George Mason Space Day 2024

EXPLORING OUR GALAXY AND BEYOND

Saturday, September 28 • 3 to 9 p.m.
Johnson Center, Dewberry Hall, Fairfax, VA

Pre-registered check in and on site

registration opens at 2:00 p.m.

Event Schedule:
science.gmu.edu/MasonSpaceDay
 George Mason Space Day • September 28, 2024
Johnson Center, Dewberry Hall
2:30 p.m. Doors open (Seats are limited and on a first-come, first-served basis.)
Please be seated in Dewberry Hall by 3 p.m. Overflow locations are offered in Innovation Hall,
rooms 103/105 and Enterprise Hall, room 80.

3 p.m. Opening remarks: Gabriele Belle, Associate Professor, Physics and Astronomy
Cody. W. Edwards, College of Science Interim Dean
Gregory Washington, George Mason University President

3:15 p.m. Keynote: Dr. Kjell Lindgren, NASA Astronaut

“Reaching for the Stars”
A meet and greet will take place in the Gold room* immediately following Dr. Lindgren’s talk.
*Exit the right side of Dewberry Hall where a queue will form for all interested in autographs
and photos with NASA speakers.

4 p.m. Oleg Goushcha, Aerospace Research Engineer, NASA Langley Research Center
“Return to the Moon Through Artemis: Analyzing Launch Vehicle Aerodynamics
with Wind-tunnel Test and Artemis I Flight”
A meet and greet will take place in the Gold room* from 5:30 to 6 p.m.
*Exit the right side of Dewberry Hall where a meet and greet queue will form.

4:40 p.m. Tom Reinert, President, DarkSky International and Eileen Kragie, Founder, Dark Sky Friends
“Starlight Lost: Understanding Light Pollution and Its Impact in Our Lives”

5:05 p.m. Peter Plavchan, Associate Professor, Physics and Astronomy, George Mason University,
Executive Director George Mason Observatory
“The NASA Landolt Mission at George Mason University”

5:30 p.m. Shobita Satyapal, Professor, Physics and Astronomy, George Mason University
“Hidden monsters in Galaxies: Supermassive black holes in the era of the
James Webb Space Telescope”

5:55 p.m. Jie Zhang, Professor, Physics and Astronomy, George Mason University
“Solar Storms and Space Weather”

6:20 p.m. Erdal Yiğit, Professor, Physics and Astronomy, George Mason University
“Exploring Mars in 21st Century”

6:45 p.m. Caelus Rocketry: “Pioneering High School Liquid-Fueled Rocketry”

Alan Zhu, President; Aarushi Bommidi, Vice President of Operations
Elijah Guison-Dowdy, Avionics Lead; Kritagya Khadka, Structures Lead
Rushil Kukreja, Structures Engineer; Nived Nandakumar, Avionics Engineer
Jaemin Lee, Propulsion Engineer; Yusra Wahidi, Events Lead

7:10 p.m. Expert Panel: “How do you become a space expert?”

Dr. Kjell Lindgren, NASA Astronaut
Oleg Goushcha, Aerospace Research Engineer, NASA Langley Research Center
Peter Plavchan, Associate Professor, Physics and Astronomy, George Mason University
Executive Director George Mason Observatory
Piotr Pachowicz, Associate Professor, Electrical and Computer Engineering,
George Mason University

7:30 p.m. Closing and raffle drawing.

All registered attendees will receive a raffle ticket at the door for a chance to win one of several
available prizes. Winners must be present for the entire Expert Panel discussion to receive
their prize (i.e. new telescope, skylight projector, books about astronomy and sky viewing,
moon lamp and more.) Tickets will be drawn after the last speakers at approximately 7:30 p.m.

A special thanks to our committee:

Gabriele Belle, Chair, Aarushi Bommidi, S Falgiano, Natasha Gilliam, Lesley Irminger, Audrey Kelaher,
Zander Leon, Tracy Mason, Piotr Pachowicz, Peter Plavchan, Rob Parks, Laura Powers, and Alan Zhu
George Mason Space Day • Exhibit and Activities (by floor)
Throughout the day, exhibits will be open in the Dewberry Hall lower-level lobby. Also on the lower-level,
participants can sign up in advance for a timed walking tour to the George Mason Observatory, a tour of the
Radio Dish, or reserve your spot in a timed Mason Planetarium Shows.

Lower-Level Third Floor

Vendors and Exhibits | 2:30 to 7:10 p.m. Introduction to the Night Sky | 4 to 7:10 p.m.
Johnson Center, Dewberry Hall Lobby Johnson Center, Meeting Room A
Visit participating organizations for information, (Night Sky shows are a 30-minutes and start on the
games, and giveaways. (Vendor Listing below). hour from 4 to 8:30 p.m.)

Speaker Series | 3 to 7:10 p.m.

Johnson Center, Dewberry Hall Outside Activities (weather permitting)
Mason Observatory Tours | 4 to 9:20 p.m. Bottle rocket launches and other activities
Mason Space Exploration Center, Research Hall 4 to 7:10 p.m.
(Tours are a 30-minute walk and presentation). Johnson Center Outside West Plaza

Radio Dish Tours | 4 to 6 p.m. Sun viewing with telescope

Outside the Hub
(Tours are a 30-minute walk and presentation).
4 to 7:10 p.m.
Johnson Center Outside South Plaza

First Floor
Activities for the kids | 4 to 7:10 p.m.
Johnson Center Atrium
Where to Eat?
During the event, food will be available for purchase
• Lunar Crater • Spectral Tubes
• Angular Momentum Stool • Arts & Crafts at several Johnson Center eateries. These include:
Akeno Sushi 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Mason Planetarium Shows | 4 to 7:10 p.m. Chipotle 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Johnson Center Atrium (Get your timed ticket on FLIP Kitchen 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
the Lower Level, shows are 15 minutes in length). Halal Guys 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Market Express 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Panera Bread 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Vendors and Participating Organizations

Analemma Society George Mason University Entities:
Audubon Society
BAE Systems AIAA George Mason Chapter
Because Science Chemistry Club
Caelus Rocketry College of Engineering and Computing
Dark Sky Friends College of Science
DarkSky NOVA College of Visual and Performing Arts
Fairfax County Parks Authority Department of Physics and Astronomy
Friends of the Observatory Physics and Astronomy Society
International Space University (ISU) Planetary Geology
National Air and Space Museum (NASM) Space Weather Group
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Weather Club
Northern Virginia Astronomy Club (NOVAC)
Smithsonian Associates
SPEC Innovations
Event Map & Parking
Radio Dish
Tours

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George Mason University is committed to providing access and reasonable accommodations in its services,
programs, and activities. If you need information regarding accommodations related to a disability, ask for
more information at the registration area.

Our Sponsors Share your feedback on

George Mason Space Day 2024
TRANSLUNAR SPONSOR ($3,000)
BAE Systems Whether you attended today’s event, volunteered
your time, were a community or university
CIS-LUNAR SPONSOR ($1,000) partner, or supported our event at any level,
CEFCO Enterprises
please let us know what you enjoyed and what
NOVAC
we can improve.
GEO Sponsor ($500)
Dark Sky Friends and DarkSky NOVA
Jared Harris & Patrick O’Neil
SPEC Innovations

LEO Sponsor ($250)

Michael Bowan
The Delawie Family

KarmAn Line ($100)

Analemma Society Thank you for joining us. See you next year for the
Joan White Fourth Annual George Mason
Space Day on Saturday,
September 20, 2025.