posted 11-10-2015 11:41 AM               

Lone Star Flight Museum to land at airport where NASA astronaut jets take off

For 24 years, former astronaut Bonnie Dunbar came to Ellington Field to fly. On Monday (Nov. 9), she returned to the southeast Houston airport, the home to NASA's aircraft operations, to dig — in honor of the history, and future, of flight.

Dunbar, who launched aboard five space shuttle missions between 1985 and 1998, was among the dignitaries who took up a shovel of dirt to symbolically break ground on the new site of the Lone Star Flight Museum. After 30 years being based in Galveston, the aviation museum is moving to Ellington to a new 130,000-square-foot (12,100-square-meter) facility.

"I think having a museum on a flying field so that young people, old people [and] visitors can actually see airplanes flying is very special," said Dunbar, who co-chairs the Lone Star Flight Museum's education committee. "But to have your own history here —and I was with NASA for 28 years and most of that time flying in T-38 [training jets] off this field and on the KC-135 parabolic aircraft — it is extremely exciting and I think it will be an inspiration to the visitors as well."

posted 08-30-2017 10:49 AM               

Lone Star Flight Museum Postpones Grand Opening

The Lone Star Flight Museum at Ellington Field will postpone both its ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, September 1 and grand opening celebration on Saturday, September 2.

"Due to weather impacts from Hurricane Harvey and current rescue and recovery efforts, we will postpone our ribbon cutting and grand opening until a more appropriate time," said Douglas H. Owens, Lt Gen (ret), CEO, Lone Star Flight Museum. "Our thoughts and prayers are with our staff and community and all those affected by the storm and flooding. We will support recovery efforts as we are able and look forward to bringing our new museum to Houston when it is time."

Breaking ground almost a year and a half ago at Ellington Airport, the new $38 million, 130,000 square-foot aviation history and STEM facility will share the story of flight in the Lone Star State and feature the contributions Texas and Texans have made to aviation. Highlights of the museum include interactive exhibits focused on science, technology engineering and math (STEM) concepts essential to flight, a $1 million Aviation Learning Center, the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame and a marvelous flying collection of historically significant aircraft.

For more information on the rescheduled opening date, please check the museum's website and social platforms at lonestarflight.org and @Lonestarflightmuseum on Facebook and Instagram.

posted 08-30-2017 06:37 PM               

"The new museum has weathered this storm very well," [museum CEO Doug] Owens said. "All of the airplanes and galleries are just fine. The decision to move has proven to be a very good one."

"If they need space like our parking lots, and things like that, we will most certainly be open to supporting their efforts," he said.

posted 09-08-2017 09:42 AM               

"The irony of opening our building in the midst of Hurricane Harvey is not lost on any of us. We are the reality of surviving a hurricane and rebuilding and we know that our community will overcome this trial," said Douglas H. Owens, Lt Gen (ret), CEO, Lone Star Flight Museum. "As we support the region's recovery, I am moved by the sense of strength and common purpose that rises above and is on full display. We look forward to visitors arriving at our doors and we are proud of the experience they will have in our new facility."