The Savanna, IL, Bridge Celebration Planners announced that the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will bring a traveling exhibit known as the “Journey to Tomorrow” to Savanna, from Friday, June 15, through Sunday, June 17, 2018. The attraction is part of a series of celebrations planned around the dedication of the Dale Gardner Veterans Memorial Bridge over Father’s Day weekend, June 16 and 17.
On Saturday, June 16, at 10:00 a.m. there will be a Veterans Parade through downtown Savanna, featuring political and veteran dignitaries and a large contingent of local veterans from both sides of the Mississippi River. There will be five high school marching bands; the Navy Great Lakes Marching Band has been invited to participate. Following the parade is a Veterans Memorial Ceremony in Marquette Park, a local river park, honoring both living and deceased area veterans.
“Journey to Tomorrow” immerses visitors in a fun-filled, interactive experience, which includes learning stations and engaging activities. Guests will be challenged to think about how aircraft fly; what it is like to live and work in space; how the planets orbit the sun . Materials about current NASA missions are on display, and there is information on advanced aeronautics research. Learn of NASA’s efforts to send future human explorers to the moon, to Mars, and beyond. The exhibit features a genuine moon rock, returned to Earth by the crew of the Apollo 17 lunar landing mission.
The exhibit will be in Savanna at the corner of Main Street and Murray Street. It will be open to the public free of charge from Friday afternoon, June 15, until 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, June 17.
A program entitled “Being an Astronaut” will be held on Sunday, June 17, beginning at 11:00 a.m., at the West Carroll High School. It will be conducted by former NASA Astronauts Richard H. Truly, Robert L. Stewart, and Daniel C. Brandenstein. They will describe what is like to rocket into space, experience weightlessness, walk in space, and travel around the world in less than two hours!
The main event on Sunday will be the Bridge Dedication Ceremony in Marquette Park. Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner is expected to preside over the dedication ceremony, along with the three former Astronauts who were colleagues of Dale Gardner. He is a recently deceased former Astronaut who was a Savanna High School graduate. Illinois Representative Tony McCombie and Illinois State Senator Neil Anderson, who were instrumental in the naming of the new bridge, also will speak at the dedication.
A fly-over is planned during the bridge dedication, weather permitting.
More details on activities and events planned for this special weekend can be found on the Bridge Celebration Planners Facebook site entitled Savanna-Sabula Bridge Celebration Planners.
“Journey to Tomorrow” houses eight computer kiosks that provide a variety of NASA programming.
A member of NASA’s exhibit staff shows visitors a moon rock from the Apollo 17 mission.
This 53-foot trailer has been transformed into an interactive environment, packed with hands-on activities and digital learning stations.
