Cartwright to host NASA Administrator, Astronaut at Pittston Area

Sep. 1—YATESVILLE — U.S. Rep. Matt Cartwright will welcome NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Astronaut Bob Hines to NEPA on Tuesday, Sept. 5.

Highlights include a visit to Pittston Area High School, an in-studio, live-streamed middle school program, and a small business roundtable.

Hines graduated from Crestwood High School in 1993 and he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from Boston University, 1997; a Master of Science degree in Flight Test Engineering, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, 2008; a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Alabama, 2010.

Hines was selected by NASA to join the 2017 Astronaut Candidate Class.

Hines completed his first spaceflight as the pilot on NASA's SpaceX Crew-4 mission, having logged a total of 170 days in space over his two increments, Expedition 67 and 68.

Following his spaceflight, Hines became the lead for the Commercial Crew Program's Joint Test Team and the Assistant to the Chief for Commercial Crew. In these roles, Hines is the Technical Authority leading astronaut development and testing of Boeing CST-100 Starliner, the SpaceX Crew Dragon, and any future human-rated spacecraft under NASA's Commercial Crew Program.

This includes integration, design and testing with the International Space Station and testing in support of NASA's Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program (CLDP). He also continues to support the Artemis program in various capacities such as conducting Manual Piloting tests on Orion and Lunar Payload Development.

Spaceflight experience:

Hines completed his first spaceflight as a mission specialist on NASA's SpaceX Crew-4 mission (April 27 — Oct. 14, 2022), serving as flight engineer of Expedition 67 and 68 aboard the International Space Station. Hines logged a total of 170 days in space during the mission. He and his crewmates conducted hundreds of hours of science investigations and saw the arrival of five visiting vehicles to the space station, both crew and cargo. This was the fourth commercial crew rotation mission and the first flight of the Crew Dragon "Freedom" spacecraft.

Schedule of events

—8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. — Pittston Area High School for a student assembly (1,100 students) in the school auditorium.

Presentation delivered by Astronaut Hines, a graduate of Crestwood High School and a pilot on NASA's SpaceX Crew-4 mission to the International Space Station, which concluded Oct. 14, 2022.

—10 a.m. — WVIA Studios in-studio and streaming educational program.

Attending will be 100 area middle school students from Weatherly, Crestwood, Pittston Area, Mid Valley and Dunmore school districts, who will be part of a live studio audience for a NASA presentation and Q+A that will be live-streamed to school districts throughout the region.

Program will include Astronaut Hines sharing his adventures in space and why kids should consider careers with NASA.

—12:30 p.m. — WVIA Studios for a Space Business Roundtable Luncheon.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, Astronaut Bob Hines and NASA Small Business Program Executive Director Jason Kressler will discuss the growth and development of aerospace-related business opportunities right here in Northeast Pennsylvania with 12 area small business owners.

Reach Bill O'Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.