Category Archives: News releases

HEMPHILL, TX – A titanium fuel tank designed and built for the Space Shuttle as a part of the Orbital Maneuvering System (OMS) will soon go on display at the Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum ‘Remembering Columbia’ in Hemphill, Texas. On loan from the Rich Overbeck History of Space Exploration Collection, the tank is reportedContinueContinue reading “Shuttle fuel tank on loan to ‘Remembering Columbia’ museum”

HEMPHILL, TX – DVD copies of the documentary ‘Of Good Courage’ are available for purchase at the Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum in Hemphill.A Glass Finch production of a Conway Brown film, the 60-minute documentary tells the true story of courage and sacrifice following the 2003 Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy.On February 1, 2003, Columbia disintegratedContinueContinue reading “‘Of Good Courage’ documentary available for purchase at Hemphill museum”

HEMPHILL, TX – As high school students from around East Texas embark on a simulated mission to the moon, a robotics competition is helping them explore interests in science and technology. The 2nd Annual Space Shuttle Columbia Memorial Robotics Competition, held on Friday, February 1 at the Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum ‘Remembering Columbia’ inContinueContinue reading “Student winners announced in annual Columbia Memorial Robotics Competition”

HEMPHILL, TX – The Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum will honor the legacy of the Space Shuttle Columbia with special events planned on the 16th anniversary of the tragedy that unfolded in the skies over East Texas. On Friday, Feb. 1, the public is invited to the museum in Hemphill, Texas to take part inContinueContinue reading “East Texas museum to mark 16th anniversary of Shuttle Columbia tragedy”

HOUSTON, TX – After a 30-year career with NASA, Dr. Ellen Ochoa is retiring as director of the Johnson Space Center in Houston at the end of May. On Thursday, May 17, members of the board of directors for the ‘Remembering Columbia’ Museum in Hemphill attended the retirement celebration for the administrator, engineer, and astronaut.ContinueContinue reading “Columbia Museum board members attend retirement for JSC director”

HEMPHILL, TX – The Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum ‘Remembering Columbia’ in Hemphill is pleased to debut a commemorative mission patch to be sold in its gift shop. The ‘Hail and Farewell’ patch is a creation of artist Tim Gagnon, who has has designed patches for spaceflight missions, including the Space Shuttle and International SpaceContinueContinue reading “NASA mission patch artist creates special design for ‘Remembering Columbia’ Museum”

HEMPHILL, TX – The Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum in Hemphill, Texas is excited to announce the upcoming debut of a Space Shuttle Simulator in our Digital Learning Classroom.Retired NASA engineer James Dean from Colorado is building and donating the simulator. Dean is avid space enthusiast who took flying lessons growing up. He later workedContinueContinue reading “Former NASA engineers constructing Shuttle flight simulator for ‘Remembering Columbia’ Museum”

HEMPHILL, TX – The Space Shuttle replica that was outside ‘Remembering Columbia’ Museum was taken down for repairs. It has been on display and the weather has weathered it to the point it needs repairing. We hope to have it back up soon.  We have had a busy January at the museum. We had aContinueContinue reading “Hemphill museum’s outdoor shuttle replica removed for repairs”

HEMPHILL, TX – On February 1, 2016, the Patricia Huffman Smith NASA “Remembering Columbia” Museum hosted the 5th Anniversary of the opening of the museum and the 13th Memorial program for Columbia and the Crew of STS-107, along with the two men who lost their lives during the recovery efforts of Columbia. We would likeContinueContinue reading “‘Remembering Columbia’ Museum commemorates 13th anniversary of Shuttle Columbia tragedy”

HEMPHILL, TX – The Patricia Huffman Smith NASA Museum is excited to host NASA speaker Todd Hellner on May 16, 2014.Hellner currently works as an Increment Manager in the Space Station Program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston and is responsible for leading an international team that develops the plans and requirements for theContinueContinue reading “‘Remembering Columbia’ Museum to host speaker from NASA”