The Astronauts Memorial Foundation Inc

THE FOUNDATION HONORS AND MEMORIALIZES ASTRONAUTS WHO HAVE SACRIFICED THEIR LIVES FOR THE NATION AND SPACE PROGRAM BY SPONSORING THE NATIONAL SPACE MIRROR MEMORIAL, & IMPLEMENTING INNOVATIVE EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY PROGRAMS.

UPKEEP AND MAINTENANCE OF THE PERMANENT ASTRONAUT MEMORIAL LOCATED AT KENNEDY SPACE CENTER. THE ASTRONAUTS MEMORIAL FOUNDATION'S SPACE MIRROR MEMORIAL IS A UNIQUE BLEND OF ART AND SCIENCE AND A FITTING TRIBUTE TO THE ASTRONAUTS BEING HONORED. THE SPACE MIRROR IS 42.5 FEET HIGH AND 50 FEET WIDE AND IS CONSTRUCTED OF MIRROR-FINISHED GRANITE. IT CONSISTS OF 90 GRANITE PANELS THAT ARE 80 5-FOOT X 5-FOOT AND 10 HALF SIZED PANELS. EACH FULL PANEL IS TWO INCHES THICK AND WEIGHS 500 POUNDS. THE SUN'S RAYS ARE PROJECTED THROUGH THE NAMES OF THE ASTRONAUTS, WHICH ARE ENGRAVED THROUGH THE GRANITE. THE LATTER SPACES ARE FILLED WITH CRYSTAL CLEAR ACRYLIC, MINUTELY JAGGED ON THE FRONT SIDE TO DIFFUSE THE LIGHT. POWERFUL LIGHTS ILLUMINATE THE ASTRONAUTS' NAMES 24 HOURS A DAY, 365 DAYS A YEAR.

THE ASTRONAUTS MEMORIAL FOUNDATION CAPTURES THE TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPED IN THE UNITED STATES' SPACE PROGRAM AND APPLIES IT TO THE FIELD OF EDUCATION. WE PARTNER WITH THE NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION TO PROVIDE TECHNOLOGY TRAINING TO EDUCATORS THROUGHOUT THE NATION WITH A PARTICULAR EMPHASIS ON SPACE-RELATED TECHNOLOGY. IN ADDITION, AT THE CENTER FOR SPACE EDUCATION WE OFFER SPACE-RELATED EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS, AND, IN DOING SO, WE IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE WORK-FORCE IN THE SPACE INDUSTRY.

OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE OF THE CENTER FOR SPACE EDUCATION. THIS "LIVING MEMORIAL" TO THE ASTRONAUTS HAS A TWOFOLD MISSION. TO FOSTER AN UNDERSTANDING OF SPACE EXPLORATION AMONG PEOPLE, TEACHERS, AND KENNEDY SPACE CENTER VISITORS. TO IMPROVE AMERICAN EDUCATION THROUGH THE ACCELERATED AND EFFECTIVE APPLICATION OF TECHNOLOGY IN OUR SCHOOLS. THIS 47,000 SQUARE-FOOT FACILITY IS LOCATED ON SIX ACRES AT THE KENNEDY SPACE CENTER VISITOR COMPLEX, WHICH DRAWS NEARLY THREE-MILLION VISITORS EACH YEAR TO SPACE EDUCATION AT THE CENTER. NASA CONDUCTS MANY SPACE EDUCATION PROGRAMS IN THE CENTER. ITS POPULAR EXPLORATION STATION HOSTS MORE THAN 1,000 SCHOOL FIELD TRIPS EACH YEAR AND HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF OTHER VISITORS. SCHOOL GROUPS TAKE PART IN A LECTURE/DEMONSTRATION PROGRAM AS WELL AS HANDS ON SCIENCE ACTIVITIES USING ACTUAL SPACE HARDWARE AND ARTIFACTS. VISITORS ENJOY THE HANDS ON PORTION OF THE PROGRAM NASA'S EDUCATOR RESOURCE CENTER. AS AN EDUCATOR, YOU ARE INVITED TO VISIT NASA'S EDUCATOR RESOURCE CENTER, ALSO LOCATED IN THE CENTER FOR SPACE EDUCATION. YOU WILL RECEIVE A PACKET OF NASA PRINTED MATERIAL AND HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO COPY A VARIETY OF VIDEOTAPES, SLIDES AND SOFTWARE ONTO YOUR OWN BLANK TAPES, FILM AND DISKS. THE CENTER HOUSES THE AMF EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY INSTITUTE, A NATIONAL ORGANIZATION WHICH PROVIDES TRAINING, DEMONSTRATION AND DEVELOPMENTAL PROGRAMS FOR EDUCATORS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH CORPORATIONS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES AND NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS FLORIDA SPACE INSTITUTE.