Astronaut Greg Chamitoff: "Earth vs. Space Chess Match"

Time: Thursday, May 21, 2009 - 7:00pm - 9:00pm

Event Type: Public Program

Location: Side Gallery

Join the Museum for an evening program with Astronaut Greg Chamitoff, who played chess aboard the International Space Station against elementary school students from Bellevue, Wash. Chamitoff will discuss his time on the space station and field questions from the audience about space and chess. Program is free with Museum admission or membership.

American Astronaut Greg Chamitoff was aboard the International Space Station from May - November 2008. While in orbit he started a chess match between 11 members of the Stevenson Elementary School Chess Team in Bellevue, Wash.—the Stevenson teams were the 2008 National K-3 Champions and the 2009 National K-5 Champions. The match began in October 2008 via a satellite linkup, and continued face-to-face at the Super National Elementary Chess Championships in Nashville in April 2009. The game is still in progress—at a pace of about one move about every 1-2 weeks—with the students ahead by 2 pawns after 24 moves. The opponents face-off next at The Museum of Flight on May 21.