Celebrity Astronauts Launch Auction for Charity

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Oct. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- As NASA prepares to launch one of the last two scheduled Space Shuttle flights ever, more than 80 veteran astronauts have personally come together to launch a mission of their own: an auction to raise money for college scholarships! The auction, which features items which actually flew in outer space or better yet -- to the Moon -- opens tomorrow at www.astronautscholarship.org/auction.

Now in its 8th year, the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation's (ASF) Annual Auction includes 65 stellar lots, each with personal connections to the astronauts involved with the Foundation. Among the pieces of memorabilia are a flown astronaut spacewalking tether, a segment of netting which bathed in moon dust during Apollo 16, astronaut autographed prints and much more!

In addition, the auction offers a rare opportunity for the general public to vacation with Hall of Fame astronauts like the second man to walk on the Moon, Buzz Aldrin, in the Cayman Islands or the chance to savor fine wine in Napa Valley with one of only two living Mercury astronauts, Scott Carpenter. With a total of twelve experiences up for grabs, there's sure to be something for everyone.

"American spaceflight may be changing course right now, but our mission remains the same," says Apollo 15 astronaut Al Worden who donated an American flag which flew to the Moon. "Auctions like these raise the funds that allow the next generation to continue to explore new sciences and technologies through the scholarships the ASF provides."

Bidding for the auction opens tomorrow and concludes November 6, 2010 at 10 p.m. EDT online and at ASF's Tropical Evening with the Astronauts Dinner in Cape Canaveral, Florida where the items will be on display. Auction participants must secure a virtual paddle number at www.astronautscholarship.org/auction before bidding. Winning bids, over fair market value, should be considered a charitable donation.

Auction proceeds go directly to support the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to aid the United States in retaining its world leadership in science and technology by providing scholarships for college students who exhibit motivation, imagination and exceptional performance in these fields. The Foundation awards twenty $10,000 scholarships annually and has disbursed more than $3 million to students nationwide. For more information, call 321-455-7014 or visit www.AstronautScholarship.org.

SOURCE Astronaut Scholarship Foundation