NASA’s Vision: Above and Beyond

Charlottesville - NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) representatives will speak at an Innovation Luncheon hosted by the Charlottesville Business Innovation Council (CBIC) on Thursday, February 21 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Omni Hotel on the Downtown Mall.

NASA Astronaut Michael Lopez-Alegria and NASA Assistant Administrator for External Relations Michael O’Brien will deliver a compelling presentation on the issues and topics currently facing the space industry and related fields in science and technology. They will discuss how lessons and techniques developed by NASA might be applied to businesses in our community.

“This is a great opportunity to learn about NASA’s work with 14 other countries on the International Space Station and their upcoming plans,” said Tom Thompson, Executive Director of CBIC. “Anyone considering international alliance partners will find this presentation particularly informative. Of course, the technology is just plain fascinating all by itself!”

Audience members will be the first in the U.S. to hear this exciting presentation, which NASA introduced at a recent meeting of international space agencies in Geneva, Switzerland. Topics of discussion will include the completion of the build-out of the International Space Station (ISS), the replacement of the Shuttle with the yet-to-be-built Orion vehicle, the prospects of going back to the Moon and to Mars, and challenges of the future. There will be opportunities for questions, autographs and photographs after the presentation.

The event is sponsored by the University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science. Price of admission is $35 for CBIC members and $45 for non-members and includes lunch, beverages, and parking at the Omni Hotel. Members who would like to invite a guest may contact the CBIC office for registration. Tickets are expected to sell out quickly so CBIC suggests people sign up as soon as they can by visiting the registration web page or calling 434-817-6300. Deadline for registration is Feb. 15.