Join former NASA astronaut Ron Garan for a talk suitable for all ages. Garan will share an awe-inspiring view of space and unbelievable stories from the International Space Station. Learn how seeing Earth from orbit changes your perspective forever and how impending eclipses continue to reveal deep truths about our planet's rare place in the cosmos. Former NASA astronaut, serial entrepreneur, humanitarian, and highly decorated combat fighter pilot Ron Garan racked up 178 days in space and more than 71 million miles in 2,842 orbits around our planet. During that time, Garan conducted four spacewalks in support of the construction and maintenance of the International Space Station. Prior to those space journeys, he lived and conducted research on the bottom of the ocean in the world’s only undersea research laboratory, Aquarius. Before reaching the summit of his career, Ron, a former test pilot and graduate of the US Naval Test Pilot School, taught hundreds of elite fighter pilots how to “up their game” as a flight instructor at the prestigious USAF Fighter Weapons School, the Air Force version of Top Gun. Garan is also a graduate of Yonkers Public Schools!

In this talk, you'll discover:

• What astronauts experience during the thrilling 8-minute blast-off into orbit around Earth.

• Why the view of Earth takes your breath away when you finally reach the weightless wonder of space.

• What it's like to see 16 sunrises every day while orbiting our planet.

• Why gazing down on Earth's glittering atmosphere fills astronauts with wonder.

• How an elevated orbital perspective reveals humanity's interconnectedness in a profound way.

Tickets: $50 for nonmember adults; $40 for adult members; $35 for nonmember youth (3–18); $25 for member youth; includes planetarium ticket to Moonbase: The Next Step at 11:30am, 2pm, or 3:30pm. Purchase tickets here. 

Learn more at hrm.org/visit