Apollo 16 pilot Duke returns to Paris Airshow as Endeavour Scholarship Ambassador 

A much-anticipated highlight of the 54th Paris Air Show this summer will be the return of Apollo 16 lunar module pilot, Brigadier General Charlie Duke, USAF (Ret), as a goodwill ambassador of the USA Partnership Pavilion and the Astronaut Al Worden Endeavour Scholarship.

Duke will be joined by former French Astronaut and Cosmonaut Général de Brigade Jean-Loup Chretien, Armée de l'Air (Ret); former NASA astronaut, Col. Michael J. Bloomfield, USAF (Ret); and Endeavour program founder, USA Partnership Pavilion organizer Tom Kallman, to announce the host country’s first scholarship recipients of a week-long, hands-on astronaut training experience at Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama later this summer.

Kallman launched the Endeavour program during the 53rd edition of the show in 2019 with Duke and fellow astronauts Walt Cunningham (Apollo 7) and scholarship namesake Al Worden (Apollo 15) in recognition of Worden’s lifetime commitment to promoting science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.

Since then, with the support of global partners in government, industry, and academia, the program has awarded scholarships to 32 students and eight educators representing the United Arab Emirates, Chile, Singapore, and the United Kingdom.

The French mission crew will be announced at the show on June 22nd during the Endeavour Scholarship Award Ceremony, and will join fellow scholarship recipients from Australia, Bahrain, and the United States in July in Washington, DC, then on to Huntsville for the Space Camp experience.

“We’re honoured to welcome Charlie Duke back to the USA Partnership Pavilion at the Paris Air Show to continue the mission we launched in 2019 to inspire future generations of explorers, engineers, and pioneers,” said Kallman. “We also remember Walt and Al, who have since passed away; poignant reminders of how privileged we are to learn first-hand from Apollo astronauts about the importance of STEM education in improving life on Earth and helping humanity reach for the stars.”

“I’m proud to return to Paris to help inspire the next generation of industry leaders and to recognise the achievements of our Endeavour Scholars.” added Duke. “In my experience, no other event presents such an opportunity to demonstrate the importance of international collaboration – another one of our Endeavour program’s tenets.” 

The USA Partnership Pavilion will be the largest international pavilion at the show, hosting more than 300 exhibitors across some 6,000m² in Hall 3. In addition to organising and supporting the exhibition space during the trade days, Kallman Worldwide will also host Spaceport USA, a three-day STEM focused pavilion-wide experience for students and the general public starting Friday, 23 June and continuing through the weekend. 

The Paris Air Show is one of the world’s largest aerospace industry events, drawing decision-makers and influencers from around the world for a four-day showcase of aviation, aerospace, and defence innovation.

For more information about the Endeavour Scholarship, visit www.endeavourscholarship.org  More information about the U.S. presence at the Paris Air Show is available at https://sourcehere.com/exhibit/1411

www.kallman.com