In celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing and President Kennedy’s vision that launched the effort to get there, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, with Ambassador Caroline Kennedy, will host a day-long symposium highlighting the history that led to the first Moon landing, current scientific and technological space initiatives, and the future of space exploration.
The program will challenge Americans to learn from the past, draw inspiration from President Kennedy’s vision, and renew our civic commitment to solving the great challenges of our own time.
Can't join us in person? We'll be livestreaming the JFK Space Summit on our website!
Attendees are asked to register for each panel separately. Please note that absolutely no backpacks or large bags will be permitted in the Library on June 19. Parking availability will be limited; we encourage the use of public transportation if possible.
| 10:30am - 12:00pm | Astronauts Speak: Dispatches from the International Space Station |
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An extraordinary panel of international astronauts including Chris Cassidy and Tracy Caldwell Dyson (United States), Koichi Wakata (Japan), Paolo Nespoli (Italy), and Oleg Kotov (Russia) will discuss the international cooperation that has been essential to so many of the scientific and technological breakthroughs resulting from human space exploration. Moderated by Doug Brinkley, author of American Moonshot: John F. Kennedy and the Great Space Race. Registration for this talk is full. |
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| 10:30am - 3:30pm | Experience Space Expo (JFK Library Pavilion) |
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A special opportunity for the public and Summit attendees to see the history and future of space exploration first hand. Exhibitors will include corporations, laboratories, and academic institutions all deeply involved in the past and future of space exploration. |
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| 1:00pm - 2:30pm | Earth, Moon, Planets, and Cosmos: What We Know and What Discoveries Await |
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Former NASA Earth Science Division Director Michael Freilich will examine how space satellites have revolutionized our understanding of Planet Earth. Scientists Maria Zuber, MIT Vice President for Research, Laurie Leshin, President, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and Sara Seager, MIT Professor of Planetary Science and Physics, will discuss scientific discoveries that have changed our understanding of the universe beyond Planet Earth, and questions that still remain unanswered. CNN host S.E. Cupp moderates. Registration for this talk is full. |
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| 2:45pm - 4:15pm | Apollo: Missions to the Moon Screening |
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Join us for a special preview of National Geographic’s latest documentary, Apollo: Missions to the Moon, airing in July 2019. By award-winning director Tom Jennings, this extraordinary film is the result of 20 years of meticulous research to gather all the film footage, images, and recordings made behind the scenes of the Apollo missions to tell this remarkable story as it happened – for the first time. Registration for this talk is full. |
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| 5:00pm - 6:30pm | NASA: From the Moon to Mars and Beyond |
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Apollo 11 Lunar Command Module pilot Michael Collins, former NASA administrator Charles Bolden, former director of the Johnson Space Center Ellen Ochoa, and former NASA deputy administrator Dava Newman discuss NASA’s past, present, and future with National Air and Space Museum director Ellen Stofan. Registration for this forum is full. |
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| 6:45pm - 7:30 pm | Fireside Chat with Jeff Bezos and Ambassador Caroline Kennedy |
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Jeff Bezos, Founder of Blue Origin, will join Ambassador Caroline Kennedy for a fireside chat about his vision for going to space to benefit Earth. Registration for this talk is full. |
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