Talk by Astronaut Highlights Exhibit

Astronaut Richard F. Gordon Jr. will speak and sign autographs at Westminster Mall today as part of Project Space, a traveling exhibit of space program items that will be on display through the holiday weekend.

Billed as the largest display of NASA items outside of the Smithsonian Museum in Washington, the exhibit features two dozen items as well as photographs of missions ranging from early Apollo missions to recent Space Shuttle flights.

The exhibit has been sanctioned by NASA, mall spokeswoman Stephanie D. Greene said.

“The appeal of this is that it’s actual stuff from the space programs,” Greene said. “We have three spacesuits that were worn by astronauts, and actual models built by NASA engineers.”

Project Space has been displayed in several countries, including Japan, Great Britain, Germany and Canada. “It’s been all over the world,” Greene said.

Gordon will be at the mall from noon to 3 p.m. today to sign free autographs and give away photos, Greene said.

Gordon was the command module pilot for the Apollo 12 mission, which went to the Moon, and has logged more than 315 hours in space during two missions.

Gordon, who joined the space program in 1963, was among the second group of astronauts chosen for Moon missions.

Westminster Mall is at the Golden West Street exit off the San Diego Freeway.

Information: (714) 898-2550.