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Inauguration day schedule: NASA scores last place in the parade
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The excitement continues to build as Inauguration Day 2009 dawns in Washington, D.C. Regardless of our personal political affiliations, Inauguration Day serves as a visible testament that America is a place and culture in which power transitions as chosen by its people, a transition without coups and oppression.
There's something for everyone: church services, ceremonies, power lunches, fancy dress balls, neighborhood parties, and, of course, an all-American parade. If you're watching at home, you have time to make a fresh batch of popcorn before NASA's next-gen lunar rover and astronauts head down the avenue.
NASA's the last entry in this year's parade. It's a marching position that aerospace supporters hope doesn't signal where NASA will wind up in President-Elect Barack Obama's funding priorities. The buzz about NASA programs, funding, and leadership has been hot and hectic recently, but for today: everyone loves a parade.
This is the fourth time NASA has appeared in an inaugural parade.
In 1969, the year of the Apollo 11 moon landing, the agency showed off the Apollo 7 crew and capsule. A lunar rover made its appearance in 1973, followed by a NASA float in 1977, and a model of a space shuttle in 2001.
This year's appearance features the new lunar rover and astronauts. Mike Gernhardt, who's the principle investigator for thenew modular concept, will drive. Rex Walheim and a suit tech will ride outside the craft.
Walheim is the astronaut who took a rose to space during STS-122 for his brother, rosarian Lance Walheim. That rose appeared in this year's Rose Bowl Parade, giving NASA plenty of parade publicity mileage between the two parade events.
The NASA inaugural parade entry also includes the STS-126 shuttle crew: commander Chris Ferguson, pilot Eric Boe and mission specialists Donald Pettit, Steve Bowen, Heidemarie Stefanyshyn-Piper, Shane Kimbrough and Expedition 18 flight Engineer Greg Chamitoff, who returned to Earth on Endeavour after more than five months on the International Space Station. Sandra Magnus, part of the original STS-126 crew stayed onboard the International Space Station as part of the Expedition 18 crew.
NASA is fielding a fleet of photographers and videographers. If you should have to miss the parade, which traditionally begins at 2:30 p.m. EST, no problem: NASA will air a video clip of the agency's parade entry on NASA Select TV shortly after the parade ends. NASA will also post photographs at its main portal.
The Presidential Inauguration Committee has provided the current parade order:
Representatives from the US Army, United States Military Academy & US Army Reserve
Punahou School JROTC
Punahou School Marching Band
Whitney M. Young Magnet High School Navy JROTC
Isiserettes Drill and Drum Corps
Jesse White Tumbling Team
Florida A&M University Marching 100 Band
Crow Nation of Montana
Paul Laurence Dunbar Senior High School Marching Band
Illinois Home State Float
Brooklyn Music and Arts Program
Theodore Roosevelt High School Marine Corps JROTC Color Guard and Drill Team
Colts Drum and Bugle Corps
Klein Collins High School Air Force JROTC
Cleveland Firefighters Memorial Pipes and Drums
Southern Ohio Ladies Aside
Redwood Middle School Marching Band and Auxiliary Units
Representatives of the US Marine Corps and US Marine Corps Reserve
Delaware Volunteer Firemen’s Association
University of Delaware Fightin’ Blue Hen Marching Band, The Pride of Delaware
Delaware Home State Float
Alexis I. duPont High School Band
Comfort Carriages
Tuskegee Airmen
Delaware State University Marching Band
Special Olympics Inc.
