By Burt Dicht, NSS Managing Director of Membership
Photo credit: Elizabeth Schneider

On July 20, 2024, the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing, the Sands Missile History Center (part of the Cape Canaveral Space Force Museum) hosted the International Moon Day Festival, celebrating lunar exploration and space education. The National Space Society (NSS) proudly served as a supporting organization, with Burt Dicht, NSS Managing Director of Membership, leading an exciting rocket-building activity for kids. This hands-on event allowed young participants to learn the basics of rocket engineering and to experience the thrill of launching their own Alka-Seltzer rockets.  Some reached impressive heights of up to 25 feet.

Burt has used this rocket-building activity with the Civil Air Patrol for many years, providing excitement for both kids and adults. A total of 28 rockets were successfully launched, sparking fun, curiosity, and thrills among the budding young engineers. Despite a few failures—“Space is hard,” as the saying goes—the young rocket engineers were undeterred and quickly returned to the launch pad.

NSS members Elizabeth Schneider and Lori Guisewite assisted with the rocket building and launches, ensuring a smooth and educational experience for all the kids. Elizabeth and Lori also spoke to many attendees about the role of NSS and the many benefits of membership. The Moon Day event was organized by NSS member Robert S. Katz, CEO & Executive Director of the World Innovation Network (WIN), through WIN’s SPACE-BASE & STEAM-BASE community initiatives, and was hosted by James Draper, Museum Director.

A highlight of the festival was a special virtual call with NASA astronaut Jeanette Epps aboard the International Space Station. The call, arranged by Sean Graham, CEO and Co-founder of Karman Line, included a tour of the station and a Q&A session. Epps answered numerous questions from the enthusiastic attendees, particularly the children, who were eager to learn about life in space.

The festival also featured aerospace pioneer Jean Wright, who captivated the audience with a hands-on demonstration and a reading from the award-winning children’s biography about her life, Sew Sister: The Untold Story of Jean Wright and NASA’s Seamstresses by Elise Matich. Wright’s presentation and life story inspired attendees, emphasizing that anyone can find joy and awe in space exploration.

James Draper, Museum Director, expressed his excitement about the event, stating, “Our doors are always open to the community. We are especially excited and privileged to have the amazing Jean Wright here to share her incredible brilliance and equally incredible life story.” Stephanie Robinson, Project Coordinator for CareerSource Brevard Flagler Volusia and STEAM-BASE Co-Founder, praised the collaboration, saying, “We are excited for this opportunity to ignite curiosity and passion for STEAM through the captivating subject of space. The more opportunities children are given to explore and discover, the more confident they will be in their ability to pursue a career in one of our high-demand industries along the Atlantic Coast of Florida.”

Other participants included Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, DoD STARBASE Patrick, DoD STARBASE Central Florida, Gra-V FIRST Robotics Team, Florida Space Institute/Exolith Lab, National Center for Simulation, UCF STEM Aviation Showcase, The Everyday Explorer, and ASTRO-arts. More than 150 attendees, including many kids, had the chance to speak with space professionals and take part in interactive STEAM activities, arts & crafts, scavenger hunts, educational games, orbital origami, and receive goodie bags.

Robert S. Katz enthusiastically thanked the community, especially the significant participation by NSS, for uniting behind the next generation of artists, thinkers, and explorers. He emphasized that events like this clearly show that “There’s a Place, in Space, for Every Face.” NSS remains committed to fostering a love for space exploration and STEAM education through engaging community events and activities. We look forward to participating in future events that inspire and educate the next generation of space enthusiasts.

A good article on this event was published here by Florida Today.