Out-of-this-world opportunity as NASA astronaut touches down in Bedfordshire
Residents have an out-of-this-world opportunity to meet a veteran astronaut in Bedfordshire next month.
Doug Hurley, the pilot of the final Space Shuttle mission and commander of SpaceX’s first crewed flight, joins The Armchair Astronaut at Cranfield University on Saturday November 7.
Residents across Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes and beyond have an exceptionally rare opportunity to meet former NASA astronaut Doug Hurley at The Armchair Astronaut’s Autumn Space Social – his only scheduled public appearance worldwide.
The event, which takes place from 12pm to 4pm, will include a live astronaut talk with Doug Hurley, beginning at 2pm, a live audience Q&A, access to space and STEM exhibitors and one in-person autograph.
Hurley holds a remarkable place in spaceflight history. He piloted Space Shuttle Atlantis on NASA’s final Shuttle mission in 2011 and then returned to space in 2020 as spacecraft commander of SpaceX’s first crewed Crew Dragon flight, Demo-2. That historic mission restored crewed launches from American soil.
A veteran of three spaceflights and a former US Marine Corps test pilot, Hurley experienced both the closing chapter of the Space Shuttle programme and the beginning of a new era of human spaceflight. The Cranfield event offers an opportunity to hear those experiences first-hand and ask him questions directly.
The Armchair Astronaut is an independent, self-funded, not-for-profit community group based in Milton Keynes, dedicated to making interactive space encounters accessible to members of the public.
Through live astronaut events, school visits and educational experiences, audiences can hear first-hand experiences, ask questions and engage directly with astronauts.
The group’s public events also help fund educational outreach, including astronaut visits to schools and fully funded primary school trips, connecting young people with the possibilities of science, engineering and careers in space.
Rowland Lindill, founder of The Armchair Astronaut, said: “Very few astronauts have stood at the end of one era and the beginning of another. Doug was in the cockpit for the final Space Shuttle mission and commanded the first crewed SpaceX flight. Bringing someone with that experience to our local community is an extraordinary opportunity."
Visit thearmchairastronaut.co.uk/doug-hurley for full event details and booking.