Discovery astronaut set to launch science festival

THE astronaut watched by a spellbound world earlier this year carrying out a critical panel-beating repair job on the US space shuttle Discovery flies into Limerick this weekend on a less hazardous mission.

US astronaut Dr Stephen Robinson, who did a space walk to remove a loose piece of tile separator in order to enable the craft to return safely to earth, will open the Science Festival at the University of Limerick (UL) on Sunday.

The festival is intended to be a showcase for industry, providing an opportunity to promote science and technology, especially to those deciding on future careers, and to provide an entertaining and educational day out for all.