Join us for the first of its kind happy hour in the Donald D. Engen Observation Tower at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center! The Tower provides a 360-degree bird's eye view of Washington Dulles International Airport and the surrounding area. Watch planes take off and land, observe the full Moon through telescopes, and hear from Neil Mallik of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center. 

Space to Ground: How Our Astronauts Stay Connected with Earth

NASA’s Space Communications and Navigation program is committed to providing highly-reliable communications services to all of the missions it supports. Without space communications, Mission Control would be unable to speak to our astronauts, get data back from spacecraft and experiments, and maintain the safety and health of the crews. This critical piece of NASA’s infrastructure is the backbone of mission success.

Neil Mallik, deputy network director for human spaceflight will share NASA’s space communications activities, an essential element of how we operate in space. He’ll provide a behind-the-scenes look on how we currently stay in contact with our astronauts aboard the International Space Station and how NASA’s communications networks will grow and change to meet the needs of future human spaceflight missions.

Light refreshments will be served. Cash bar available for beer and wine purchase with valid ID.

Tickets are free, but advance registration is required. Space is very limited.