The Ballyduff Silver Band in Northern Ireland recently helped launch the United Nations 'World Space Week', a global event sponsored by the Department for Employment & Learning, the Institution for Engineering & Technology, InvestNI and Nacelle Systems Consultancy.

World Space week

'World Space Week' is an international celebration of science and technology, and has been held each year since 1999 during the week of October 4th-10th. These dates commemorate two special events: October 4th, 1957 — the launch of the first satellite, Sputnik 1; and October 10th 1967 — the signing of the Outer Space Treaty.

Astronaut

The guest speaker for the launch of World Space Week, which took place at the Ulster Museum in Belfast, was Greg H 'Box' Johnson — a former United States Air Force Officer and pilot, aerospace engineer, fighter/test pilot and NASA astronaut.

He piloted STS-134 which was the last ever flight of the Space Shuttle 'Endeavour'.

Great honour

William Hill, Ballyduff Silver MD 4BR: "It was a great honour to be asked to play at this prestigious event, and to discover that Greg actually knows my cousin who also works for NASA! It really is a small world!"

It was a great honour to be asked to play at this prestigious event, and to discover that Greg actually knows my cousin who also works for NASA!Ballyduff Silver MD, William Hill.

Fantastic

Robert Hill, Director of the Northern Ireland Space Office added: "It's fantastic that Ballyduff Silver Band could participate in this event.

World Space Week is all about engaging with people in different ways and music has often been the stimulus for creative and innovative thinking."