KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. (July 8, 2008 ) – Framed by the backdrop of famous launch facilities, aerospace, aviation and astronauts will take to the skies for the second annual Space & Air Show at Kennedy Space Center featuring the Blue Angels November 8-9, 2008. On the heels of the successful U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds performance of 2007, the 2008 show will include an expanded roster of aviation stars. Newly announced aerobatic acts scheduled to perform include Mike Goulian, sponsored by Castrol Oil and the Air Force Reserve Biplane Show. Also performing are the U.S. Navy Super Hornet Demo Team, the 920th Rescue Wing, U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet, the F-16 Viper East Demonstration and the A-10 Warthog.
Mike Goulian, sponsored by Castrol Oil, will perform in the EXTRA300SHP, the world's newest custom-built premiere aerobatic aircraft. The Air Force Reserve Biplane Show will feature Ed Hamill telling his story, Living the Dream, in a performance taking viewers back in time through the last century of aerobatics. The 920th Rescue Wing will demonstrate a daring water rescue of a downed astronaut from a Space Shuttle bailout with pararescueman hoisted from helicopters. Other military performances include the F/A-18 Hornet, the nation's first true strike-fighter capable aircraft, and the A-10 Warthog, the first U.S. Air Force aircraft designed exclusively for close air support. Other flight demonstrations and performances are being added to the schedule and will be announced at a later date.
"This exciting event will bring some of the best pilots in the world to perform in the skies above Kennedy Space Center," said Daniel LeBlanc, Chief Operating Officer, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. "It is truly a unique setting to display the best of aviation at the home of America's space program."
Tickets for the Space & Air Show at Kennedy Space Center are available online at www.KennedySpaceCenter.com or by calling 321-449-4400 with special savings for advance purchase. Ticketing options include:
Special Advance Tickets:
- Air Show Only: $15 Adult/$12 Child plus tax
- Air Show with Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex: $38 Adult/$28 Child plus tax
- VIP Package (Pre-event Only): $95 plus tax, which includes entry to a hospitality chalet with catered food and beverages, special transportation to the air show, a complimentary program and a Commander's Club Annual Pass to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex.
Day of Show Tickets:
- Air Show Only: $20 Adult/$15 Child plus tax
- Air Show with Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex: $53 Adult/$40 Child plus tax
Space & Air Show at Kennedy Space Center Performers and Programs
- The U.S. Navy Blue Angels have performed before more than 400 million people around the world. Their precision flight team will showcase the graceful, aerobatic maneuvers of the four-plane Diamond Formation, in concert with the fast-paced, high-performance maneuvers of its two solo pilots. The team will demonstrate the highest level of precision flying and naval aviation skills, performing maneuvers locked as a unit in the renowned, six-jet Delta Formation.
- Mike Goulian, sponsored by Castrol Oil, will perform in the EXTRA300SHP, the world's newest custom-built premiere aerobatic aircraft. The EXTRA tumbles at awe-inspiring rates at almost any altitude, giving world-class pilot Goulian the freedom to use his imagination to create a show leaving fans wanting more.
- The Air Force Reserve Biplane Show features Ed Hamill telling his story: Living the Dream. Beautifully choreographed, this performance takes viewers back in time on a musical journey through the last century of aerobatics. Hamill combines the history of the Air Force Reserve and air show flying with his message – set goals, work hard and never give up.
- The 920th Rescue Wing, an Air Force Reserve Command combat search and rescue unit based at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., will stage an astronaut rescue simulation and demonstration, showcasing their skills and training in support of the U.S. Space Program.
- The U.S. Navy Super Hornet is the nation's first true strike-fighter capable aircraft. The F/A-18 is uniquely suited to their style of flying – aggressive, graceful and demanding. It demonstrates the awesome capabilities of naval aviation and the professionalism of today's sailors and marines.
- The F-16 Fighting Falcon, more commonly known to military pilots as the Viper, is a compact, extremely maneuverable multi-role fighter aircraft. The F-16 has proven itself in air-to-air combat as well as air-to-surface attack. It provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the air forces of the United States and other allied nations.
- The A-10 Warthog, star of the Gulf war victory in Kuwait, is a single-seat, twin-engine jet aircraft developed by Fairchild-Republic for the U.S. Air Force to provide close air support of ground forces by attacking tanks, armored vehicles and other ground targets. It is the first U.S. Air Force aircraft designed exclusively for close air support.
The 2008 show will include aircraft displays and space-related exhibits on the ground and plenty of action in the skies over Kennedy Space Center.
The Astronaut Scholarship Foundation's inaugural Astronaut Autograph & Memorabilia Show is part of the weekend events and will gather more than twenty American legends from the Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Skylab and Space Shuttle programs to personally meet guests, pose for photos and sign memorabilia. Admission to the Astronaut Autograph & Memorabilia Show is $5 in addition to admission to Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, which must be purchased to enter the show. For more information or to purchase tickets for the Astronaut Autograph & Memorabilia Show, call 321-455-7014 or visit www.astronautscholarship.org.
About Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex:
Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex opens at 9 a.m. Closing times vary by season. The Visitor Complex is open daily except December 25 and certain launch days. Admission includes the new Shuttle Launch Experience, Kennedy Space Center Tour, 3D IMAX® space films, Astronaut Encounter, all exhibits, and the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame®, featuring historic spacecraft, simulator rides and the world's largest collection of personal astronaut memorabilia. Admission is $38 + tax for adults and $28 + tax for children ages 3-11. The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Commander's Club Annual Pass is $50 + tax for adults and $40 + tax for children ages 3-11. For more information, call 321-449-4444 or visit www.KennedySpaceCenter.com. Save the date for the 2009 Space & Air Show at Kennedy Space Center to be held November 7-8, 2009.
About Astronaut Autograph & Memorabilia Show:
Come face to face with American Legends at the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation's Inaugural Astronaut Autograph & Memorabilia Show on November 7-9, 2008 at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. No where else on Earth will hero astronauts from all four American space programs be in one place signing memorabilia and posing for photos with guests. All proceeds from ticket sales benefit the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, a nonprofit, 501 (c)(3), which provides scholarships for exceptional college students pursuing degrees in science and engineering. For more information or to purchase tickets call 321-455-7014 or visit www.astronautscholarship.org.
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