Pittsburgh Magazine - Meet a NASA Astronaut This Saturday in Market Square
Originally posted here by Aidan McClain
NASA astronaut — and Pittsburgh native — Woody Hoburg and the Mars Robotics Association will give a fireside chat as part of ‘SpaceBurgh.’
Woody Hoburg has logged 186 days in space. Soon, he’ll be in Market Square for one.
The Pittsburgh native will give a fireside chat Oct. 19 alongside the Mars Robotics Association, a nonprofit based in Mars, PA, that immerses children in the world of robotics.
The discussion is part of SpaceBurgh, a free festival in Market Square that celebrates all things space. The event will also feature interactive exhibits and robotics demonstrations.
“Pittsburgh is an emerging space city with significant advancements in robotics, astronomy and space science,” reads the SpaceBurgh website.
They’re not wrong. The Steel City has a history of space exploration. When Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and Neil Armstrong ventured into space in 1969, they did so in the Command Module Columbia, which was built by then Pittsburgh-based aerospace firm North American Rockwell. The Command Module was crews’ living quarters, according to the National Air and Space Museum.
The Lunar Module Eagle, which carried Aldrin and Armstrong to the moon on July 20, had shock-absorbing legs courtesy of Alcoa. And the American flag that Armstrong planted into the moon’s surface was designed by Pittsburgh native Jack A. Kinzler.
Related: Pittsburgh’s Role in the Space Race
More recently, local space company Astrobotic Technology is working to solidify Pittsburgh’s hold in the space industry.
The company has secured more than $500 million in NASA contracts and has given Pittsburgh a seat at the table for the Artemis campaign, which aims to create a permanent presence on the moon.
Astrobotic also created the state’s first space museum — The Moonshot Museum — which is a partner for SpaceBurgh. Other partners include the Carnegie Science Center, Allegheny Observatory, University of Pittsburgh and Carnegie Mellon University, among others.
The festival runs from noon to 8 p.m. Don’t forget to check out Space Bar, the futuristic lounge conveniently located in Market Square.
