New Mexico Museum of Space History

From Space to White Sands: U.S. Army Astronaut to Speak at NM Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture on May 1st
2026-05-01 09:00 - 10:00 UTC | New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
ALAMOGORDO, NM – The New Mexico Museum of Space History’s next Launch Pad Lecture will feature distinguished astronaut Col. Andrew R. Morgan, M.D. (U.S. Army), the Senior Commander of White Sands Missile Range. The event is scheduled for Friday, May 1, 2026. Morgan will present “A Soldier’s Journey to Space,” offering insights into his leadership career that spans military medicine, special operations, and human spaceflight.
A 1998 graduate of West Point and a 2002 graduate of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Morgan served aboard the International Space Station from July 2019 to April 2020 on Expeditions 60, 61, and 62. During this mission, he performed seven spacewalks, a record for a single spaceflight. Before his selection as a NASA astronaut in 2013, he served as an emergency physician with U.S. Army Special Operations units, deploying to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Africa. His career also includes serving as the Army Senior Astronaut and Detachment Commander at the Johnson Space Center and commanding the U.S. Army Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands. Since June 2025, he has served as the Senior Commander of White Sands Missile Range.
The Colonel’s military decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, and the Bronze Star Medal. His NASA honors include the Distinguished Service Medal and the Space Exploration Medal. Morgan and his wife, Stacey, have been married for 25 years and have four children.
“We are honored to host Col. Morgan for May’s Launch Pad Lecture as an exciting start to Astronaut Week,” said Karen Kinkaid Brady, Executive Director of the New Mexico Museum of Space History. “His knowledge and commitment to the space program are unsurpassed.”
The lecture will take place on Friday, May 1, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. in the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium, located at 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM. Admission is free. Guests will enjoy complimentary coffee and donuts, courtesy of the International Space Hall of Fame Foundation.
The Launch Pad Lecture series, held on the first Friday of each month, highlights notable figures and topics from space science, exploration, and history. The International Space Hall of Fame Foundation’s support makes this program possible.

New Mexico Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Monthly Meeting
2026-05-14 19:00 - 20:30 | Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
New Mexico Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Monthly Meeting
Location: Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center
Date: Thursday, May 14, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM
New Mexico Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League Monthly Meetings Welcome Stargazers of All Levels
(ALAMOGORDO, NM) – The New Mexico Museum of Space History’s Astronomy League invites everyone with an interest in the night sky to its monthly meeting, held the second Thursday of each month from 7:00 to 8:30 PM in the front classroom of the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium.
These sessions bring together amateur and experienced astronomers for engaging discussions, presentations about current celestial events, hands-on observing tips, and opportunities for learning and networking. Anyone interested in astronomy is welcome to attend — no experience necessary.
Attendees are also invited to consider joining the Astronomy League. Membership offers a chance to take part in special observing programs, meet fellow astronomy enthusiasts regionally and nationally, and gain access to resources that deepen the stargazing experience.
All Astronomy League meetings are free and open to the public. For details about upcoming meetings and other astronomy events, visit www.nmspacemuseum.org or follow the Museum on Facebook for updates.

New Mexico Museum of Space History's Science Saturday
2026-05-30 11:00 - 14:00 | Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
Event: Science Saturday
Location: New Mexico Museum of Space History, 3198 State Road 2001, Alamogordo, NM
Date: Saturday, May 30, 2026
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
The New Mexico Museum of Space History invites families to drop in and explore the science of space together at Science Saturday, a monthly program held on the last Saturday of each month from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Clyde W. Tombaugh Education Center.
Each month’s Science Saturday features a new theme with interactive, family-friendly activities that bring rockets, astronauts, planets, and space technology to life. Visitors can expect engaging stations that encourage kids to tinker, test, and ask questions, while learning how space science connects to everyday life. Many of the activities highlight New Mexico’s unique role in space history, including selected stories that showcase the state’s contributions to rocketry, astronomy, and space exploration.
“Science Saturday gives families a fun way to experience STEM together,” said Karen Kincaid Brady, Executive Director at the New Mexico Museum of Space History. “Kids are not only seeing rockets and spacecraft in our exhibits. They are building, experimenting, and discovering how science and engineering shape the world around them.”
Science Saturday activities are included with Museum admission, and all ages are welcome; children must be accompanied by an adult. These activities are free for International Space Hall of Fame Museum members. Guests are encouraged to drop in anytime between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., explore as many activity stations as they like, and pair their visit with a trip through the museum’s exhibits and planetarium shows.
To stay up to date on monthly themes, event reminders, and additional programs, follow the Museum on Facebook and Instagram: @NMSpaceMuseum. Visitors can also explore upcoming events and plan their visit at NMSpaceMuseum.org.

