NASA to take part in inaugural parade

WASHINGTON, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- The National Aeronautics and Space Administration says it has been invited to march in President-elect Barack Obama's inaugural parade Jan. 20.

"The crew of NASA's recent STS-126 space shuttle mission and other agency officials will join representatives from across the country and our armed forces in this historic parade down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington following swearing-in ceremonies on the steps of the Capitol," space agency officials said.

In addition, NASA said its contingent in the 56th Inaugural Parade will include a small pressurized rover. That vehicle is a concept for a new generation of lunar rovers that astronauts will take with them when they return to the moon by 2020.