Media Alert
February 28th, 2023
Taylor Fuqua, Manager of Public Relations & Marketing
tfuqua@Virginia.History.org
804.342.9665
Richmond, Va. – It is with great pleasure that the Virginia Museum of History & Culture announces retired NASA astronaut Leland D. Melvin as the signature ambassador for the Apollo: When We Went to the Moon exhibition and its year of space history programming. Melvin, who is a Lynchburg, Virginia native and an alum of the University of Richmond and University of Virginia, is a well-versed engineer, author, philanthropist, public speaker, champion of S.T.E.M, and the only person drafted into the NFL to have flown in space.
Leland’s journey to space started in 1989 when he began working at NASA Langley Research Center as a researcher in the Fiber Optic Sensors Group of the Nondestructive Evaluation Sciences Branch. In 1998, Leland was selected by NASA JC to begin Astronaut Candidate Training and would later complete two space flights, STS-122 in 2008, and STS-129 in 2009, logging in over 565 hours in space.
“As home to NASA’s Langley Research Center, Virginia and Virginians have been central to our past and future exploration of space,” Leland Melvin said in a statement. “At a young age I felt a strong connection to science that was fueled by my parents, teachers and a community that believed in me. I could not have imagined that as both a Langley engineer and an astronaut that I would be a part of that storied space legacy. I am excited to work with the VMHC, to share my science and engineering journey, orbital perspective and encourage young Virginians to be the next generation of explorers.”
“We are honored to have Leland Melvin serve as the signature ambassador for our Apollo exhibition and a year of related programming,” Jamie Bosket, President & CEO at the VMHC said in a statement. “It would be impossible for us to tell the story of Virginia's history in space exploration without Leland's incredible, inspiring story, and it is our privilege to help share this legacy across the Commonwealth.”
Apollo: When We Went to the Moon chronicles how space exploration that began as an extension of the Cold War between the U.S. and the Soviet Union ultimately led to international cooperation both on and off Earth. The exhibition will open to the public on March 18, 2023, and continue to be on display through December 31, 2023. The 7,000-square-foot exhibition immerses visitors in the epic story of manned space flight through the eyes of the astronauts, but also through the experiences of the 400,000 scientists, engineers, and contractors (many of whom were Virginians) who made our landings on the Moon possible 50 years ago. It also sheds light on the many ways Virginians, including Leland Melvin, have connected Virginians to space in the years since the Apollo missions, and also the significant role NASA Langley is playing still today with NASA’s Artemis missions to the Moon.
Leland will join the VMHC for special public events at the museum throughout the year. On Saturday, April 15, 2023 at 3pm, space enthusiasts big and small are invited to attend an interactive program focused on Melvin’s book Chasing Space. In this inspirational memoir, the former NASA astronaut and NFL wide receiver shares his personal journey from the gridiron to the stars, examining the intersecting roles of community, perseverance, and grace that align to create opportunities for success.
Later in the year, Leland will join with Dr. Robert Satcher (a native of Hampton, Virginia) for a special program at the VMHC. Mr. Melvin and Dr. Satcher were together on Space Shuttle Atlantis – the first space mission to include two Black astronauts.
Visit VirginiaHistory.org/Events for other related programming throughout the exhibition’s run.