SEATTLE, Jan. 8, 2024—The Museum offers an intimate evening reception and presentation with retired NASA astronaut and U.S. Navy SEAL Chris Cassidy on Jan. 18. The 377 Days Among the Stars lecture event will also feature a cash bar and access to the Museum’s acclaimed Home Beyond Earth exhibit (closing Jan. 26).

Cassidy’s extensive NASA experience includes three spaceflights on the International Space Station between 2009-2020, performed ten spacewalks and served as Commander for Expedition 63 on the ISS during his 377 days in space. He also has flown on the space shuttle and the Russian Soyuz spacecraft. Before becoming an astronaut, Cassidy was a member of the U.S. Navy SEALs Team for eleven years.

Tickets $25/General, $15/Museum Members. Doors open for the event at 6 p.m. The theater presentation will include live ASL interpretation.

Chris Cassidy

Christopher J. Cassidy was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 2004 and is a veteran of three space flights, STS-127, Expedition 35, and Expedition 63. During STS-127, Cassidy served as a Mission Specialist and was the 500th person in history to fly into space. This mission delivered the Japanese Experiment Module Exposed Facility (JEM-EF) and the Experiment Logistics Module Exposed Section (ELM-ES) to the station. For Expedition 35, Cassidy and the European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Luca Parmitano had their unplanned spacewalk to replace a pump controller box cut short when Parmitano had cooling water leak into his helmet.

Cassidy, a U.S. Navy SEAL, has been deployed twice to the Mediterranean and twice to Afghanistan. He has been the recipient of Bronze Star with combat ‘V’ and Presidential Unit Citation for leading a nine-day operation at the Zharwar Kili Cave on the Afghanistan/Pakistan border. Cassidy served as Commander on the International Space Station for Expedition 63, and he was featured in the 2021 Disney+ documentary, Among the Stars.

 

Astronaut January 

The Museum’s acclaimed Home Beyond Earth exhibit closes January 26, and its final weeks boast three extraordinary events featuring astronauts sharing their own experiences of being at home beyond our planet. In addition to Chris Cassidy, other astronaut programs feature Cady Coleman (Jan. 11) and Nicole Stott (Jan. 25).

 

Image: Chris Cassidy in the International Space Station. NASA photo.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:

Ted Huetter/Senior Public Relations Manager
T: 206.768.7105 C: 206.455.5360 Email: thuetter@museumofflight.org

 


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Founded in 1965, the independent, nonprofit Museum of Flight is one of the largest air and space museums in the world, annually serving over 600,000 visitors. The Museum's collection includes more than 160 historically significant airplanes and spacecraft, from the first fighter plane (1914) to today's 787 Dreamliner. Attractions at the 23-acre, 5-building Seattle campus include the original Boeing Company factory, the NASA Space Shuttle Trainer, Air Force One, Concorde, Lockheed Blackbird and Apollo Moon rockets. In addition to the Seattle campus adjacent to King County International Airport, the Museum also has its 3-acre Restoration Center and Reserve Collection at Paine Field in Everett (not currently open to the public).

 

With a foundation of aviation history, the Museum is also a hub of news and dialogue with leaders in the emerging field of private spaceflight ventures. The Museum's aviation and space library and archives are the largest on the West Coast. More than 150,000 individuals are served annually by the Museum's onsite and outreach educational programs. The Museum of Flight is accredited by the American Association of Museums, and is an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution.

 

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The Museum of Flight is located at 9404 E. Marginal Way S., Seattle, Exit 158 off Interstate 5 on Boeing Field halfway between downtown Seattle and Sea-Tac Airport. The Museum is open every day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Museum admission for adults is $29. Youth 5 through 17 are $21, youth 4 and under are free. Seniors 65 and over $25. Groups of ten or more: $23 per adult, $16 per youth, $21 per senior. Admission is free from 5 to 9 p.m. on the first Thursday of every month. The Museum offers free quarterly Sensory Day programs, $3 admission through the Museums for All program, plus military and other discounts. Parking is always free. There is a full lunch menu café operated by McCormick & Schmick's. For general Museum information, please call 206-764-5720 or visit www.museumofflight.org.