Did you dream of becoming an astronaut as a kid? While it’s probably too late to sign up with NASA, a new U.S. Space and Rocket Center project CAN get you pretty close. But only if our community works together.

Bring a Shuttle Training Aircraft to Huntsville

The project: Bring a Gulfstream II Shuttle Training Aircraft (henceforth known as the STA) to Huntsville
The Challenge: Raise $70,000 to bring the STA to the U.S. Space and Rocket Center’s Rocket Park and install it as a museum exhibition and immersive classroom
The Event: STA2, a night at of craft beer, food, and live music at Straight to Ale on Thursday April 17, 2014 supporting the Space Center’s fundraising

5 Reasons to Attend STA2

So if the astronaut angle and craft beer hasn’t got you hooked, here are 5 reasons to attend Thursday’s STA2 event:

#1: Awesome Special Guest

Thursday’s very special guest will be Homer Hickham, former NASA Engineer and best selling author of Rocket Boys: A Memoir (the basis for the movie October Sky), and many other space themed books. Homer will be signing books as well as mixing and mingling throughout the night.

#2: Rocket Beer

Straight to Ale will be serving up a new limited release beer on tap, Rocketbock (a pale doppelbock), along with other Straight to Ale favorites. For every pint sold at Thursday’s event, $1 is going back to the STA fund.

#3: Food Trucks & Live Music

Huntsville food trucks Crave Heat and Earth and Stone BBQ (a new venture from the creators of Earth and Stone Wood Fire Pizza) will be serving up deliciousness. Local favorites Microwave Dave and Allen Little will be rocking out.

#4: Huntsville = Rockets

Currently, the STA is being housed in Birmingham, AL. Y’ALL: We are Alabama’s space city!

We can’t let Birmingham have one of only FOUR shuttle training aircrafts ever built! That belongs here in Rocket Park with all the other cool rockets. And you know it!

So go donate online now and/or come out Thursday night and let’s bring this shuttle home!

#5: Bring History to Huntsville

The STA was essential in training astronauts to land the Space Shuttle Orbiter. If the Space Center reaches its fundraising goals, then you could pop over there anytime and follow in the footsteps of the astronauts, even pretend you are one (I won’t tell).

Future displays focusing on the STA include:

History
Operation
Engineering
Technology

But again, none of these will happen unless the US Space and Rocket Center reaches its fundraising goal of $70,000. Every donation, post share and RT gets us one step further to opening up this aircraft to museum guests and camp trainees.

Most Important: Larkin Wants Her Swag

That’s right folks. If all those fabulous and worthy reasons above don’t do it for you, then do it for me. Because I seriously need this bumper sticker on my car. Though I have a feeling I’ll be fighting my fiancé for it. (and you can have one too if you donate!!)