HUNTSVILLE, Ala. — The U.S. Space & Rocket Center is inviting the community to celebrate the return of the Pathfinder shuttle orbiter with a special event, Biergarten Under the Shuttle, on Thursday, Oct. 24, from 5 to 7:30 p.m.
Dr. Kimberly Robinson, CEO and Executive Director of the Rocket Center, and Dr. Jan Davis, a Huntsville native and three-time space shuttle astronaut, will be among those giving remarks during the event.
The event will take place in Shuttle Park under the full space shuttle stack. Guests can enjoy a full Biergarten menu featuring German food and beverages available for purchase.
After more than 30 years of exposure to the elements, the Rocket Center removed the orbiter for restoration in 2021. The orbiter was lifted back into place in September.
The Pathfinder shuttle stack was first erected at the Rocket Center in 1988. Developed by NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center, Pathfinder served as a heavy-lift article to test procedures for the Space Transportation System, commonly known as the space shuttle.
Guests are also invited to explore the newly completed Rocket Park during the event. Rocket Park features Rocket Row, showcasing five historic rockets that have been restored and remounted, as well as the engine section of the SLS core stage Pathfinder and a new amphitheater.
Rocket Park will also honor the contributions of more than 21,000 employees of the Marshall Space Flight Center with the Marshall Retirees Association’s Space Exploration Wall of Honor.
For more information about the event, visit the U.S. Space & Rocket Center’s website.