Nasa astronaut lands in Mossel Bay

MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Aerospace engineer and Nasa astronaut Susan Kilrain (63) touched down in Mossel Bay on Wednesday 17 September as a guest speaker for the Living Maths 2025 Space Tour.

Hailing from the United States, Kilrain is one of only three women, and at the age 34, was the youngest person to ever pilot a space shuttle.

On Wednesday, the tour stopped at Curro Mossel Bay where the residents listened to Kilrain speak about her career, share stories from space and advocate for young people to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem).

Living Maths is a programme promoting Stem-based activities and has been travelling in Cape Town and the Garden Route for its 30 years' celebration, bringing Kilrain along for the trip.

Kilrain's love of math and her desire to become an astronaut led to her career as an aerospace engineer. Photo: Nasa

Kilrain told Mossel Bay Advertiser her love of maths and the desire to become an astronaut led to her career as an aerospace engineer.

She describes the moment of looking down at our planet from a space shuttle as magical, adding that it gave her a new sense of appreciation for Earth.

Aside from being able to boast about her travels to outer space, Kilrain is also a veteran of the US Navy, in which she served for 20 years, breaking barriers for women in aviation and earning high honours, including the Defence Superior Service Medal.

She has worked in Mission Control for shuttle launches and landings, and later held roles at the Nasa headquarters in the offices of Safety and Legislative Affairs. Prior to joining the Navy, she was a wind tunnel project officer at Lockheed Corporation and earned a Master's Degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology.

Now retired from Nasa, Kilrain keeps her travels on the ground as a motivational speaker and consultant, encouraging young women and underprivileged teens around the world to pursue Stem careers.

"I have been privileged to do so many things in my career, but I get the most satisfaction from encouraging young people to go after their dreams," she says. "Just do it! If I can become an astronaut, there is no limit to what young people can do."

Children excitedly waiting to ask Susan questions about her career and adventures in space. Photo: Gabriélla Siebritz