NASA to telecast 50th anniversary event

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency said it will televise live its "50th Anniversary Gala Event" at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said NASA Television will telecast the Wednesday event at 8 p.m. EDT and the telecast will also be streamed on NASA's Web site -- www.nasa.gov.

The invitation-only celebration, organized by the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, is being held at the museum's Steven Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Va.

"The program honors NASA's 50th Anniversary and celebrates the power of innovation and discovery, and recognizes the agency's challenges and achievements over the past five decades," the space agency said. Award-winning journalist and WJLA-TV news anchor Leon Harris will serve as master of ceremonies. Scheduled to participate are former U.S. Sen. John Glenn, R-Ohio, a former Mercury and space shuttle astronaut; Neil Armstrong, former Gemini and Apollo astronaut, and NASA Administrator Michael Griffin.

The televised program will end with a special performance of "Fly Me to the Moon," directed by Quincy Jones and the Space Philharmonic and performed by Frank Sinatra Jr.