Cradle to honor NASA's LI astronauts

Back-to-back events on Long Island next week will remind folks of the Island's past and offer them a flavor of what might be its future.

On Thursday night, the Cradle of Aviation Museum is holding its annual fundraising gala, where it hopes to raise about $250,000.

Tables are $2,750 apiece, and about 500 people are expected to attend. Some of the Island's largest companies and law firms will be on hand.

What will make the night historic is that the museum in East Garden City will be honoring NASA's space shuttle program, which is coming to a close.

Four ex-astronauts formerly from Long Island - Robert "Hoot" Gibson of Huntington, Mary Cleave of Great Neck, Kevin Kregel of Amityville and Bill Shepherd of Babylon - will be honored, as will Hauppauge-based Globecomm Systems founder David Hershberg, a pioneer in the satellite industry.

Andrew Parton, the museum's executive director, said the event is not all about the past. The satellite industry and renewable energy will also be part of the night's discussions.

On Friday morning, the new Morrelly Homeland Security Center in Bethpage will focus on what may be ahead for the Island: business in the homeland security industry.

Former Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge will deliver remarks at the center's "commissioning," center official Ray Donnelly said.