2024 - Astronaut Don Thomas - Events

Another successful series of U.K. events hosting former NASA astronaut Don Thomas

Day 1. 06 June 2024 AM

The day began bright and early at Thomas Telford University Technical College (UTC) in Wolverhampton in the West Midlands. Don presented his 'Living and working in Space' lecture to a group of staff and students in the University lecture theatre and chatted afterwards with the staff and students of the physics department. Our hosts for the day were Hannah Donnelly, Head of Science and Rebekah Sullivan ( Assistant Principal).  

If you have images from any of the events you would like to share, please send to mail@inspirespace.co.uk thank you.

Day 1. 06 June 2024 PM

A trip northwards to Hymers College in Hull for an evening lecture, book signing, and a green screen photo session. 

Astronaut inspires Hull students to aim for Mars
'Do your best, work hard, and never give up. Whatever your dream is, don't give up on it.'

NEWS Courtesy Hull Live See article here
By Laura Cross
16:19, 12 JUN 2024

American astronaut Don Thomas, who has been on four NASA space shuttle missions, gave an inspiring talk to students at Hymers College.

He encouraged them to work hard and never give up on their dreams, even suggesting that one of them could be the first person to step foot on Mars.

Mr Thomas shared his own journey to becoming an astronaut, which included three rejections before finally being accepted. He also described what it's like to live and work in space.

He told the students: "Do your best, work hard, and never give up. Don't listen to anyone who says you can't achieve something. If you work hard and are passionate, you can do anything in your lives. Whatever your dream is, don't give up on it."

The event was attended by around 200 students, not only from Hymers but also from other schools including St Mary's College, Beverley Grammar School, Driffield Junior School and Withernsea High School. After Mr Thomas' talk, students from years 6 to 11 and a group of seven Hymers sixth form physics students had the chance to ask questions and get signed photographs.

Mr Thomas added: "I'd wanted to become an astronaut since I was six years old, and my story is one of having a dream, working hard, doing my best, failing along the way, but coming back and ultimately making it into space."

"I was turned down by NASA three times and was 39 by the time I made it into space, so my message is one of perseverance. My dream now is that one day, 20 years from now, I get a call from one of these children here at Hymers to tell me they've just got back from Mars, and they want to say thank you for inspiring them. It's a pleasure to share my experiences with students like these, who are so interested and have such a sparkle in their eye."

Mr Thomas is visiting the UK as part of a series of talks organised by Space Inspires (InspireSpace CIC), and Ram's family, having attended previous events, were able to get in touch and extend an invitation to him to visit Hymers, which he accepted.

13 year old Ram, who has met numerous astronauts at various events and even attended NASA's Space Camp in Alabama in 2019, said: "I feel like I've done my school proud. Everyone has benefited from an astronaut coming here, and learned a lot. I already loved it at Hymers but that's gone to a whole new level after this."

Ram's mother, Sandhya, said: "He's always been passionate about space and we've been attending lectures for years. It's his dream to become an astronaut. Ram was so excited to welcome an astronaut to his school, and to show it off. He's been thriving ever since he came here, and it’s amazing that they put on events like this.”

Hymers Headmaster Justin Stanley, who introduced Mr Thomas to the students, said: "Events like this are all about bringing learning to life outside the classroom and inspiring students with a vision of what study and hard work can lead to. It can literally take them to the stars! Here at Hymers, we're inspirational and always encourage our students to believe that anything is possible."

(Left) Astronaut Don Thomas speaking to students at Hymers College. (Image: Tom Arran Commercial Photography) and (Right) From left, Hymers College Headmaster Justin Stanley, student Ram Pisharody, Don Thomas and Ram's mum Sandhya. (Image: Tom Arran Commercial Photography) 

It was wonderful to welcome so many students, from Hymers and other schools, to meet NASA astronaut Don Thomas. Read more about his visit here. 

Images above, courtesy Hymers College/ Tom Arran Commercial Photography.

Hull Whats On

Veteran NASA astronaut delivers inspirational talk to students in Hull

By Ian Day

• Thu 13 June, 2024

Students at Hymers College have been urged by an American astronaut to work hard and never give up on their dreams. 

Don Thomas, a veteran of four NASA space shuttle missions, delivered an inspirational talk to students at the school, in which he insisted one of them could become the first person to set foot on Mars.

Mr Thomas spoke passionately about his own personal journey to becoming an astronaut – which included being turned down three times before finally being accepted – and detailed exactly what it is like to live and work in space.

