AN astronaut who has worked on NASA’s International Space Station will be inspiring youngsters to pursue science as a career when he lands in the region later this month.
Flight engineer Col Ron Garan, who was selected by NASA in 2000 following a successful career in the US Airforce, will visit schools in the region as well as NETPark, the North East Technology Park in Sedgefield.
Col Garan has taken part in four space walks totalling more than 27 hours in the hostile environment outside the space craft as well as being involved in the installation of major components of the International Space Station.
Col Garan will be inspiring youngsters to consider science and engineering as a career as well as giving an insight of life in space when he visits on January 26th and 27th.
His visit has been organised by the International Space School Educational Trust (ISSET) in partnership with the County Durham Development Company (CDDC), the business arm of Durham County Council.
Cllr Claire Vasey, Cabinet member for children and young people’s services, said: “It is through exactly this sort of visit that we can enrich the lives of our students and take them metaphorically beyond the classroom to a world full of challenge and excitement.”
Catherine Johns, director of innovation development at CDDC, said: “Who better to inspire the next generation of space explorers and encourage young people to take up science as a career?”