CHICAGO -- NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale will deliver a keynote address on Friday, Oct. 10, at the Adler Planetarium to kick off NASA's Future Forum in Chicago. The 8:45 a.m. CDT event marks the final Future Forum and is part of a year-long series celebrating the agency's 50th anniversary. The forum will focus on how space exploration benefits Chicago's economic and academic sectors.

During the forum, astronauts Robert Satcher, Jr., and Kenneth Ham will discuss upcoming space shuttle missions. Carl Walz, director of NASA's Advanced Capabilities Division at the agency's headquarters in Washington, will provide an overview of the agency's plans to return astronauts to the moon and travel beyond. Other NASA participants include Woodrow Whitlow, Jr., director of NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, and senior officials, engineers and scientists.

NASA astronauts and senior officials will be available to answer questions from news media. Reporters who would like to attend should contact Sonja Alexander at sonja.r.alexander@nasa.gov or 202-358-1761.

Event schedule for the NASA Chicago Future Forum: (All times CDT, subject to minor changes)

- 8:30 a.m. - Welcome by Paul H. Knappenberger, Jr., PhD, president, Adler Planetarium, Chicago
- 8:45 a.m. - Remarks by NASA Deputy Administrator Shana Dale
- 9 a.m. - Overview of the NASA Exploration Program by Carl Walz
- 10 a.m. - Innovation Panel: "Unleashing the power of technology and creativity"
- 11:15 a.m. -Discovery Panel: "Pushing the limits of knowledge to inspire new generations"
- 12:30 p.m. -Luncheon speaker: Mr. John W. Rowe, Chairman, President and CEO, Exelon Corporation
- 1:45 p.m. - Inspiration Panel: "Building idea factories for the future"

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 Adler Planetarium, visit:

http://www.adlerplanetarium.org