Detroit — Wayne State University's Department of Physics and Astronomy will host the 2012 Vaden W. Miles Memorial Lecture on March 29, 2012, at 3:30 p.m. in the General Lectures Building, room 100, located at 5045 Anthony Wayne Drive. Guest speaker Colonel Terry Virts, NASA astronaut, will present "Space Shuttle Mission STS-130 and Scientific Exploration on the International Space Station."

Virts will present a compelling lecture about his role as STS-130 pilot and lead robotic operator of Space Shuttle Endeavour in 2010.

Space Shuttle Mission STS-130 was the final assembly mission of the International Space Station (ISS) program. Tranquility and Cupola — two important modules — were carried aloft and assembled on the ISS, providing a primary living complex and spectacular panoramic views of planet Earth.

As riveting as science fiction, Virts describes the mission in terms of complex spacewalks and robotics. He discusses scientific research opportunities on board the ISS, namely the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer-2, a particle physics instrument, and the basic fields of research being conducted: human health and technology testing for future exploration, life and physical sciences, and Earth and space science.

The Vaden W. Miles Memorial Lecture is free and open to the public, however registration is required. To register, please visit http://events.wayne.edu/2012/03/29/vaden-w-miles-memorial-lecture-nasa-astronaut-colonel-terry-virts-space-shu-38609/.

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Wayne State University is one of the nation's pre-eminent public research universities in an urban setting. Through its multidisciplinary approach to research and education, and its ongoing collaboration with government, industry and other institutions, the university seeks to enhance economic growth and improve the quality of life in the city of Detroit, state of Michigan and throughout the world. For more information about research at Wayne State University, visit http://www.research.wayne.edu.