Thousands of Western Australians have welcomed astronaut Katherine Bennell-Pegg to their state for a week-long visit. 

The nation’s first astronaut brought inspiration and shared insights with school students and passionate industry leaders, following more than a year of astronaut training with the European Space Agency.  

Since graduating as an astronaut, Katherine has been on the road inspiring space enthusiasts of all ages. In August, as part of National Science Week, she travelled to five states and territories.

The Western Australia trip saw the astronaut share her career journey and tips for our future STEM workforce. Katherine also met with local industry to share her insights and knowledge post-astronaut training and witnessed the first-hand work of the Western Australian space industry.  

Highlights of her trip included:

  • Meeting with the Governor of Western Australia, the Honourable Chris Dawson  
  • A lecture at the WA Museum as part of the internationally renowned Ngalang Koort Conversations series
  • Participating as a panellist in a STEM career discussion hosted by the International Space Centre
  • A keynote at an event hosted by the Foundation for the WA Museum
  • In-depth tours of the University of Western Australia and Curtin University 
  • A day-long visit to the International Space Centre and its facilities including the Centre for Radio Astronomy Research and Space Medicine Henry Parkins Institute.  

Katherine also visited Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, CSIRO's Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory, on Wajarri Country where she met with high school students from outback Western Australia. The Observatory is home to the SKA-Low telescope, one part of a global project to build the world’s largest and most capable radio telescopes. 

A big thank you to the International Space Centre, the Forest Research Foundation and Foundation for the WA Museum for their support in organising Katherine's week of WA activities. 

Katherine’s next state visit will be to Queensland in late September.

Media gallery

Click the below images to enlarge them and read their descriptions.

People posing at an event

Katherine meeting a young space enthusiast in Perth, WA | Credit: International Space Centre 

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Katherine meeting young space enthusiasts in Perth, WA | Credit: International Space Centre 

person speaking at an event

Katherine speaking to the media.

person speaking at an event

Katherine at the career panel event with Qantas 737 First Officer Amy Edwards, Royal Australian Air Force Flight Lieutenant Sue Freeman, Zoologist and Microglider Pilot Milly Formby (Wing Threads) Astrophysicist Danail Obreschkow and Space Laser Communications expert Sascha Schediwy | Credit: International Space Centre 

people posing for an event

Katherine meeting space enthusiasts at WA Museum | Credit: P.S. Smile Production

person speaking at an event

Katherine speaking to young space enthusiasts in regional WA | Credit: SKAO

person posing at an event

Katherine at CSIRO's Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory, which is part of Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope | Credit: SKAO

person speaking at an event

Katherine meeting the workforce at CSIRO's Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory | Credit: SKAO

people posing for an event

Katherine with Curtin University's Professor Phil Bland | Credit: Curtin University. 

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