Roger
That!
Roger That! celebrates space exploration and the life of Grand Rapids native, Roger B. Chaffee, a former American naval officer and aviator aeronautical engineer, and NASA astronaut in the Apollo program. The GRPM and Grand Valley State University are proud to bring you the eighth annual Roger That! symposium on the weekend of February 14 + 15 2025.Â
February 14, 2025, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Calling all aspiring astronauts this day is for you! Join us on February 14, 2025 from 9 am-3 pm for Roger That! at the Grand Rapids Public Museum. In partnership with GVSU, this day of programming honors the life of Grand Rapids native and astronaut, Roger B. Chaffee, through a variety of STEAM activities and programs for K-4th grade students.
- Enjoy a planetarium show in the Chaffee Planetarium
- Meet new friends in the Meijer Theater and participate in the dynamic program, Creative Space with Rover and Ray of Our Show Today. Participants will explore space science as they learn fun facts, sing, and dance in a collaborative performance with characters from WGVU’s Our Show Today.Â
- Aspiring astronauts will also have the chance to earn a prize for taking part in an astronaut training mission at stations around the Museum.
February 15, 2025
Learn about space exploration and STEM careers as you enjoy hands-on activities and demonstrations from a variety of partner booth and exhibit tables. Guests of all ages can participate in a space mission activity around the museum, view out of this world artifacts from the GRPM collection and even hear an astronaut speak.Â
Community Involvement
We would love if you or your organization got involved in this stellar event! Sign up to join us on Saturday, February 15 with a demonstration, information, or activity table. We also welcome vendors for a small fee of $25. Help us inspire all ages to reach for the stars and get involved with STEAM.
Highlights for Roger That! 2024
Roger That! Celebration at the Museum
GRPM Keynote Speaker
Roger That!’s 2024 keynote speaker was Dr. Robert Satcher. Astronaut Robert Satcher is a distinguished American physician, chemical engineer, and former NASA astronaut. Satcher holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from MIT and an M.D. from Harvard Medical School. He joined NASA’s astronaut corps in 2004 and flew aboard STS-129 in 2009, a mission to the International Space Station. During this mission, Dr. Satcher performed two spacewalks, contributing to the maintenance and assembly of the station. Known for his versatility, he is the first orthopedic surgeon in space, showcasing his diverse expertise in medicine and engineering. Beyond his space endeavors, Satcher is renowned for his research in musculoskeletal oncology and tissue engineering, along with his commitment to cancer research and treatment. His career reflects a unique blend of scientific innovation, medical excellence, and adventurous exploration.
Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium.
Continue celebrating space exploration by visiting the GRPM’s Chaffee Planetarium.Â
Shows in the Chaffee Planetarium take place every hour on February 17 and are $4 per person or $2 for Museum members.Â
In addition to planetarium shows, the GRPM also partnered with astronaut Brent Bos and created a set of new interactive experiences outside of the Chaffee Planetarium. These include a lunar crater station, meteors under a microscope and a meteor pinball machine.Â
The Planetarium lobby also features an exhibit with Roger B. Chaffee artifacts that tell a detailed story of his life.
Apollo 1 Tragedy
On January 27, 1967, tragedy struck NASA’s Apollo program when a flash fire occurred in command module 012 during a launch pad test of the Apollo/Saturn space vehicle being prepared for the first piloted flight, the AS-204 mission. Three astronauts, Lt. Col. Virgil I. Grissom, a veteran of Mercury and Gemini missions; Lt. Col. Edward H. White, the astronaut who had performed the first United States extravehicular activity during the Gemini program; and Grand Rapids Native Roger B. Chaffee, an astronaut preparing for his first space flight, died in this tragic accident.
The Grand Rapids Public Museum renamed its planetarium to the Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium the same year.
This event, scholarly in nature and open to the general public, is co-organized by the Grand Rapids Public Museum, Grand Valley State University, and the Roger B. Chaffee Scholarship Fund. Roger That! seeks to honor Chaffee and highlight local research in a two-day celebration of space exploration.
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