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<tt>Greetings all<br>
Please note the following release on the DST website:<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.dst.gov.za/nasa-astronaut-visits-sa-to-promote-astronomy-and-support-for-ska-bid/">http://www.dst.gov.za/nasa-astronaut-visits-sa-to-promote-astronomy-and-support-for-ska-bid/</a><br>
Text copied below for your convenience.<br>
Regards<br>
Kevin<br>
<br>
----------------------------------------<br>
<br>
NASA ASTRONAUT TO GIVE PUBLIC LECTURES TO PROMOTE ASTRONOMY AND SUPPORT
FOR THE SQUARE KILOMETRE ARRAY BID<br>
Date:<br>
2010-10-25 14:50<br>
<br>
An astronaut from the United States National Aeronautics and Space
Administration (NASA) is to hold public lectures during a visit to
South Africa from 8 to 15 November 2010. The astronaut, Dr Jeff
Hoffman, will be accompanied by Dr Robert Williams, President of the
International Astronomical Union, and Prof. Charles McGruder of Western
Kentucky University. <br>
<br>
They are visiting South Africa to increase awareness of science though
astronomy. This is a timely visit considering that Africa is bidding to
host the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) radio telescope. If Africa wins
the bid to host the SKA this would mean an investment of about $15
billion in Africa over 50 years. The majority of the investment would
go to South Africa. As part of the bid, South Africa is building the
Karoo Array Telescope (MeerKAT), which will be a world class telescope
in its own right.<br>
<br>
Dr Hoffman, who became an astronaut in 1979, was assigned to the
shuttle space flight missions to repair the Hubble Space Telescope
(HST). This is regarded as one of the most successful telescopes ever
built in terms of recognition by the public. Dr Hoffman was also one of
the four spacewalking astronauts for the first HST servicing mission in
1993. He last flew on the Shuttle Columbia. In his five space flights,
Hoffman has logged more than 1 211 hours in space and travelled more
than 34,6 million km.<br>
<br>
Dr Williams is tasked with growing astronomy interest internationally,
and arranges public lecture tours by NASA astronauts. Prof. McGruder
is an astronomer who will give public lectures on the science of the
SKA.<br>
<br>
Lectures will be given in five South African cities (Pretoria,
Kimberley, Bloemfontein, Durban and Hermanus).<br>
<br>
There will be a photo op with the Minister for Science and Technology,
Mrs Naledi Pandor, in Cape Town on 9 November 2010 at 09:00 in the
Minister's office, 10th Floor, 100 Plein Street.<br>
</tt><br>
<table border="1">
<caption><strong>AS<span class="highlightedSearchTerm">T</span>RONAU<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">T</span> SPEAKING <span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">T</span>OUR OF SOU<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">T</span>H AFRICA <br>
8 - 15 NOVEMBER 2010</strong></caption>
<tbody>
<tr>
<th><span class="highlightedSearchTerm">T</span>IME</th>
<th>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b>Even<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span></b></p>
</th>
<th>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b>Place</b></p>
</th>
<th>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center"><b>Venue</b></p>
</th>
</tr>
<tr>
<td><br>
<p><b>9 November </b></p>
<p>17:00 – 18:30pm</p>
<br>
<br>
</td>
<td>
<p>Public lec<span class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>ure a<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span> Universi<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>y of Sou<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>h Africa</p>
</td>
<td>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Pre<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>oria</p>
</td>
<td>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center">UNISA</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p><b>10 November </b></p>
<p>15:00 – 16:30pm</p>
</td>
<td> Public lec<span class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>ure a<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span> Universi<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>y of <span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>he Free S<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>a<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>e</td>
<td>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Bloemfon<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>ein</p>
</td>
<td>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center">UFS/Boyden</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p><b>11 November </b></p>
<p>15:00 – 16:30pm</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>Public lec<span class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>ure a<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span> <span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>he Universi<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>y of KwaZulu-Na<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>al</p>
</td>
<td>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Durban</p>
</td>
<td>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center">UKZN</p>
<br>
<br>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p><b>12 November </b></p>
<p>15:00 – 16:30pm</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>Public lec<span class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>ure a<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span> Na<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>ional Ins<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>i<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>u<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>e of Higher Educa<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>ion</p>
</td>
<td>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Kimberley</p>
</td>
<td>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center">NIHE</p>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
<p><b>13 November</b></p>
<p>15:00 – 16:30pm</p>
</td>
<td>
<p>Public lec<span class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>ure a<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span> Hermanus Magne<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>ic Observa<span
class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>ory</p>
</td>
<td>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center">Hermanus</p>
</td>
<td>
<p style="text-align: center;" align="center">HMO</p>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<br>
<p>
Enquiries: <span class="highlightedSearchTerm">T</span>ommy Makhode <br>
</p>
<p> Science Communica<span class="highlightedSearchTerm">t</span>ions
<br>
</p>
<p> 082 379 8268 </p>
<br>
<tt><br>
</tt>
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