As a part of its continued “Countdown to Apollo at 50” celebration, the Cradle of Aviation Museum will host retired Air Force Colonel and Astronaut Karol Bobko on Thursday, Dec. 20 evening at 7 p.m., with an exclusive museum member Meet & Greet at 6:15 p.m.
Bobko, originally from Seaford and the first Long Islander in space, will be at the museum to speak with guests about his experience on three Space Shuttle missions. The event is free, but reservations are required by calling 516-572-4066 to reserve your spot.
Bobko was born in New York City. A graduate of Brooklyn Technical High School, he went on to complete a bachelors in science from the Air Force Academy and later a master of science in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California. He was selected to be a NASA astronaut in 1969.
At the height of lunar space exploration, Bobko trained during a time of immense excitement. He was first a part of a 56-day ground simulation for Skylab and served as astronaut support crew on a variety of other endeavors. He is a veteran of three spaceflights: STS-6, STST-51D and STS-51J, spending more than 380 hours in space.
In his talk, Bobko will reflect on his NASA experiences and spaceflights, giving the audience a firsthand account of personal perseverance and perspectives of Earth from space.
The Cradle of Aviation Museum and Education Center is home to over 75 planes and spacecraft representing over 100 years of aviation history and Long Island’s only Giant Screen Dome Theater.
Currently, the museum is celebrating “Countdown to Apollo at 50” sponsored by the Robert D.L. Gardiner Foundation, showcasing Long Island and Grumman’s significant role in the Apollo program.
The museum is located on Museum Row, Charles Lindbergh Blvd., in East Garden City. For more information call (516) 572-4111 or visit www.cradleofaviation.org.
