Later this month, the Amarillo Airport Advisory Board will unveil its plans for a permanent tribute to Commander Rick Husband, the Amarillo native son who died aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia.
As The Amarillo Globe-News reports, the new tribute will help to show why Husband has become such an important figure in the collective imagination of the Texas Panhandle.
There is already a statue of Husband in the airport terminal, and the airport itself is named for the astronaut, but Airport Director of Aviation Mike Conner said the board wished to expand upon Husband’s legacy.
Conner said two astronauts are slated to speak during the announcement of the plans for the tribute, and 200 Amarillo students will be in attendance. The unveiling is scheduled for Aug. 29 at 10:30 a.m.