My Life in Outer Space – An Astronaut’s Story of Invention | How To Academy

Wed, 4 March 2020

6:45 pm - 8:00 pm GMT

25 Red Lion Square, London, WC1R 4RL

My Life in Outer Space – An Astronaut’s Story of Invention

Kathryn Sullivan In Conversation With Hannah MacInnes

She is the first American woman to walk in space – a pioneering NASA scientist and astronaut living and working at the final frontier. Now she joins us to tell her astonishing story.

What does lift-off in a space shuttle feel like? How did NASA astronauts respond to the Challenger disaster? How do you repair one of the most complex scientific instruments ever invented in-flight? What was the view like 600km above the Earth? These questions and many more will be answered in this inspirational talk by astronaut Kathryn Sullivan.

The Hubble Space Telescope has revolutionised our understanding of the universe. It has discovered thousands of galaxies in what seemed to be empty patches of sky; transformed our knowledge of black holes; found dwarf planets with moons orbiting other stars; and measured precisely how fast the universe is expanding.

Kathryn Sullivan was a critical part of the team that made it possible. The first American woman to spacewalk, her talent for in-flight invention made this remarkable observatory possible.

She joins us to tell the story of the team of astronauts, engineers and scientists that made, launched and maintained Hubble – and, of course, reveal her own remarkable story as a pioneer of space travel.

 

Kathryn Sullivan

Kathryn D. Sullivan is a NASA astronaut (retired), former Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and an inductee in the Astronaut Hall of Fame.

Kathryn D. Sullivan is a NASA astronaut (retired), former Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and an inductee in the Astronaut Hall of Fame.

Hannah MacInnes

Presenter, Podcaster and Host of How To Academy’s live programmes.

Hannah MacInnes is a broadcaster and journalist. Alongside hosting How To Academy’s live programmes and podcast, she presents a cultural show on Times Radio and interviews on-stage at a number of other major literary events. She is the host of The Klosters Forum Podcast series and has written for the Radio Times, the Evening Standard and TLS. Before going freelance she worked for 8 years at BBC Newsnight, as Planning Editor and as a Producer / Filmmaker.