He told them: “Do your best, work hard, and never give up. Don’t listen to anyone who says you can’t achieve something. If you work hard and are passionate, you can do anything in your lives.

“Whatever your dream is, don’t give up on it.”

Around 200 students attended the event. Along with Hymers students, the school opened its doors to students from other schools as well, including St Mary’s College, Beverley Grammar School, Driffield Junior School and Withernsea High School, among others.

Following the talk by Mr Thomas, the years 6 to 11 students and a seven-strong group of Hymers sixth form physics students were given the opportunity to ask questions and get signed photographs. 

Mr Thomas said: “I’d wanted to become an astronaut since I was six years old, and my story is one of having a dream, working hard, doing my best, failing along the way, but coming back and ultimately making it into space.

“I was turned down by NASA three times and was 39 by the time I made it into space, so my message is one of perseverance. 

“My dream now is that one day, 20 years from now, I get a call from one of these children here at Hymers to tell me they’ve just got back from Mars, and they want to say thank you for inspiring them.

“It’s a pleasure to share my experiences with students like these, who are so interested and have such a sparkle in their eye.”

Year 8 Hymers student Ram Pisharody, whose dream is to become an astronaut himself, was instrumental in bringing Mr Thomas to the independent Hull school.

Mr Thomas is in the UK as part of a space talks programme by Space Inspires, and Ram’s family have contact with the organisers from previous events they have attended. The family got in touch to invite Mr Thomas to Hymers, which he accepted.

Thirteen-year-old Ram, who has met numerous astronauts at different events and even attended NASA’s Space Camp in Alabama in 2019, said: “I feel like I’ve done my school proud. Everyone has benefited from an astronaut coming here, and learned a lot.

“I already loved it at Hymers but that’s gone to a whole new level after this.”

Ram’s mum, Sandhya, said: “He’s always been passionate about space and we’ve been attending lectures for years. It’s his dream to become an astronaut. 

“Ram was so excited to welcome an astronaut to his school, and to show it off. He’s been thriving ever since he came here, and it’s amazing that they put on events like this.”

Hymers Headmaster Justin Stanley, who welcomed Mr Thomas onto the stage to address the students, said: “Events like this are all about bringing learning to life outside the classroom and inspiring students with a vision of what study and hard work can lead to. It can literally take them to the stars!

“Here at Hymers, we’re aspirational and always encourage our students to believe that anything is possible.”

If you have images from any of the events you would like to share, please send to mail@inspirespace.co.uk thank you.

Day 2. 07 June 2024 AM

Aldridge School, Walsall. West Midlands 

Presentation to 200 students in Year 7 followed by two meet and greet sessions with selected students and staff members.

Day 2. 07 June 2024 PM

Dinner event at the Wentbridge House Hotel in Pontefract. This included 3 course meal, short presentation,'Space' Pub Quiz, prize raffle and a memorabilia auction, trade stands. Green screen photography and autograph signing...beware of the woodpecker! More to follow...........

If you have images from any of the events you would like to share, please send to mail@inspirespace.co.uk thank you.

If you have images from any of the events you would like to share, please send to mail@inspirespace.co.uk thank you.

Day 3. 08 June 2024 PM

Lecture at the Wentbridge House Hotel in Pontefract 'Living and Working in Space, plus prize raffle, green screen photography and autograph signing/trade stands...beware of the woodpecker! More to follow.....

Day 4. 09 June 2024 AM/PM

Day of Activities at the National Space Centre, Leicester. Breakfast with Q&A, Lecture with Q&A, book signing, green screen photography and autograph session trade stands. More to follow.................

Astronaut Don Thomas Previous U.K. Events

2019 - Astronaut Don Thomas - Events

March 2017 - Astronaut Don Thomas - Events

Kirstie Deakin, NASA Astronaut Don Thomas and Emma Jones making full use of the anti-gravity chamber at the National Space Centre, Leicester U.K. (they don’t really have an anti-gravity chamber…..it's just the magic of green screen).

Day 1. 22nd March 2017

Don Thomas once again wowed the audiences at all of the events on this 2017 visit. The school’s events again proved particularly popular.

Aldridge, Walsall evening lecture/Q&A event at the Calderfields Golf and Country Club.

Day 2. 23rd March 2017

AM visit Nunnery Wood Primary School, Worcester, and PM visit King Charles I School Kidderminster.

