MELBOURNE, FLA. — Florida Institute of Technology professor of space and sciences and former astronaut Sam Durrance will speak at the university’s next Astronomy and Astrophysics Public Lecture Series April 24. The free lecture titled, “The Astro Missions in Ultraviolet Astronomy: An Astronaut’s Perspective,” will be held on campus at the F.W. Olin Engineering Complex Auditorium, Room EC118, at 8 p.m.
Durrance will share his journey in outer space, describing the technical, scientific and emotional aspects of his experience as an astronaut. The lecture, which he describes as primarily an adventure story, will discuss his part in operating and turning the Space Shuttle into an astronomical observatory in orbit, and flying two space missions with the observatory. He spent a total of 26 days in space. The lecture will be followed by a roof-top public star viewing if weather permits.
The F.W. Olin Engineering Complex Auditorium is located on University Boulevard. For more information, call (321) 674-7717 or visit www.fit.edu/aapls.