1.300 hours under no gravity

18 April, 2018 News

Few people in history have more flight hours in space than Marsha Ivins. Today’s 67-year-old space veteran has taken part in five space missions, having spent over 1,300 hours on NASA vehicles in space, and with more than 7,000 flight hours on civil airplanes.

Marsha Ivins will greet the opening of the Athens Science Festival 2018, speaking about the incredible passion of humans for space travels. However, in contrast to the epic adventures in distant galaxies that we watch in science fiction films and read in novels, reality is far more placid. The history of human exploration in space is comparatively small – really infinitely minimal in relation to its vast dimensions.

In her presentation, Ivins will talk about how a human space explorer can satisfy our inherent curiosity to get to know and understand what we can only dream of for the time being.

The legendary astronaut, pilot and engineer will also refer to the longstanding role of women in science and research, and the need to empower female scientists in society. At the same time, she will highlight the importance of education at all levels in order to encourage more and more women to engage in science.

Marsha Ivins’s passion for flight and space has been strong since her childhood. She studied Aerospace Engineering at the University of Colorado, and immediately following her graduation she worked at the Lyndon Johnson Space Centre, where she helped develop the Heads-Up Display, the familiar imaging devices used by astronauts. Ten years later, and after getting promoted from the positions of the flight engineer and co-pilot, she was selected by NASA as the chief of several space missions.

She worked at NASA until 2010 in a number of positions, most notably supporting the International Space Station (ISS) and the Space Shuttle (Space Shuttle) for many years while in the Astronomical Service. Today, she continues to work as an aerospace consultant as well as in television and film productions.

Title: The importance of sending human to space || Date & Time: 24 April, 18.15
With the support of the US Embassy in Athens.