SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — The organizers of Tyrexpo 2015, set to take place April 29-May 1, 2015, in San Jose, have scheduled former astronaut Franklin Chang-Diaz as a guest speaker and secured Bridgestone de Costa Rica as the event's primary sponsor.
Mr. Chang-Diaz, a seven-time Space Shuttle mission specialist during a 25-year career with the National Aeronautics & Space Administration, is a native of Costa Rica with dual U.S. citizenship. During his seven missions, Mr. Chang-Diaz logged more than 1,601 hours in space, including 19½ hours of spacewalk time.
He was inducted into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame on May 5, 2012.
In addition, wholesalers Lucy's Tire of Miami and Hercules Tire & Rubber Co. of Findlay, Ohio, have signed on as platinum and gold sponsors, respectively.