Sanford High School Marching Band
Peace Corps Community
Adams Central High School Patriot Band
Oneida Nation Veterans
Cadets Drum & Bugle Corps
Idaho State Leadership: State and Tribal Representatives
Roosevelt High School Marching Band
Suurimmaanitchuat Eskimo Dance Group
South Cobb High School Blue Eagle Marching Band
Representatives of the US Navy, US Naval Academy & US Navy Reserve
Brattleboro High School Marching Band
George Washington University
Petal High School Marching Band
Freedom Riders
Bonnie Brae Knights
Federal Protection Service
Trumbull High School Golden Eagle Marching Band
American Workers Contingent
East Greenwich High School Avenger Band
Commanding General’s Mounted Color Guard, First Infantry Division, Fort Riley KS
Green Valley High School Marching Band
Angel Drill Team
Manning High School Golden Pride Marching Band
Wind River Reservation Youth Council
Lincoln Highway National Museum and Archives
University of Tennessee Pride of the Southland Band
Tempel Lipizzans of Tempel Farms
University of Arkansas Marching Band
Representatives of the US Air Force, US Air Force Academy & US Air Force Reserve
Mountain Ridge High School Pride of the West Marching Band
United Tribes Technical College
Montana Delegation
Hampton University Marching Force
AmeriCorps Alums
North Allegheny High School Tiger Marching Band
World Famous Lawn Rangers from Amazing Arcola
Blue Springs High School Golden Regiment Marching Band
McCrossan Boys Ranch
Colony High School Knights Marching Band
54th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment, Company A
54th Massachusetts Volunteer Regiment
Espanola Valley High School Mariachi Sol Del Valle
1965 Mustang of the DC Metropolitan Police Department
Grambling State University World Famed Tiger Marching Band
Nicholas County Army JROTC, the Wilderness Battalion
J. P. Taravella High School Band
Representatives of the US Coast Guard, US Coast Guard Academy & US Coast Guard Reserve
Morton High School Marching Band
U.S. Border Patrol
Harding University High School Marching Band of Gold
Hawaii Home State Float
Howard University Showtime Marching Band
Pennsylvania Home State Float
Lesbian and Gay Band Association
Mobile Azalea Trail Maids
Londonderry High School Marching Lancer Band and Color Guard
T.C. Williams High School Army JROTC
Windsor High School Marching Band
Michigan’s Multi Jurisdictional Mounted Police Drill Team and Color Guard
Ohio State University Marching Band
Boy Scouts of America, Troop 358, Philadelphia, PA
Girl Scouts of the Nation’s Capital, Troops 1803 & 382
Fergus Falls High School Marching Band
Representatives from the US Merchant Marine Academy
Evergreen High School Marching Band
Culver Academies
Carl Sandburg High School Marching Eagles
USO Float
Carnaval de San Anto, the URBAN 15 Group
Prevention Partnership, Warren County, KY Sheriff’s Office
Siloam Springs High School Band
Chinese Consolidated Benevolent Association CCBA
Get a Life Marching Band
Union High School Air Force JROTC
University of Utah Marching Band
Virginia Military Institute Corps of Cadets
NASA Astronaut Crew and NASA Lunar Electric Rover
The parade is one of many events on this historic day. The overall schedule, according to the planning committe, will follow this staging:
Obamas leave Blair House for prayer service at St. John's Episcopal Church
9:45 a.m.: Obamas depart for the White House, arrving for coffee with the President and Mrs. Bush at 10:05 a.m.
10:05 a.m.: Obamas arrive at White House for coffee with the Bushes
11 a.m.: Presidential motorcade departs for the Capitol
11:30 a.m.: Inaugural ceremony begins
11:50 a.m.: Joe Biden is sworn in as vice president by Supreme Court Justice John Stevens
12 p.m.: Barack Obama, using President Abraham Lincoln's inaugural Bible, will take the oath of office, followed by musical performances, the traditional playing of "Hail to the Chief," and a 21-gun salute.
12:05 p.m.: Obama's inaugural address, followed by poetry, benediction, and the performance of the national anthem by the U.S. Navy Sea Chanters.
12:30 p.m.: Ceremony ends, Bush depart via helicopter, Vice-President Dick Cheney by limousine.
12:45 p.m.: Obama signs inauguration papers in the President's Room
2:00 p.m.: Official congressional luncheon honoring Obama
2:15 p.m.: Obama and Biden review troops at Capitol
2:30 p.m.: Obama leads the parade from the Capitol along Pennsylvania Avenue to the White House
3:15 p.m.: Arrival at the White House
3:45 p.m.: Obamas and Bidens proceed to the reviewing stand; inaugural parade continues until 6 p.m.
7 p.m.: The official inaugural balls begin with the Neighborhood Ball at the Washington Convention Center.
Composite image credit: NASA
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