CLEVELAND (August 29, 2025) – Meet the NASA astronauts, engineers and scientists reaching for the stars, and discover how the quest to travel beyond our atmosphere shapes life on Earth during Discovery Days, September 12 and 13 at Great Lakes Science Center, featuring free general admission on both days for all guests sponsored by TransDigm Group Inc. TransDigm is headquartered in Cleveland and a leading global designer, producer and supplier of highly engineered aircraft components for use on nearly all commercial and military aircraft in service today.
 
NASA astronaut Sunita “Suni” Williams will join us at 11 a.m. Friday, September 12 to kick off Discovery Days with a special presentation in the Cleveland Clinic DOME Theater. A Euclid, Ohio native, Williams has logged 608 days in space over three missions to the International Space Station, and she has completed 62 hours and 6 minutes of total spacewalk time over the course of her career, which is more than any other female astronaut. Seating for her presentation is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis.
 
NASA astronaut Doug Wheelock will be at the Science Center on Friday, September 12 and Saturday, September 13 for meet and greet sessions throughout the two-day event. Wheelock has logged 178 days on the Space Shuttle, International Space Station and Russia’s Soyuz TMA-19 spacecraft. During his 2010 mission to the International Space Station, he became the first U.S. Army officer to command the space station.  
 
Guests are encouraged to start their Discovery Day experience at NASA GO!, the official welcome station. Guests can learn about the interactive activities taking place throughout the Science Center, meet staff from NASA’s Glenn Research Center, get information about internship opportunities, grab an Ohio astronaut poster and start their NASA Go! journey to collect vintage postcards and Artemis boot pins. Other activities include:
 

  • Resource Recovery Rover Mission - “Drive” a small rover into an 8-foot crater to accomplish a mission and then back out before running out of power.   
  • Aeronautics Adventure – “Ride” in a supersonic test plane and experience a sonic thump, see a wind tunnel demo, touch “ice” on a S-3B Viking airplane wing that was tested in Glenn’s Icing Research Tunnel, and learn about NASA’s role in the safety of future flight using AR/VR goggles showing air traffic and aerospace communications.  
  • Cosmic Connections – Learn about the value NASA provides to everyday life through interactive kiosks and NASA spinoff publications. Then, strike a pose in our cosmic selfie station.
  • Suited for Space – NASA’s new “Suits and Boots” exhibit is making its Ohio debut. See five past, present and future spacesuits in the Evolution of the Spacesuit exhibit and learn the story of human space exploration and its evolution. Pick your boots for the next Artemis mission and step into an astronaut’s shoes at the Artemis Boots exhibit. Plus, “try on” various spacesuits with an astrosuit virtual demonstration to learn about spacesuit technology and test your knowledge on our interactive kiosks.  
  • The Drop Stop – See a real science experiment in the drop tower exhibit, demonstrating microgravity and its impact on crucial NASA research. 
  • Mars Habitat – Check out a new AR/VR demo that takes you into a possible greenhouse on Mars.  
  • Make It, Take It – Make your own zipper pull at Glenn’s Machine Shop mobile trailer.

 
On Saturday, September 13, Discovery Days includes additional programming as part of the Science Center’s Summer of Innovation series! The fourth and final Innovation Day of the year focuses on aerospace, and guests will have the opportunity to try out additional hands-on engineering challenges and activities that help explore the principles of flight and space travel. Sponsored by Northeast Ohio aerospace companies including ARES Corporation, Parallax Advanced Research, HX5 and Sierra Lobo.
 
Discovery Days is part of Ohio Space Week, celebrating the state’s deep-rooted contributions to the aeronautics and space industries, highlighting the people, institutions, and businesses that continue to shape the future of flight and exploration. Guests can learn firsthand about NASA and Ohio’s cutting-edge technology and contributions to advancing space exploration and beyond!
 
About Great Lakes Science Center
Great Lakes Science Center is one of the top 10 museums in the nation as celebrated by the 2025 USA Today 10 Best Readers’ Choice travel award for Best Science Museum. The Science Center hosted Total Eclipse Fest in 2024, one of the largest free eclipse events in the country and is home to the NASA Glenn Visitor Center. The Science Center makes science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) come alive for more than 300,000 visitors a year through hundreds of hands-on exhibits, temporary exhibitions, the Cleveland Clinic DOME Theater, historic Steamship William G. Mather, daily science demonstrations, seasonal camps and more. The Science Center, a 501(c)(3) non-profit institution, earned a Charity Navigator Four Star Rating in 2025, receiving top scores for financial efficiency, sustainability and trustworthiness. The Science Center is supported in part by the residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture. Visit GreatScience.com for more information.