The children at Nunnery Wood School had been very busy with their arts and crafts. Planetary rovers, spaceships from the past, present and future, astronauts and aliens were the order of the day, Astronaut Don Thomas had to judge the winning entries.

Staff and children excelled themselves with their costumes, never have so many astronauts and aliens been present in one school hall before………probably.

Out of this world ‘Arts and Crafts’

Day 3. 24th March 2017

Aldridge Academy School, Aldridge, Walsall. See the newspapers section below for photos from this school visit. Don lectured to a large audience including pupils from nearby schools. This was Don’s second visit to the Aldridge Academy School.

Day 4. 25th March 2017

National Space Centre, Leicester full day of events including, breakfast with an astronaut, photos, autograph and book signings, theatre lecture culminating in a Gala dinner.

What the papers had to say!

As well as newspaper publicity Don featured live on BBC radio Leicester, and carried out interviews for University and school projects.

Don Thomas Aldridge School Visit Courtesy Express & Star Newspaper. Thursday March 30th.

An astronaut has told Worcester schoolchildren that one of them could be the first to visit Mars.

Retired NASA astronaut Don Thomas told youngsters that someone from their generation would go to the red planet during an inspirational visit to Nunnery Wood Primary School.

Dr Thomas spent 44 days in space during four trips he undertook in the 1990's, during which he orbited the Earth 692 times.

He spoke to students from the school, along with some from Red Hill Primary School and Stanley Road Primary School.

Pupils dressed as astronauts and aliens to hear Dr Thomas tell them about how he lived, worked and played catch in space.

He told them how thrilling it was to be launched into space, describing it as “like going on a great, scary roller coaster.”

He was at the school as part of a series of trips organised by Inspire Space and told pupils he had been inspired by another astronaut himself at the age of six.

Speaking to the Worcester News, Dr Thomas said: “From six years old I was focused on it.

“Then, we would land on the moon when I was in high school.

“That was a very positive reinforcement and inspirational moment for me.”

Dr Thomas said: “The highlight for every astronaut is looking at the Earth, just to see our planet.

“It changes the perception of the planet.

“You appreciate our planet is really fragile. We have to take better care of this planet.

“All these images I’ve seen in books and I’m looking out the window and it’s really amazing.”

He said he now visited dozens of schools a year and found children were as excited as ever about space.

He said: “We have some great missions in the future. This generation will be the ones landing on Mars, and going back to the moon.

“Space is something that young people are interested in.

“It’s a magical world. They love the idea of exploring new places and that’s what we are doing in space, exploring new places.

“The more people that can go up there to see our Earth the better off our planet will be.

“You would only have to look out of the window for 30 seconds and it would change you.”

After the talk, some of the youngsters received prizes for projects they had completed based around space.

The talk took place on Thursday, March 23.

February 2016 Astronaut Don Thomas Events

Day 1.

This latest series of events began down in London with a tour of the Cosmonauts: Birth of the Space Age exhibition.

It finishes on the 13^th March only days now before it ends. Check out this and other great events at the Science Museum London.

Later in the evening Dr. Don Thomas (call me Don) gave his polished ‘The Day a Woodpecker Attacked the Space Shuttle’ presentation to the assembled members of the British Interplanetary Society.

This was followed by a Q&A session, book and autograph signing.

Don was presented with a certificate and made a Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society. Arise Dr. Don Thomas FBIS.

More to follow soon…….

Don Thomas at the British Interplanetary Society in London

Don Thomas was awarded a Fellowship of the British Interplanetary Society.

Day 2.

The day began at Brassington Primary School, Brassington, Matlock, Derbyshire with a presentation on living and working in space to an exited group of young children and staff members. Don also entertained a group of preschoolers and also fielded a Q &A session for parents.

Off then to another Derbyshire school the Longford Church of England  Primary School in Longford, Ashbourne, Derbyshire.

Don received another warm welcome from the children and the staff and entertained and enthralled them with his stories of space travel and life on orbit.

After a brief stop we were headed back to Walsall.

Later that evening Don presented ‘The Day a Woodpecker Attacked the Space Shuttle’ talk to members of the Walsall Astronomical Society based at the Rushall Olympic Football Club. It was standing room only. The lecture was followed by a Q&A session, book and autograph signing.

More to follow soon……

• Don Thomas and the pesky woodpecker story.

• Don Thomas presenting a framed photo to Mrs E.V. Moorsom Headteacher of the Brassington Primary School.

