In a galaxy not far from ground zero at all, a boy grew up, destined for greatness in space. Deke Slayton, born on a farm near Leon, was one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts, but was grounded by a heart murmur. He was given medical clearance later in his career with NASA, and was part of the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz Test Mission, one of the missions laying the groundwork for the existence of the International Space Station.
By the time we gather at a statue of Slayton, hopefully all went well with Astronaut Mastracchio's mission and he'll be well on his way to his six months on the ISS, where he will be using the Travel Bug to help students back on Earth learn about geography and science. Still, we can celebrate one of our home grown space pioneers. Feel free to bring along all your geeky Star Wars, Star Trek, Babylon 5, or Buzz Lightyear toys to help set the mood.
After documenting our cosmic celebration, those so inclined may head over to Dorine's Family Inn a block or two away for some good home cooking. The log book will set a course from the museum to the restaurant so that latecomers can still sign in.
Mission specs
Deke Slayton Museum
5:30PM
Gather for a group photo
Dorine's Family Inn
110 S. Water Street
5:45-ish