Mark Kelly, astronaut, test pilot and one half of the world's first space-travelling twins, will give a talk on June 12 in Cheltenham Town Hall.
From Iraq to Space Mark Kelly has had a fascinating career, initially serving as a pilot in the US Navy in the first Gulf War.  We're thrilled to have a real astronaut appearing at the Science Festival. | | Clare Reddington |
He flew 39 combat missions before being selected by NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration) in 1996. In 2001 Kelly flew on the Endeavour space shuttle, which docked with the International Space Station to deliver supplies and renew staffing. While docked he travelled a staggering 4.8 million miles, orbitting the Earth 185 times. Talking from Experience In his appearance he will tell of his dream to become an astronaut, and about his space travel. Clare Reddington, the festival organiser, said that she was "thrilled to have a real astronaut appearing at the Science Festival". The visits of astronauts to Britain are organised by the International Space School Education Trust (ISSET). Their aim is to motivate young people around the country using a subject that "so many people are fascinated by", as Clare Reddington put it. Future Career Kelly is currently in training for his next space assignment, in which he will pilot the Atlantis space shuttle on its 27th space flight, and his second. Although a launch date has not yet been set, it is known that his mission will be to restock the International Space Station, and also to test the recent improvements made to the Atlantis shuttle. These were made in order to improve the safety of the space shuttles. Information about the talk and the rest of the festival, including ticket sales, is available at www.cheltenhamfestival.co.uk 
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An astronaut with the NASA space agency in America is to give a talk at the Cheltenham Science Festival. 
