Ireland's first astronaut, Dr. Norah Patten talks about her upcoming trip to space, how she trained for this trip, the research she will carry out and how she hopes she can influence the younger generations to follow their dreams:
V
Video credit: Ireland AM, Virgin Media
Read about Norah's journey below:
I'm Norah! I grew up in the west of Ireland in a town called Ballina. That's in Co. Mayo and when I was 11 years of age, I visited NASA in Cleveland, Ohio and became obsessed with all things space!
Since then, I have been on my own space quest and have navigated a career to bring me on a journey to the stars.
I studied Aeronautical Engineering and gained my PhD from the University of Limerick, participated in the International Space University (ISU) Space Studies Program (SSP) in 2010, and joined the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences as a citizen scientist in 2017.
Honours | Awards | Panels
2019: An Post Children's Book of the Year, senior
2019: IAC invited panel 'The next 50 years of Human Spaceflight'
2018: PoSSUM Educator Award
2018: Limerick's Top 40 under 40
2016: ISS R&D Conference: Panel
2015: Emerging Space Leader
2015: IAC Next Generation Plenary
Since participating in the International Space University (ISU) Space Studies Program in 2010, I have held various roles including Chair of the Space Management and Business Department; Chair of the Space Humanities Department; and Chair for a Team Project. I am now a Global Faculty Member with ISU.
In 2017, I joined Project PoSSUM (Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere) at the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences. Through this program, I've participated in several citizen science campaigns including microgravity research flights, spacesuit testing and evaluation, spacecraft and aviation egress and others.
In 2019, I released my children's book 'Shooting for the Stars' published by the O'Brien Press and illustrated by Jennifer Farley and won the An Post Children's book of the year, senior.
Space & STEM Engagement
I have been an active space and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) ambassador for many years and I have been able to use my platforms to create many opportunities, programs and projects for next generation.
Here are a few examples:
i) In 2013, while I was working at the Irish Composites Centre, I initiated and managed 'The Only Way is Up' project. Through a partnership with Nanoroacks, this project launched the first secondary school experiment from Ireland to the International Space Station.
ii) In 2016, I participated in the New Frontiers Entrepreneurship Program. I worked in partnership with IADT to create 'Planet Zebunar', an augmented reality STEM pack for children. The pack launched in Ireland in 2017 and retailed online and in several stores around Ireland.
iii) In 2019, we established the 'PoSSUM13' to engage young females in space science. We came together as 13 PoSSUM candidates and offered teenagers an opportunity to develop an experiment for testing on a microgravity flight. It runs annually and continues today.
Read more about Dr Norah Patten here.
NorahPatten.com