NASA Astronaut Visits NASA Goddard Visitor Center
02.27.06
Four-time space shuttle astronaut Dr. Tom Jones will visit NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Visitor Center on Sunday, March 5. Following the monthly Model Rocket Launch that will begin at 1:00 p.m., Dr. Jones will discuss his experience as an astronaut and take questions from the audience at 2:30 p.m. Admission is free.
During his eleven years as a NASA astronaut, Dr. Jones flew on four space shuttle flights. He finished astronaut training in July 1991 and his flew his first and second flights as mission specialist on space shuttle Endeavour in April and October 1994. During STS-80, he was a payload commander and successfully deployed two science satellites into orbit and then retrieved them with Columbia's robot arm 18 days later. During his fourth mission in 2001, STS-98 onboard Atlantis, Dr. Jones and his crew delivered the U.S. Destiny Laboratory Module to the Space Station and he helped install the lab in a series of three space walks lasting over 19 hours.
Dr. Jones received a bachelor of science in basic sciences from the United States Air Force Academy and has earned a doctorate in planetary science from the University of Arizona.
Dr. Jones is the author of recently published, "Sky Walking." The memoir relates his exciting experiences during the 1,272 hours he has logged in space. Dr. Jones is the coauthor of three other books: "Mission, Earth: Voyage to the Home Planet," "Scholastic Encyclopedia of the United States at War," and "The Complete Idiot's Guide to NASA."
Regular visitor center hours are Tuesday through Friday, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.; and Saturday and Sunday from 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. It is open all holidays except Thanksgiving, Christmas Day and New Year's Day. For more information, call (301) 286-9041 or visit
the Visitor Center site.
Amy Pruett / Michelle Jones
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center