ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Big things are being done in Rochester to support space exploration. NASA astronaut and Rochester native Pam Melroy was in town Friday to discuss how the region is playing a part.

Believe it or not, she visited the Rochester Museum and Science Center’s Strasenburgh Planetarium as a kid.

“I loved the sight of the old Zeis projector coming up from the middle,” Melroy said.

Melroy was ecstatic to be back in the very place she grew up. Melroy graduated from Bishop Kearney and later became a space shuttle commander. She served as a NASA pilot on two flights and has logged more than 500 hours in space.

“This is certainly the place where that love (for space) was nurtured and supported,” Melroy said.

The significance of her visit also ties into some big things being done at L3Harris Technologies on University Avenue in Rochester. Scientists and technicians there are playing a role to develop a new telescope for exploring dark matter. The team is working on the “eyes” of the Nancy Grace Roman Telescope, aka the part from which astronauts will be viewing galaxies.

“Those optics are finished to have surface areas to discover depth of the universe previously unseen,” Melroy said.

Melroy says she’s excited to see what the next generations have to offer in the field.

“It’s about a virtuous cycle. I love being here at the museum where I was inspired as a child,” Melroy said. “To see that cycle. I was a student here. We have more students coming.”

She spoke about the biggest shock upon returning home from space: picking things up and putting them down!

The new telescope is set to launch by May 2027.

Rep. Joe Morelle said his role as a member of the Commerce, Justice and Science Committee, will support upcoming NASA missions.

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