A Mayo woman’s ambition to be the first Irish person in space is a step closer to becoming a reality after recent strides in commercial space travel.
Norah Patten from Ballina has been intent on travelling to space since she visited Nasa headquarters in Cleveland, US, when she was 11. Her dream led her to study aeronautical engineering and then to enrol at the International Space University.
In December Virgin Galatic launched its first successful flight beyond the atmosphere, which Dr Patten said bodes well for her ambitions.
“Commercial space travel has opened the whole thing up,” she said. “It’s now more accessible and it’s competitive with all of these companies trying to get there which makes it more attainable, cost-wise.”
In recent months she