Several astronauts will touch down this weekend in Hutchinson, as part of a fundraiser for the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center.

Apollo 16 moonwalker Charlie Duke and Apollo 13 astronauts Fred Haise and Jim Lovell will be among those attending the annual Fly Around, Dine Around event at the center.

Others attending include shuttle astronauts Catherine Coleman, Steven Hawley, Mike Mullane and Charles Walker. The guests will participate in several activities throughout the weekend, including book and model signings, a progressive dinner and a reception.

The event comes as the center reports a 5 percent increase in attendance from August through June, when compared with the same time a year ago. The Cosmosphere averages about 105,000 visitors a year.

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Associated Press Information from: The Hutchinson News