NASA Takes the Field at NCAA College Football Playoffs

Space City played host to the National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) 2024 College Football Playoff (CFP) Championship Game, giving NASA and the Johnson Space Center a chance to connect with football fans nationwide and showcase the excitement of space exploration.

From Friday, Jan. 5 to Sunday, Jan. 7, 102 agency volunteers interacted with guests through an exhibit during Playoff Fan Central at Houston’s George R. Brown Convention Center. An estimated 47,000 people visited the exhibit, which featured Johnson team members and subject matter experts from the International Space Station Program, Orion, Gateway, VIPER, the Human Health and Performance Directorate, the EVA and Human Surface Mobility Program, and the Exploration Architecture, Integration, and Science Directorate. Industry partners Axiom, Collins Aerospace, and Lockheed Martin supported the exhibit, as well.

Fans had opportunities to try on a spacesuit glove and helmet, pilot the Orion spacecraft in a flight simulator, and explore models of the International Space Station, Gateway, and the CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) habitat, among other activities. The exhibit also highlighted NASA Spinoff innovations that could have future implications for professional football players and other athletes. These privately developed products included an electrolyte hydration formula, shock-absorbing helmets, wireless headsets, and cold therapy.

NASA’s playoff involvement continued into game day, Jan. 8, with a special Instagram live downlink event cohosted by ESPN and featuring space station crew members Jasmin Moghbeli and Loral O’Hara. The two astronauts answered questions about their athletic experience, exercise and nutrition aboard the orbiting laboratory, and how the crew rests and relaxes during their downtime.

Fans then turned to NRG Stadium in Houston, where the University of Michigan Wolverines and the University of Washington Huskies faced off for the championship game, starting at 6:30 p.m. Central. NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Johnson Center Director Vanessa Wyche participated in a live interview with CFP in the stadium before kickoff. During the pregame ceremony, 21 Johnson employees joined Houston community members on the field to hold a 175-foot-long American flag while GRAMMY award-winning superstar and Golden Globe-nominated actress Fantasia Barrino sang the National Anthem. An announcement informed the crowd that a portion of the flag holders represented NASA. Footage of the Johnson campus and the Mission Control Center was featured during the opening video of ESPN’s live championship game broadcast.

Adding to the space-themed excitement, Nelson, Wyche, and the Artemis II crew were recognized on-field during a break in the first quarter of the game. The Artemis II crew video also played on the stadium’s jumbotron. The group had multiple interviews with media in the stadium’s press box, as well.

Enjoy more photos from the game and Playoff Fan Central below.