From Sept. 22-27 the Museum hosts NASA's new interactive traveling exhibit, "Journey to Mars." The exhibit is the centerpiece of a week of spaceflight-related activities beginning Sept. 22 at 10 a.m. with an informal press conference with NASA astronaut Mike Barratt and NASA spaceflight managers. Barratt and NASA spaceflight managers will also be visiting Seattle schools and participating in Museum public programs throughout the week. Astronaut Jeanette Epps joins NASA Mars Week on Saturday, Sept. 26 with a public meet-and-greet from 10 a.m. to noon. The exhibit "Journey to Mars" looks at NASA's current robotic expeditions to the Red Planet, and how humans will someday set foot on Martian soil.

NASA Mars Week Schedule
Tuesday, Sept. 22
10 a.m.
Journey to Mars exhibit opens.
Press Conference with NASA and Museum officials, including:
NASA astronaut Michael Barratt
Geoff Nunn, The Museum of Flight Adjunct Space Curator
Sharon Cobb, NASA Program Integration Manager, Space Launch System
Chris Crumbly, NASA Spacecraft/Payload Integration and Evolution Office, SLS Program
John Vickers, NASA project manager for the Composite Cryotank Technologies Demonstration
Boeing "young rocketeers" Myron Fletcher and Tony Castilleja. To see them on PBS: Myron Fletcher, Tony Castilleja: http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/aeroeng-sci-eng-tony/engineer-p...
Thursday, Sept. 24
1:30 p.m.
Public panel discussion: Journey to Mars - Fact or Fiction
Moderator - Sharon Cobb
Topics include materials (John Vickers), habitat/life support (Mike Barratt/Jan Davis) and propulsion (Chris Crumbly).
3 p.m.
Discussion: Journey to Mars - Lessons from Apollo
The Boeing Company historian, Mike Lombardi, and Chris Crumbly, NASA Space Launch System Office
Saturday, Sept.26
10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Museum admission free with Smithsonian magazine Museum Day Live! coupon
10 a.m. to noon
Astronaut Jeanette Epps meets Museum visitors
11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
STEM activities with NASA/Boeing rocket team
Activities include Space Launch System Paper Rockets and LEGO Challenge.
Noon to 2 p.m.
Journey to Mars Public Talk with Astronaut Jeanette Epps
Topics include habitat/life support (Jeanette Epps/Jan Davis ), Materials(John Vickers) and Propulsion (Chris Crumbly).
Sunday, Sept. 27
2 to 3:30 p.m.
STEM activities with NASA/Boeing rocket team
Activities include Space Launch System Paper Rockets and LEGO Challenge.