| Out of this world | Dr Harris was selected by NASA in 1990 and he became an astronaut in 1991. Dr Harris trained as a flight surgeon at the Aerospace School of medicine in San Antonio, Texas in 1988. He has a Master's degree in biomedical science from the University of Texas at Galveston, received in 1996. It's 10 years since Dr Harris's last space flight in 1995. He was the Payload Commander on STS-63 (February 1995), the first flight of the new Russian - American Space Programme. During the flight, he became the first African American to walk in space. He has logged 198 hours, 29 minutes in space, completed 129 orbits, and travelled over 2.9 million miles! You can meet Dr Harris at the Festival of Science and Culture on Wednesday 9 and Thursday 10 March 2005. |
Leicester's National Space Centre Festival of Science and Culture reaches its spectacular climax this weekend. From science workshops to displays of people's favourite black heroes from history, from carnival music to Caribbean food, it promises to be great family fun. The festival rounds off on Saturday and Sunday with a host of entertainments which are all included in the normal ticket price (adults £9.95, children and concessions £7.95, family tickets from £30): - Leicester Caribbean Carnival strolling costume exhibition Fizzy Flyers
- A chance to design, build and fly your own space rocket
- A build a comet demonstration
- Sports events such as beat the goalie and shoot the hoops
- Astronaut training in our simulated space mission centre
- Dr Bernard Harris (the first Black astronaut to walk in space) will be signing autographs and answering questions
- Music from local musician Carol Leeming and a steel pan band
- A capoeira display
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All the above events will be free to ticket holders. The restaurant will be serving a full Caribbean menu. Space Centre spokeswoman Malika Andress said: "For anybody considering a visit to the National Space Centre this is a great opportunity to enjoy the interactive galleries, rocket tower and full dome space theatre as well as a whole host of other activities at no extra cost." Dr Harris is this year's guest of honour during the festival. We asked him a few questions about his achievements. When did you decide you wanted to be an astronaut? I was about eight-years-old. I used to look up at the heavens and wonder what it would be like to travel to the stars. Who were your heroes? Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. What would you say to someone who wants to be an astronaut? You can do and be anything you decide to. There are no limits? What training do you need, mentally and physically? The training is mostly mental but you also need to learn about flight, orbital mechanics and astronomy. In addition you must pass a detailed physical. What was the most exciting part of your missions? The space walk on my second mission. What was the most frightening part of your missions? The launch, and the space walk. What's it like to walk in space? Truly liberating ! As the first African American to walk in space, do you see yourself as a role model for children? I believe that we are all role models in our own way. I'm proud to be considered a role model. Why are you coming to Leicester? I believe that it's my role as an astronaut to spread the word about the excitement of space travel. I hope to inspire others to follow in my footsteps. The Festival of Science and Culture celebrates cultural diversity in science. How important is this and why? Our future lies in our knowledge of science and its applications and encompasses all life on this planet. Have you been to Leicester or the East Midlands before? No, but I look forward to the visit. The National Space Centre has education and the mission of being an information hub for space exploration news. So how important is your visit and similar visits? I believe that it is critical that the UK is actively involved with the exploration of space. The National Space Centre plays in important role in this mission. You can meet Dr Harris at the Festival of Science & Culture Family Days on Saturday 12 and 13 March March 2005. For more details follow the festival link on the above right. | 
