Ohio Astronaut to Speak at Kent Trumbull Oct. 22

CHAMPION TOWNSHIP, Ohio — Former NASA astronaut and Cleveland native Don Thomas will discuss his mission aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery at 7 p.m. Oct. 22 at Kent State University at Trumbull.

In June 1995, the “All-Ohio” crew of the STS-70 mission aboard Space Shuttle Discovery was finishing their final day of training before their launch, scheduled the following week. Everything looked good until someone discovered that a woodpecker had tried to make a nest in the shuttle’s fuel tank, creating 205 holes in the process.

Thomas will discuss why a woodpecker would do such a thing, what NASA did to prevent future attacks and what the Ohio astronauts accomplished on their flight as he presents “The Day a Woodpecker Attacked the Space Shuttle.”

The presentation, free and open to the public, be given Classroom Building auditorium (Room 102).

Afterward, Thomas will sign copies of his book, Orbit of Discover – the All-Ohio Space Shuttle Mission, which will be available for purchase.

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