GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids Public Museum and Grand Valley State University have announced the return of Roger That! , an annual celebration of the life of Roger Chaffee.
Roger Chaffee was a Grand Rapids native, who became an American naval officer and aviator, aeronautical engineer, and NASA astronaut in the Apollo program.
On January 27, 1967, Chaffee was killed when a flash fire occurred in the command module 012 during a launch pad test of the Apollo/Saturn space vehicle while it was being prepared for its first piloted flight. Two other astronauts, Lt. Col. Virgil I. Grissom and Lt. Col. Edward H. White, were also killed in the fire.
The 2023 edition of Roger That! will look back at the history of space exploration since the establishment of NASA in 1958. It will feature STEM K-12 school programming from both the Grand Rapids Public Museum and Grand Valley State University.
On Friday, February 10, Grand Valley State University will host an academic conference. The event will feature the following speakers:
- Burçin Mutlu-Pakdil (assistant professor of physics and astronomy at Dartmouth)
- Jamie Draper (director of the Air Force Space and Missile Museum)
- Justin Walsh (associate professor of art history and archaeology at Chapman University)
- Chris Gainor (editor-in-chief of Quest: The History of Spaceflight Quarterly)
- Dwayne A. Day (senior program officer at the National Academy of Sciences)
- Emily Carney (director of content for Celestis Memorial Spaceflights)
- Asif Siddiqi (professor of history at Fordham University)
NASA astronaut, engineer, and innovator José Hernández will speak on both days. On Friday, February 10, he will speak at the Loosmore Auditorium on Grand Valley State University’s Pew Grand Rapids campus at 6:30 p.m. Registration for Friday, February 10’s event will be available on the university’s website. On Saturday, February 11, Hernández will speak at the Grand Rapids Public Museum at 11 a.m. Tickets to Saturday’s event are free and can be found on the museum’s website. Advance ticketing is strongly recommended for the lecture, which is expected to reach capacity quickly.
Hernández played a significant role in the invention of the first full-field digital mammography system to help detect breast cancer. A film based on Hernández’s life, A Million Miles Away, is in production for Prime Video. The film will star Michael Peña as Hernández. According to Deadline, the film will also star Rosa Salazar, Veronica Falcón, and Eric Johnson. It will be directed by Alejandra Márquez Abella.
“José Hernández is a trailblazer who spent his childhood doing agricultural work with his family, constantly relocating from one job to another in California,” said Deana Weibel, GVSU professor and co-organizer of Roger That!. “When he decided at a young age that he wanted to be an astronaut, scientist, and engineer, his family and teachers worked together to help him successfully achieve his goals.”
“Our ongoing partnership with GVSU to host Roger That! has given our organizations the opportunity to bring more knowledge and curiosity to the community around space and those who pioneer it,” said Rob Schuitema, Grand Rapids Public Museum’s Director of Public Programs. “This year will undoubtedly be another highly sought-after event to experience; where participants of all ages can learn the history of space exploration, hear from José Hernández and his experiences with NASA, and discover more about astronomy through hands-on STEM educational activities.”
Roger That! will be held February 10-11.
