Ohio Space Week - September 14-20, 2026
Ohio has been at the forefront of aerospace innovation for generations, from the Wright brothers’ first flight to pioneering advancements in space exploration. Ohio Space Week celebrates 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. Throughout the week, events will showcase how space technology impacts everything from national security to transportation and scientific discovery. Students, professionals, and space enthusiasts can engage in hands-on activities, panel discussions, and networking opportunities. Join us to celebrate Ohio’s aerospace legacy, past, present, and future!
AAS Glenn Space Technology Symposium
September 15-16, 2026
Cleveland State University
The American Astronautical Society’s Glenn Space Technology Symposium is a conference of top industry leaders, professionals, and students featuring timely conversations focusing on the technological developments that propel us into the future of space exploration. Enjoy and engage in discussions on a variety of topics including propulsion, power, technological innovation, workforce development, and more. Keynote speakers will expand on the current state and future of the aerospace industry, and valuable networking opportunities are built in throughout the event. Join your fellow astronautic and aeronautic colleagues and connect with the people advancing the industry.
Space Happy Hour
September 15, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Viking Public House
Join us for Space Industry Happy Hour during Ohio Space Week. Ohio Space Week is a joint event with Team NEO and the American Astronautical Society (AAS) for a networking event you won't want to miss. Your ticket includes heavy appetizers, two drink tickets, and networking. Join founders, academia, service providers, and more for an evening all about space.
Ohio Space Forum
September 17, 8 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
Hilton Cleveland Downtown
From research to orbit, Ohio accelerates what's next. Across our state, groundbreaking ideas move from the laboratory to real-world applications that advance space exploration and commercialization. With world-class research institutions, NASA assets, innovative companies, and a highly skilled workforce, Ohio is helping develop, test, and manufacture the technologies that will power the next generation of missions and discoveries.
What you’ll walk away with:
Insights from industry leaders and subject matter experts on the critical issues driving the future of space, including hard-tech startup growth, space health and human performance, lunar energy solutions, space policy, and workforce development for emerging nuclear space technologies.
NASA Discovery Days at Great Lakes Science Center
September 18-19, 2026
Blast off into the future of space exploration and become part of the Artemis Generation at NASA Discovery Days, an interactive, free event featuring the incredible teams from NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland!
Dive into humanity’s journey back to the Moon and beyond as you explore how Glenn’s experts in power, propulsion, communications, and materials are helping NASA build the foundation for astronauts to travel farther than ever before. Explore how Ohioans power missions like Artemis II — NASA’s first crewed trip around the Moon in more than 50 years — and pave the way for the first astronauts of this generation to walk on the lunar surface, establish a sustained presence, and eventually travel to Mars.
Featured Activities
• Moon Base VR drops the user onto the lunar surface, immersing them in the environment and allowing them to explore the infrastructure and technology NASA is developing for our return to the Moon.
• Experiential exhibits that bring the Artemis story to life — from details on the Orion spacecraft to the powerful SLS (Space Launch System) rocket
• Lunar Crater Challenge
• Selfie photo opportunities with Artemis III astronaut cutouts, and the new Axiom spacesuit, along with Eva, the astronaut mascot.
• The Orion Spaceflight Simulator is a hands-on activity that allows the public to use a flight-like Orion spacecraft display and control console to simulate flying and docking Orion in deep space.
• Hands-on simulations that let visitors soar through space using virtual and augmented reality
• Opportunities to meet real NASA engineers, scientists, and communicators who help make deep space missions possible
• Examples of how aeronautics and space innovations are improving everyday life on Earth
• Inspiring conversations about how you can help shape the next giant leap
Friday, Sept. 18
10:15 – 11 a.m. – School Presentation 1
11:15 a.m. – Noon – School Presentation 2
12:45 – 1:30 p.m. – School Presentation 3
Saturday, Sept. 19
1 – 1:45 p.m. – Public Presentation with Liliana Villarreal
2:30 – 3:15 p.m. – Astronaut Meet & Greet with Doug Wheelock
About the NASA Special Guests:
Charlie Blackwell Thompson – Artemis Launch Director - serves as NASA’s Artemis launch director, responsible for the overall planning and management of all Artemis Launch Countdown operations. As part of the Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) Program at NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida, she directed the countdown and liftoff for NASA’s Artemis I mission in November 2022 and most recently led the launch operations of Artemis II on April 1, 2026, the first crewed mission to the Moon in more than 50 years. Appointed to the position in January 2016, Blackwell-Thompson is NASA’s first female launch director.
Liliana Villarreal – Artemis Landing and Recovery Director - serves as the Artemis landing and recovery director in Exploration Ground Systems (EGS) at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. She is responsible for leading NASA’s efforts for nominal and contingency recovery of astronauts and Orion hardware for Artemis crew missions. Prior to her current position, she was operations flow manager in EGS, responsible for the overall management, planning, integration, and execution of all operational ground and flight hardware activities required to support Orion and Space Launch System human space flight missions. She moved into the position in March 2021.
Doug Wheelock – NASA Astronaut and U.S. Army Colonel, Ret. - selected by NASA in 1998, the retired Colonel has accumulated more than 178 days in space. Wheelock flew on STS-120 in 2007, and in 2010, he served as a Flight Engineer for Expedition 24 and ISS Commander for Expedition 25. During this mission, Wheelock conducted three unplanned spacewalks to replace a faulty ammonia pump module. Wheelock is currently serving as a NASA Astronaut and Co-Chair of the Joint Test Panel for NASA’s Human Landing System (HLS) Program. He is responsible for all human-in-the-loop (HITL) testing on HLS lunar landers – and responsible for building the Artemis crew training strategy to return astronauts to the moon and safely back to Earth.
NASA Discovery Days is designed to bring the excitement of space exploration straight to you. Come spark your curiosity, discover new possibilities, and see how NASA is building a future where today’s students become tomorrow’s lunar explorers.
Because the Artemis Generation isn’t just watching history happen — they’re making it.
Free Field Trip Opportunity
Are you an educator who'd like to bring your school to NASA Discovery Days on Friday, September 18? Advanced registration is required. Please complete the form here to begin the registration process.
Cleveland Space Race
Sunday, September 20
SOLD OUT
The NASA Glenn Exchange and Hermes Sports & Events are hosting the inaugural Cleveland Space Race, 9 a.m., Sunday, Sept. 20, at NASA Glenn Research Center’s Lewis Field campus. A grand finale to Ohio Space Week, the 5K Run/Walk is about celebrating curiosity and discovery with a little fun along the way. It’s an opportunity to showcase your incredible work and let the public see behind the scenes where it all happens. Register here!