Photo Courtesy of Pixabay
The internet’s Cute Calendar is one of many to list May 3 as Space Day. But of course, in Rocket City U.S.A., there is is nothing cute about space, no matter what calendars are involved.
The uninitiated may confuse Space Day with Yuri’s Night, “a global celebration of humanity’s past, present, and future in space.” Commemorating Yuri Gagarin’s first human venture into space on April 12, 1961, and the first launch of the United States’ Space Shuttle Columbia on April 12, 1981, Yuri’s Night is an adult-oriented excuse to let the space geek flags fly and get all sorts of science-based ya-yas out under the stars.
Space Day is more oriented toward school-aged space fans and is, indeed, more cute.
Disney Parks Blog, for example, offers “Top Five Ways to Celebrate National Space Day at Walt Disney World Resort.” Playing astronaut onboard “Mission: SPACE” at Epcot looks edu-taining, but “Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin” just seems gratuitous. (But, admittedly, definitely something we would ride.)
Are You Ready for Space Day?
That’s what NASA’S website asks, and states that the first Thursday un May is reserved for space day, and has been since 1997.
“The goal of Space Day is to share the excitement of space exploration. Space Day is a time to learn more about our universe and to excite others about space, too.”
Cute Calendar reminds us that Space Day was, in fact, established by Lockheed Martin to “promote math, science, technology and engineering education by nurturing young peoples’ enthusiasm for the wonders of the universe and inspiring them to continue the stellar work of today’s space explorers.”
Find out more at Cute Calendar and National Day Calendar, and find archival information from NASA at Space Day.
