Join us at Lowell Observatory, Meteor Crater, and SpaceFort Flagstaff for a two-day Asteroid Day celebration! This event will feature Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart, who is joined by fellow NASA astronauts Steve Smith, Nicole Stott, Anousheh Ansari, and Dr. Ed Lu, Lowell astronomer and asteroid expert Dr. Nick Moskovitz, and renowned science communicator Scott Manley.

 

Asteroid Day is an international event commemorating the 1908 Tunguska event, the largest recorded asteroid impact in modern history. Each year, scientists, astronauts, and space communicators gather at locations around the world to share discoveries and inspire curiosity about planetary defense and our solar system.

 

This year’s Northern Arizona Asteroid Day program will feature astronaut presentations and photo opportunities, guided crater experiences, special talks and family friendly activities. Guest speakers are made possible through the generous support of B612 Foundation. 

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Friday, June 26​​​

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SpaceFort Flagstaff Events at Flagstaff Elk's Lodge

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Community Experience Areas

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11:00am - 3:00pm | Featured Space Expert Experiences

NASA astronauts Steve Smith, Nicole Stott, Ed Lu, and renowned science communicator Scott Manley will take part in interactive activities and experiences throughout the day, giving the community a chance to learn, create, and explore alongside real space pioneers.

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11:00am - 1:30pm | Partner Booths & STEM Experiences

STEM organizations, research institutions, museums, universities, and community partners will engage attendees through engineering challenges, demonstrations, and hands-on science experiences designed to spark curiosity and exploration for learners of all ages.

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11:00am - 2:30pm | Science Store 

​The SpaceFort Science Store will feature fun space goodies, science toys, meteorites, apparel, and STEM surprises — all supporting hands-on STEM education in Flagstaff and beyond.

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11:00am - 2:00pm | Food Trucks

Guests can enjoy a variety of delicious local food truck favorites throughout the event.

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11:00am - 2:00pm | STEM Raffle Ticket Sales

We will be raffling off incredible STEM experiences including Meteor Crater Rim Tours, Date Night Under the Stars in the Planetarium, Odyssey Camp experiences for youth, STEM Outreach Programs for schools, and many other exciting prizes — all while helping inspire the next generation of explorers through STEM education.

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Featured Program Agenda

 

11:15am - 1:00pm | Kerbal Space Program Asteroid Challenge with Scott Manley

Join “Infamous YouTube Rocket Scientist” Scott Manley for a live Kerbal Space Program asteroid challenge! Learn how to design and launch spacecraft, attempt to fly missions to an asteroid, and explore the challenges of spaceflight through interactive gameplay.

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11:15am – 1:00pm | Spacesuit Art Workshop with Nicole Stott

Astronaut and artist Nicole Stott invites kids and families to a fun, hands-on space art experience! Design and decorate your own take-home astronaut spacesuit artwork, then help paint pieces for a giant community-built Asteroid Day spacesuit celebrating Flagstaff, creativity, exploration, and our shared future in space.

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1:30pm – 2:00pm | Youth Impact Meet-Up with Nicole Stott and Steve Smith

Invited students will have the opportunity to talk with Nicole Stott and Steve Smith in a relaxed, informal setting about STEM, aerospace, leadership, engineering, creative careers, curiosity, and pathways into science and exploration.

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1:30pm - 2:00pm | Rocket Garden Conversations and Dr. Ed Lu and Scott Manley

Step into a miniature space exploration showcase featuring detailed spacecraft and rocket models, mission artifacts, and spaceflight displays as Scott Manley and astronaut Ed Lu bring the collection to life through informal storytelling and conversation.

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2:00pm - 2:15pm | STEM Raffle Draw 

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2:15pm - 3:00pm | Astro Panel: Ask Us Anything

Ever wanted to ask an astronaut anything? Now's your chance. Drop your questions in the box throughout the day — what's it really like to walk in space? Could we stop an asteroid if we had to? Then gather for a live closing panel where educator Scott Manley and NASA astronauts Nicole Stott, Steve Smith, and Dr. Ed Lu work through them together, unscripted and full of surprises.

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Events at Lowell Observatory

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4:00pm - 5:00pm | Charting the High Frontier of Space with Dr. Ed Lu

Dr. Ed Lu, a three-time NASA astronaut from the Asteroid Institute, will present the case for a four-dimensional solar system map in a talk titled “Charting the High Frontier of Space.” The map he and his Asteroid Institute team are building is the key to protecting Earth from asteroid impacts and will also help spur future scientific exploration and resource utilization.

