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KNYSNA NEWS AND VIDEO - A Nasa astronaut, Commander Susan Kilrain, gave Knysna Primary learners a lesson in space travel during a presentation on Monday 15 September.
Kilrain is a distinguished US navy test pilot, author and the youngest person - one of only three women - to pilot a space shuttle.
Her presentation was part of the Living Maths Space Tour of 2025 that includes the Garden Route this year.
Living Maths today works with about 4 500 learners per week in areas as diverse as Gugulethu and Constantia, says owner Steve Sherman. It runs STEM-based (science, technology engineering and maths) activities promoting maths, science, technology, engineering, robotics, coding, space, the arts and a range of other engaging topics.
Kilrain was brought to the Garden Route and hosted a public event at Knysna Primary for the community to hear her inspiring story and get a chance to meet her.
See the Nile
Students were delighted and peppered her with questions.
Kilrain said the worst thing for her in space was the toilet. You had to pee into a funnel and solid waste stayed on board. "Yes, the space station smells of everything done up there, because there's nowhere for smells to go," she quipped.
She said she could see the Nile and pyramids from space. Kilrain has flown more than 3 000 flight hours in over 30 different aircraft, and she has been awarded the Defence Superior Service Medal.
She flew as pilot of STS-83 and STS-94, spending more than 20 days in space. Her first mission was cut short due to a potentially life-threatening shuttle system failure.
Her takeaway message for the learners: maths matter. There are jobs in South Africa for STEM careers.
Mission control
When not training for a space flight, she worked in Mission Control during the launches and landings of other space shuttle missions. She has also worked at Nasa headquarters in Washington, DC, in the offices of Safety and Legislative Affairs.
Prior to joining the navy, Susan was a wind tunnel project officer at Lockheed Corporation and earned her master's degree in aerospace engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.
She is currently a motivational speaker, venture partner and consultant, specialising in encouraging young women and underprivileged teens to excel in STEM careers.
She has been a board member for private companies, universities and non-profit organisations. She is currently a partner at New North Ventures.
Kilrain recently wrote a children's book, An Unlikely Astronaut.
Video:
Knysna Primary's learners students take on the "space pose".
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