US Apollo astronaut to visit space centre

HE is one of only 24 people to have flown to the Moon - and he’s coming to Leicester.

The National Space Centre, in collaboration with World Space Week, will welcome Apollo 15 astronaut, Col Alfred Merrill Worden to the Centre for a day of inspiration, fascinating insights and science on Saturday October 7.

The 85-year old was the Command Module Pilot for the Apollo 15 lunar mission in 1971.

He also served as a member of the astronaut support crew for the Apollo 9 flight and as backup command module pilot for the Apollo 12 flight.

Al Worden has been listed in the Guinness Book of World Records as the “most isolated human being” during his time alone in the Command Module Endeavour.

When the orbiting Command Module he was 2,235 miles away from any other human beings.

During the mission, his fellow astronauts - David Scott and James Irwin - spent three days on the Moon.

The mission began on July 26, 1971 and ended on August 7. At the time, NASA called it the most successful manned flight ever achieved.

It was the first of the three long stays on the Moon before the Apollo missions were cancelled one year later.

During his visit to the National Space Centre visitors will be able to join him for breakfast, hear about his Apollo mission, his career in the space industry and ask questions, from 10am to 11am.

He will be signing copies of his book - Falling to Earth - from 11.30am to 12.30pm and finally from 2.30pm to 3.30pm he will be answering questions in the Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium.

For tickets, prices and more information visits spacecentre.co.uk

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