ST. LOUIS - On Tuesday, March 25, NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale will present the keynote address to launch a daylong event at the Saint Louis Science Center celebrating the space agency's 50th birthday. NASA's St. Louis Future Forum focuses on how space exploration benefits Missouri's economy and is part of a yearlong series. Media are invited to attend the day's events, as well as a media-only question and answer session at 10:30 a.m.

Astronaut Carl Walz, director of the Advanced Capabilities Division in NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate, will provide an overview of the agency's plans to return to the moon and explore beyond. Retired astronaut Tom Jones also will participate in the forum. Missouri Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder will deliver the luncheon address.

The event schedule for the NASA St. Louis Future Forum is:

- 9 a.m.: Welcome by Doug King, president and CEO, Saint Louis Science Center

- 9:15 a.m.: Keynote address by NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale

- 9:45 a.m.: Overview of NASA exploration and astronaut programs by Carl Walz, director, Advanced Capabilities Division

- 10:30 a.m.: Media briefing

- 10:45 a.m.: Inspiration, Innovation, and Discovery Panel moderated by Frank Stokes, CEO, Innovate St. Louis. Panelists will include:

• Mark Wrighton, chancellor, Washington University, St. Louis
• Gregg Maryniak, director, James S. McDonnell Planetarium, Saint Louis Science Center
• Daryl G. Pelc, vice president, Engineering and Technology for Advanced Systems, Boeing, Chicago
• Willem Bakker, president, Technology Entrepreneur Center, St. Louis
• Tom Jones, NASA astronaut and author

- 12:15 p.m.: Luncheon with presentation by Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder

- 1:15 p.m.: Saint Louis Science Center presentation: The History of St. Louis and the Space Program

- 2:30 p.m.: Closing Remarks

Reporters planning to attend should contact Tabatha Thompson at 202-420-0978 or tabatha.thompson-1@nasa.gov, or Beth Bishop at 314-267-9916 or ebishop@slsc.org.

For more information on NASA's 50th Anniversary Future Forums, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/50th/future_forums

For complete biographical information about Dale, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/dale_bio.html

For more information about the Saint Louis Science Center, visit:

http://www.slsc.org