HEMPHILL, TX – School groups will have the opportunity to schedule a one-of-a-kind field trip to the Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum ‘Remembering Columbia’ the week of May 13-17.

That Monday-Friday, the museum in Hemphill will host Herb Baker, who worked at NASA for 42 years. Interested groups should contact the museum directly to reserve a time slot for a special presentation, followed by a guided tour of the main gallery and exhibits.

Baker spent most of his career at the Johnson Space Center (JSC) supporting the Space Shuttle, Space Station, and Orion Programs but also worked at the Kennedy Space Center and NASA Headquarters. His last position was serving as the Manager of the Operations Support Office at JSC which provided support to the Flight Operations Office and included support to the Astronaut Office, Mission Control operations, NASA’s Aircraft Operations, and astronaut training. He is currently an Officer on the Board of Directors of the NASA Alumni League and spends most of his time volunteering for organizations that promote STEM engagement, including the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation and Space Center Houston.

“I just want to spread the word about NASA as much as possible,” Baker said in a previous NASA interview. “Most people don’t realize how much NASA contributes to everything we do, even the routine things. We have improved things like firefighter uniforms, food safety, and even better software which are helping people across the globe. If I can help people see the cool things we do here, and how those things improve their everyday lives, even if it is one person at a time, I feel like I have accomplished something.”

Interested school groups from East Texas and western Louisiana should contact the museum at (409) 787-4827 or email ColumbiaMuseum@yahoo.com to coordinate logistics.

The Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum ‘Remembering Columbia’ serves as a memorial to the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy and as an educational facility dedicated to creating science and technology-inspiring learning opportunities for children and adults. Learn more at www.NASAColumbiaMuseum.com.

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