WASHINGTON, July 15,
2024 /PRNewswire/ -- NASA's Johnson Space Center in
Houston will recognize legendary
human computer Dorothy Vaughan and
the women of Apollo with
activities marking their achievements, including a renaming and
ribbon-cutting ceremony at the center's "Building 12," on
Friday, July 19, the eve of the 55th
anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon
landing.
At 9 a.m. CDT, NASA Johnson
Director Vanessa Wyche will begin
with a discussion about the importance of Vaughan and the women of
Apollo's contributions to the
agency's lunar landing program and their significance to today's
Artemis campaign. Other highlights include a poetry reading, a
recital by Texas Southern University's
Dr. Thomas F. Freeman Debate Team, and a "Women in Human
Spaceflight" panel discussion.
The panel in NASA Johnson's Teague Auditorium will be moderated
by Debbie Korth, the agency's Orion
Program deputy manager, and include:
- Christina Koch, NASA
astronaut
- Sandy Johnson, Barrios
Technology CEO
- Lara Kearney, NASA
Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program
manager
- Andrea Mosie, NASA Lunar Materials Repository Laboratory
manager and senior sample processor
- Dr. Shirley Price, former NASA
Equal Opportunity specialist
Following the program, the ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at
Building 12, which will thereafter be named the "Dorothy Vaughan
Center in Honor of the Women of Apollo." The dedication is a tribute to the
people who made humanity's first steps on the Moon possible.
All interested media must request credentials by 12 p.m.
Thursday, July 18, by email at
jsccommu@mail.nasa.gov or by calling the Johnson newsroom at
281-483-5111. Media should arrive onsite for setup by 8:15 a.m. July 19,
at the Teague Auditorium in Building 2 South. U.S. media are
invited to attend and will have an opportunity to ask questions
during the panel discussion and may request brief interviews with
available NASA officials following the ribbon cutting.
Distinguished guests are expected to include local elected
officials, NASA senior leadership, members of NASA's Alumni League,
and the families of Dorothy Vaughan
and the women of Apollo.
"On behalf of NASA's Johnson Space Center, we are proud to host
this historic event as the agency honors the significant
contributions women have made to the space industry, particularly
trailblazers who persevered against many challenges of their era,"
Wyche said. "As we prepare to return to the Moon for long-term
science and exploration, NASA's Artemis missions will land the
first woman and first person of color on the Moon. It's a privilege
to dedicate Johnson's Building 12 to the innovative women who laid
the foundation to our nation's space program."
Vaughan's personal commitment and determination during the
Apollo missions advanced the
agency's current diverse workforce and leadership – particularly at
Johnson -- as human computers transitioned from Langley Research
Center in Virginia to Houston, supporting Mission Control from
Building 12. She was a steadfast advocate for the women who worked
as human computers, and for all the individuals under her
leadership.
Learn about the life and legacy of Dorothy Vaughan here:
https://www.nasa.gov/people/dorothy-vaughan/
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SOURCE NASA