Saskatoon-born astronaut in Regina for Apollo 11 landing anniversary event
An estimated 650 million people watched humankind take its first steps on the moon five decades ago today.
Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin landed on the moon on July 20, 1969, catapulting them to superstardom and capturing the attention of the world.
On the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11's landing, the Canadian Space Agency is streaming its own commemorative event to an unlimited audience on YouTube.
Saskatoon's Dafydd "Dave" Williams will speak at the Saskatchewan Science Centre in Regina as part of celebrations going on nationwide. The audience will be able to ask him questions about Apollo 11, Canadians in space and his own experiences.
"We're really honoured to be working with the Canadian Space Agency on an event like this. And I think it's a great fun for all of people that are able to show up," said Ryan Holota, director of business development and visitor services at the science centre.
Williams should have a lot of stories to share with the audience. He participated in two space missions.
The first was aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, a 16-day mission.
The second was in 2007 aboard the legendary spacecraft Endeavour. He was a mission specialist for both voyages.
During the 2007 mission Williams broke a Canadian record with three spacewalks. He spent a total of 17 hours and 47 minutes outside the vehicle in outer space.
Rare astronaut Q and A
Astronauts are busy people. Most are still involved with research and their duties at the Canadian Space Agency so they can't visit many cities to speak to small audiences.
Holota said all 165 tickets for the Regina event are spoken for, but that there could be room for a few more people if there are no-shows.
The first presentation will be at 11 a.m. CST, streamed live from the Ontario and Montreal space centres via YouTube. People attending the Regina event will watch the stream, featuring well-known astronauts David St. Jacques and Bob Thirsk.
After the hour-long presentation Dave Williams will be taking questions from the audience. It will be a rare Q&A and appearance from a Canadian astronaut in such an intimate setting.
Other science centres across the country are hosting similar chats with other astronauts.