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Saturday June 27

 

Events at Meteor Crater 

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8:00am | Doors Open at Meteor Crater

Visitors are welcome to explore the Discovery Center exhibits, observation decks, and enjoy the beginning of Asteroid Day programming.

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9:00am | VIP Floor Tour Experience

Guests descend into the bottom of Meteor Crater on this rare guided hiking experience, exploring the crater floor while learning about the site’s geology, mining history, astronaut training legacy, and scientific significance.

Register for the Floor Tour HERE

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10:00am | Full Rim Tour Experience

Guests hike around the rim of Meteor Crater with an expert guide, exploring scenic viewpoints while learning about the science, history, and ongoing research connected to this world-famous impact site.

Register for the Full Rim Tour HERE

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10:00am | Stories from Space with Dr. Ed Lu and Steve Smith

NASA astronauts Ed Lu and Steve Smith take the stage for a fun and interactive conversation about life in space, spacewalks, rocket launches, and what it’s really like to see Earth from orbit. Featuring personal photos from their missions and plenty of audience questions, this special session offers kids and adults alike a chance to hear firsthand stories from two astronauts who have actually lived and worked in space.

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11:00am | Schweickart Prize Discussion

What would it take to save Earth from an asteroid? Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart joins the 2026 Schweickart Prize winner to discuss the winning proposal and the future of planetary defense — one of the most consequential challenges of our time.

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12:00pm | Asteroids, Discovery, and the Future of Planetary Defense with Scott Manley

Science communicator and YouTuber Scott Manley brings his signature wit and astrophysics expertise to a tour of the latest breakthroughs in asteroid discovery: equal parts fascinating, informative, and unexpectedly funny.

 

12:00pm | Astronaut Photo Op

Photo opportunity with astronauts Rusty Schweickart and Steve Smith. 

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Events at Lowell Observatory

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2:30pm - 3:30pm | Earth from Space with Nicole Stott

Astronaut Nicole Stott is an engineer and artist who flew twice on both the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. On her post-NASA mission, she is a technical and creative consultant, motivational speaker, and advocate for all we do in space that is ultimately for the benefit of all life on Earth. Nicole is also extremely proud of her role as a founding director of the Space for Art Foundation — uniting a planetary community of children through the awe and wonder of space exploration and the healing power of art.

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3:30pm - 4:00pm | Back to Earth Book Signing with Nicole Stott

In Back to Earth, Stott imparts essential lessons in problem-solving, survival, and crisis response that each of us can practice to make change. She knows we can overcome differences to address global issues, because she saw this every day on the International Space Station. Stott shares stories from her spaceflight and insights from scientists, activists, and changemakers working to solve our greatest environmental challenges.  Books will be for sale at the Lowell Observatory Gift Shop.​

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3:30pm - 4:30pm | An Astronaut’s Journey: Childhood Dreams to Riding Rockets with Steve Smith

Steve Smith dreamed of being an astronaut at age 7.  Then he made his dream come true through sheer determination and intelligent risk taking.  He is one of America’s most experienced astronauts with 4 space flights and 7 spacewalks to repair the Hubble Space Telescope and build the Space Station. During the 3-decade pursuit of his dream he became a Stanford electrical engineer and MBA, General Motors Fellow, pilot, elite collegiate athlete, and IBM Product Manager.  At NASA Steve held multiple senior leadership positions and served as a Diplomat.  He now uses this one-of-a-kind experience base as a board director, venture capital advisor, and keynote speaker.

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4:30pm - 5:30pm | Asteroids, Discovery, and the Future of Planetary Defense with Scott Manley

Some asteroids are named after rock legends — but there’s nothing rock ’n’ roll about getting hit by one. Science communicator and YouTuber Scott Manley brings his signature wit and astrophysics expertise to a tour of the latest breakthroughs in asteroid discovery: equal parts fascinating, informative, and unexpectedly funny.

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4:30pm - 5:30pm | Astronaut Photo Op

Join us for your chance to get a photo with our esteemed astronaut guests, Rusty Schweickart, Nicole Stott, Steve Smith, and Anousheh Ansari.

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6:00pm - 7:00pm | Schweickart Prize Award Ceremony 

Join us for a special celebration as Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart returns to Lowell Observatory for the second year to personally present the annual Schweickart Prize. Following the presentation, Rusty will sit down with the winning student to discuss their proposal, joined by all of our visiting astronauts. This year's winner will receive an authentic meteorite and a $10,000 award in recognition of their outstanding work. This exciting event marks the grand finale of Lowell Observatory's Asteroid Day programming.

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