Outer Space is coming to New Martinsville School. On Friday NASA astronaut Lt. Commander Christopher Cassidy will be coming to spend the day at NMS as part of the NASA Astronaut Appearance program for “NMS Space Day.”

The Astronaut Appearance program is an opportunity provided by NASA in which a NASA astronaut spends a day at a school informing the students about the space program in the United States.

Lt. Commander Cassidy is from York, Maine, and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1993 with a degree in mathematics. In 2000 he received a masters degree in ocean engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

He is a trained Navy SEAL and has received two Bronze Stars for his efforts in the war on terrorism in Afghanistan. He has served with NASA since 2004. He is currently assigned to the crew of STS-127, ISS assembly mission which will deliver the Japanese-built Exposed Facility and the Experiment Logistics Module Exposed Section to the International Space Station in April 2009.

“NMS Space Day” is being designed to heighten student awareness and enthusiasm for space and promote interest in math, science, and engineering. It is a day being set aside to celebrate the world’s achievements in space exploration and research and to teach the students about the many different things that are part of everyday life as a result of this research.

Things such as power tools, smoke detectors, and satellite TV have all come to us as a result of the space program. Students will participate in space-related activities ranging from attending an assembly with Lt. Commander Cassidy to participating in activities such as a science fair and a bottle rocket launch contest. Younger students will be reading stories about space and conducting space-related experiments.

Through “Space Day” activities, students will be able to see the integration of subject matter as it relates to space exploration and provide them with additional skills that will be needed to compete and be successful in the 21st century.

Several dignitaries have been invited to attend “NMS space Day” including Gov. Joe Manchin, State Superintendent of Schools Steven Paine, Sen. Larry Edgell, Sen. Jeff Kessler, and Del. Dave Pethtel.