HEMPHILL, TX – The 7th annual Galactic Gala will return to the Hemphill VFW on Saturday, September 26, 2026. Organized by Friends of the PHS NASA Museum, the black-tie social event will celebrate the museum’s impact in the community and efforts to inspire young people to pursue careers in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, the Arts and Math) fields.
This year’s gala will again feature an evening of cocktails, a catered meal, and an exciting program. Live entertainment, a silent auction, and a special guest will highlight the space-themed formal event, which serves as the museum’s largest annual fundraiser. An after-party featuring live music and dancing will follow.
The Hemphill VFW, located at 3049 State Highway 184, will host the gala.
Doors will open at 5 p.m. for a cocktail hour, followed by the meal at 6 p.m.
The highlight of each year’s gala is a keynote. This year’s guest of honor is retired 41-year NASA employee and author Dr. Estella Hernández Gillette.
Estella Hernández Gillette, Ed.D., has had a continuous relationship with NASA with her 40-year career at NASA, then post-retirement, because of her involvement in the NASA Alumni League-Johnson Space Center (NAL-JSC). Pre-retirement, for 10 years, she was adjunct faculty at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Houston Branch. Post-retirement, for 6 years, she was adjunct faculty in the University of Houston (main campus), Human Resource Development degree program, and a Consultant in Human Resources, including with Logical Innovations, Inc.
Gillette began her work at NASA in 1964 as a clerk-stenographer, no degree, and retired in 2006 as a member of the JSC senior staff and as a 10-year member of the Astronaut Selection Board, and completed coursework for a Doctorate in Education. She navigated her way through NASA JSC by learning the organization well, including opportunities for development that resulted in a career that would allow her to participate and witness the evolving workforce at JSC. She believes everyone has potential, given the opportunity to learn and to practice new experiences that contribute to individual development for greater contributions to the organization’s mission.
Gillette has received several NASA and JSC awards that reflect the different phases of her career, including: renaming of the JSC STAR Secretarial Excellence Award to the Estella Hernández Gillette STAR Award; Silver Snoopy Award; NASA Exceptional Service Medal; the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal; the JSC Federal Women’s Program Award. Non-NASA awards include 100 Most Important Hispanics in Technology and Business Award; United Cerebral Palsy of Texas 1997 Tribute Award—Innovative Trend Setter; the Federal Business Administration Supervisor of the Year Award; and, the National Secretaries Association Secretary of the Year, NASA-Clear Lake Chapter. Post-NASA, for her contributions to professional activities, she has received awards, including: the NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal (2025); Great Minds in STEM (Hispanic Engineering National Achievement Award Conference), Luminary Award; Distinguished Alumni Award, Northside High School (formerly Jefferson Davis High School); and Distinguished Alumni Award, UHCL.
She is one of several women featured in the book Mexicanas En El Espacio, by Javier Montiel, et.al., about Latina women who have made contributions to the U.S. space program. She is also one of several NASA women “pioneers” featured in the book Making Space for Women, by Dr. Jennifer Ross-Nazzal. Dr. Gillette’s dissertation (A Case Study of Socialization Experiences in an Organization Characterized as a High Reliability Organization: NASA’s Extravehicular Activity (EVA) Team, the Spacewalkers in the Astronaut Corps) was an outcome of the experiences she had at NASA when she joined in 1964, when she figured out how to navigate her way in an environment that appeared very different to her upbringing.
Gillette has been married to Peter Gillette, a retired NASA rocket scientist, for 59 years. They met at NASA. The Gillettes have two sons, one in private industry in civil engineering, the other at NASA as a civil servant. Having no grandchildren around, they focus on their 6 cats–3 inside males and 2 feral females.
Seating for the popular event is limited, so table reservations are encouraged by Sep. 1. Tickets, which are $50 per person, $75 per couple, or $275 for a table of 8, may be purchased by contacting the museum at (409) 787-4827 or Rebecca Felts at (936) 201-7298. Tables are available for $275 and include 8 guests.
Sponsorships and donations of silent auction items are available to businesses and organizations wishing to support this cause. Please contact the museum by emailing gala@nasacolumbiamuseum.com .
All proceeds from the event will directly support the educational facility’s efforts to create science and technology-inspiring learning opportunities for children and adults in East Texas and western Louisiana.
The Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum ‘Remembering Columbia’ serves as a memorial to the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy and as an educational facility dedicated to creating science and technology-inspiring learning opportunities for children and adults. Learn more at http://www.NASAColumbiaMuseum.com.
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2026 Galactic Gala
Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum 'Remembering Columbia' 