'Successful Aging Expo' to Feature Astronaut

U.S. astronaut Bernard Harris, MD., will be the keynote speaker at Alexandria's third annual Successful Aging Expo, Saturday, Oct. 14, sponsored by the city of Alexandria, the Commission on Aging, Women and Recreation and Parks, and the Community Services Board of the city.

Dr. Harris, the medical director of Senator John Glenn's return to space in 1998, has spend 450 hours in space, traveling 7.2 million miles on two space missions.

What drew this 45-year-old middle class African American Texan to space?

"Like most astronauts," he explains, "as a child I had a great curiosity to know what is out there. I'm drawn to the unknown, the ultimate expansion of space. I always wanted to be an astronaut and my family encouraged my dreams. I knew I couldn't take a degree in astronautics, so I looked around and spent time with my family doctor and decided to go to medical school. I liked helping people and thought a medical degree would help me get into the space program."

Dr. Harris was right. After completing his residency in internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic in 1985, he was selected by NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) to become an astronaut. In 1993, he flew on the space shuttle Columbia for 10 days as medical director. In 1995, he returned to space on a joint U.S.- Russian mission to rendezvous with the Russian space station Mir. Dr. Harris was in charge of the scientific experiments conducted during the nine-day mission, orbiting the earth 129 times.

His current goal is to help establish a lunar colony on the moon. He believes he will live to participate in a lunar work station to be run by a team of international scientists. Dr. Harris fully intends to be one of these moon scientists.

Dr. Harris will open Alexandria's Successful Aging Program Oct. 14 at 9 a.m. at the Virginia Technological Seminary (3737 Seminary Road, Alexandria). State Senator Patsy Ticer will preside and introduce Dr. Harris. The all-day expo includes workshops and a trade fair. Further information on registration and program is available by calling (703) 838-0927.