Astronaut Edgar Dean Mitchell, the sixth man to walk on the moon, will speak at the 18th annual Alaska Bald Eagle Festival in Haines.
Mitchell is keynote speaker at the festival’s Saturday, Nov. 17 banquet. The foundation is compiling video and photographs of Mitchell’s moonwalk to play during his presentation. A question and answer session will he held.
As lunar module pilot on the Apollo 14 mission in January 1971, Mitchell spent nine hours on the moon, working in the Fra Mauro Highlands region, according to Internet sources.
“During 33 hours on the surface, (mission commander Alan) Shepard and Mitchell made two outside excursions during which they set up a nuclear-powered science station, collected 42 kilograms of moon rocks, and obtained core samples of the lunar regolith,” according to the website Astronautix.com.
Mitchell’s interest in consciousness and the paranormal led him to establish the Institute of Noetic Sciences.
“What an opportunity in little Haines,” said foundation director Cheryl McRoberts. “People are already booking tickets because he’s going to be here.” McRoberts said she recently took reservations from a group of seniors traveling down from Fairbanks to catch the moonwalker’s speech.
McRoberts anticipates the banquet, which can seat 150 guests, will sell out well in advance of the festival. Tickets can be booked at www. baldeaglefestival.org.
Mitchell is a former test pilot and retired Navy captain. Twelve Apollo astronauts walked on the moon.