"The Right Stuff" with Astronaut Mike Massimino

About Astronaut Michael Massimino

“You know how astronauts have the right stuff? The stuff you have is wrong,” astronaut Michael Massimino says to hapless engineer Howard Wolowitz on an episode of the CBS TV sitcom, The Big Bang Theory. Massimino, of course, was playing a fictionalized version of himself, but in real life, unlike Wolowitz, he does have the right stuff­—and he has two space shuttle missions under his belt to prove it.

Massimino applied to be a NASA astronaut multiple times before finally being selected as an astronaut candidate in 1996. He made it to space on STS-109 in 2002 and STS-125 in 2009. Both of his flights were missions that serviced the Hubble Space Telescope, during which he logged 30 hours outside the shuttle while tending to the telescope.

In this year's John H. Glenn Lecture in Space History, Massimino will discuss his spaceflight experience and how he continues to generate excitement about space exploration.

Event Schedule

• 7 pm: After-hours access to the Museum's exhibitions, including our five newest galleries (optional)


• 8 pm: Lecture featuring astronaut Michael Massimino


• 9 pm: Book signing with Massimino (books available for purchase)

What You Need to Know to Attend

This program will be presented in-person at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC, and will be streamed live on YouTube. Registration is required for in person attendance and encouraged for online viewing.

Concessions, including snacks and beverages, will be available for purchase before the lecture.

ASL interpretation will be provided in person and live captioning and ASL interpretation will be available on YouTube. The ASL interpretation will be available on a second stream that can be accessed from the Museum's YouTube channel. If you require another access service to fully participate or have any questions about accessibility, please contact [email protected]. To ensure the best experience, please try to contact us at your earliest convenience. 

Sponsored by Boeing.