Columbus State University's Coca-Cola Space Science Center will be hosting legendary Apollo 13 astronaut, Fred Haise, as part of its commemorative events for the 50th anniversary of the Apollo Moon landing. In conjunction with CSU's Hunter Lecture series, Haise will speak to the public at University Hall on the CSU campus Friday night, June 21 at 7 p.m. Haise's talk, entitled Failure Is Not an Option, will recount his ill-fated 1970 journey to the Moon, immortalized in the 1995 Academy Award winning motion picture, Apollo 13.

The Coca-Cola Space Science Center also will host other events as part of this Apollo commemoration. On June 14 & 15, the Center will be hosting their Galactic Fan Expo, a celebration of the impact of science on science fiction. Guests will include author Kevin J. Anderson who has written books in both the Star Wars and Dune series. On Friday night, attendees to the Premium Insiders Event will have a chance to fly a virtual space mission to Mars, an activity at the Center rarely open to the public. On Saturday, June 15, Anderson will give a presentation on his work, in part describing how the legacy of the Apollo program impacted the world of science fiction writing. Other Expo activities will include a special effects artist, Star Wars and superhero costumed characters, quick-draw contests, Jedi training, food trucks, door prizes and more.

In addition, following the presentation by Fred Haise on June 21, the Space Science Center will extend their Apollo Legacy celebration to a day of activities on Saturday, June 22 at the Center.  Guests can see real moon rocks and learn about lunar exploration, investigate fun science concepts with interactive science demonstrations, then build and launch air rockets with commemorative Saturn V designs. They also can enjoy shows in the Omnisphere Theater, NASA artifact tours, observatory tours, the Space Shuttle Odyssey and more.

Tickets for events may be purchased online, and cost will increase the day of events. For more information, please visit www.ccssc.org/apollo50.