Museum Announces "Columbia" Display
For release 2/24/2003

As a salute to the “Columbia” and the seven astronauts lost in the space shuttle disaster on February 1, 2003, Prairie Aviation Museum will have a pictorial essay on the Mission STS-107 through August 2003.  

           The display is an expansive resume of the life and accomplishments of each astronaut pictured in their orange flight suit and details some of the notable experiments which they carried on during the Columbia mission. The astronauts who were all in their 40’s, were working on hundreds of experiments including procedures to combat prostate cancer, improving crop yields, and develop anticancer drugs. The display shows the laboratory areas and the shuttle’s living area.

           The exhibit includes a scale model of the Columbia shuttle and the book, “When I Become an Astronaut” written by Hannah Sanidas, local third grade student. The public is also invited to sign the memory booklet with their sentiments, which will be forwarded to the NASA family.

           A Museum spokesman said, “The Museum was especially impacted by the loss of the Columbia as one of our major projects, the Joseph F. Warner Challenger Learning Center, was developed after the Challenger shuttle disasterin 1986. From that tragic loss and now the loss of the Columbia, comes the recommitment to learn from the frontiers these brave astronauts explored and move forward with their accomplishments.”

           The Museum’s current “Spotlight” display focuses on “Tuskegee” as a continuing Black History feature. The Tuskegee Squadron was the first all black Air Corps Squadron begun in 1941, stationed at Chanute Air Force Base, Rantoul, IL as an experiment by the Armed Forces.

           The Museum hours are Sunday 12 to 4 p.m., (closed Monday) Tuesday through Saturday 11 to 4 p.m. For tours, Speakers Bureau or more information, phone 309/663-7632.

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