NM Museum of Space History's Launch Pad Lecture: “Chix in Space”
2026-06-05 09:00 - 10:00 | New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
(Alamogordo, NM) — New Mexico Museum of Space History’s Launch Pad Lecture Series features “Chix in Space” on Friday, June 5, 2026, from 9:00 – 10:00 a.m. in the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium. The free program, open to everyone, will be presented by Dr. Rebecca Anklam.
“Chix in Space” highlights the work of a Purdue University graduate whose experiment to hatch chicks in space grew into the commercial space venture Redware and helped advance today’s space payload industry, including work supporting companies like Virgin Galactic.
The Launch Pad Lecture Series is held on the first Friday of each month in the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium at the New Mexico Museum of Space History. Museum staff and special guest speakers explore topics ranging from space history to the future of space exploration in an informal setting that encourages questions and discussion.
The New Mexico Museum of Space History is located at 3198 State Road 2001, Alamogordo, New Mexico 88310. For more information about this lecture or other museum programs, visit NMSpaceMuseum.org or call (575) 437‑2840.

NM Museum of Space History's Launch Pad Lecture: “Wings of Courage: The Untold Story of WASP and the Superfortress in New Mexico”
2026-07-03 09:00 - 10:00 | New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM, 88310, United States
New Mexico Museum of Space History Launch Pad Lecture
Lecture Topic: “Wings of Courage: The Untold Story of WASP and the Superfortress in New Mexico”
Guest Speaker: Jacquelyne Nichols, NM Chapter of Women in Aviation
Location: New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium
Date: Friday, July 3, 2026
Time: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
(Alamogordo, NM) – The New Mexico Museum of Space History invites the public to a powerful Launch Pad Lecture, “Wings of Courage: The Untold Story of WASP and the Superfortress in New Mexico,” on Friday, July 3, 2026, from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM in the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium.
Guest speaker Jacquelyne Nichols, a veteran U.S. Marine Corps aviator and American Airlines A320 First Officer, will spotlight the extraordinary bravery of the World War II Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). Nichols will share how these pioneering women flew everything from primary trainers to heavy bombers and helped change the course of aviation history.
The lecture will feature the gripping story of Dora Dougherty and Dorothea Moorman, two WASP pilots who tamed the troubled B-29 Superfortress at Alamogordo Army Air Field. By confidently demonstrating the aircraft’s safety, they helped restore trust in the bomber, silenced skeptics, and contributed to a pivotal shift in the war effort.
Nichols brings a wealth of real-world aviation and leadership experience to the presentation. She served 11 years on active duty in the U.S. Marine Corps, flying helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft, completing a combat deployment in Afghanistan where she earned a Strike Flight Air Medal, and serving in Japan and Qatar before transitioning to the Marine Corps Reserves as an instructor pilot and Marine Liaison Officer. She continues to serve in the Reserves while attending Command and Staff College.
Now an American Airlines A320 First Officer with a master’s degree in Public Leadership, Nichols lives near her husband’s family ranch in La Luz, New Mexico, where she looks after a herd of horses, goats, and mini donkeys. She previously served as president of the New Mexico Chapter of Women in Aviation International and now acts as the Otero County Coordinator for the chapter. Nichols also serves on the Board of Directors for the International Space Hall of Fame Foundation and is a member of 100 Women Who Care Alamogordo, reflecting her strong commitment to community and aviation outreach.
The Museum of Space History’s Launch Pad Lecture Series is held on the first Friday of each month in the New Horizons Dome Theater and Planetarium at the New Mexico Museum of Space History, 3198 State Route 2001, Alamogordo, NM. The program is free to attend, and museum staff, along with special guest speakers, present topics spanning from space history to the future of space exploration. These Launch Pad Lectures are brought to you with the support of the International Space Hall of Fame.
