eric Solomon in the university's Media Relations 
Office on 202/994-3087 to confirm attendance. 

The American Astronautical Society and the National Space 
Society also provided support for the conference.

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