• Photo courtesy of the Ashbourne News Telegraph. Brassington Primary School pupils captivated by astronaut.

• Photo courtesy Ashbourne News Telegraph. Astronaut Dr Don Thomas, right, with pupil Alex Martin.

• Walsall Astronomical Society Lecture

Day 3.

The big event of the week was a full day of activities at the National Space Centre in Leicester. Don was a veritable whirlwind of energy.

Don the consummate professional was on hand to engage with the public, young and old alike.

He entertained and educated and was popular with everyone he met. The day of activities included Breakfast with an Astronaut; professional photo shoot; autograph and book signing; Lunch with an Astronaut and then a Q&A session to a more than 190 strong audience, standing room only in the Sir Patrick Moore planetarium.

A number of guests either had birthdays immediately before the event; some were celebrating birthdays at the event or the following day. A cake featuring space mission patches was presented at the lunch with our astronaut guest.

Wow what an event! Feedback from the event has been 100% positive.

June 2015 visit of NASA Astronaut Donald Thomas Lecture Events

Very excited and privileged to have hosted former NASA Astronaut Don Thomas for the day on Monday June 8^th 2015.

Don Thomas is an astronaut, scientist, professional speaker, educator, and author of Orbit of Discovery about his STS-70 mission aboard space shuttle Discovery. A veteran of four flights, Don has spent 44 days in space. Don is helping to inform and excite the public about our future in space and preparing our next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers for their missions in the future.

The day began for us leaving home in Walsall at 5.00 AM to travel up to Manchester to pick up Don for a 7.00 AM start. Thank goodness Don is an early riser too.

Quick trip down the M6 (thankfully no early morning holdups) and into Aldridge school (a science college). Meet and greet with the staff and senior students, thank you to all and Rebekah Bridgman (Head of science) for the warm welcome.

Students had researched Don and his shuttle flights and put together some display boards that were positioned on the stage with the posters that the Year 7 students had designed.

After a brief introduction Don launched into his lecture ‘Living and Working in Space’ to more than 200 staff and students and captivated them with his presentation with many great images and a first-hand narrative.

A Q&A session followed with many excellent questions. This was Don’s first U.K. school lecture

Don presented Rebekah with a framed photo/patch montage. Three winners of the poster completion were then presented with their prizes, a signed Orbit of Discovery book and vouchers.

A professional photographer had been drafted in take some brilliant shots of Don and the prize winners.

• Display boards for Don Thomas Astronaut visit.

• Display boards for Don Thomas Astronaut visit.

• Don Thomas animated presentation.

• Don Thomas presents Head of Science Rebekah Bridgman with a photo/mission patch montage.

• Don Thomas with prize winning students and Head of Science Rebekah Bridgman.

Before the lecture

• As staff and students arrive

Off for a quick pit stop in Aldridge town centre for coffee at the local Costa and meeting with some of the family.

On then to the town of Knighton just across the border in Wales. Destination the Knighton Church in Wales Primary school. We arrived a little later than planned. The children were very excited to meet an astronaut. On Don’s arrival in the school hall he was greeted with a song that the children had rehearsed well. Younger children in the audience had dressed up as space aliens, astronauts and a half dozen Buzz Light-year's. What do you call a group of Light-year's all in one place?

Don later remarked that it was slightly surreal looking out onto a multitude of green faces some with antennae staring back at him, a short Q&A session followed.

Don then presented an abbreviated ‘Living and Working’ in Space presentation for the older children. Among some of earth views was a familiar shot of the Thames snaking through London. When Don asked if anyone knew where this was an image of he was somewhat surprised when just about every child chorused “its Eastenders”.

The older children had prepared a number of questions for him and with only a few days’ notice had put a lot of thought into them. Don finished the session with a futuristic Mars exploration image and went on to explain that astronauts in the shot could be any one of them (but not him, their parents or their teachers……… as they were already too old) this was greeted with loud laughter. The school visit was finished off with a framed photo/patch presentation to Mary Strong, head teacher of the school. Don was presented with a Welsh flag. Don has some Welsh ancestry and with the surname Thomas was warmly accepted as a native.

Another coffee/cake stop this time at the Tower House Gallery.

Off again, for a short trip up the hill to the Spaceguard Centre. The National Near Earth Objects Information Centre. The centre Director Jay Tate welcomed Don and gave him a mini tour of the facility (well worth a visit if you are in the area). They cater for larger groups too such as school visits. Check ahead for opening times and availability.