SOUTH AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM: ANDY THOMAS EXHIBITION

Astronaut, Andy Thomas, has seen more of our State than most from the confines of Russia's MIR space station. In 1998 Thomas spent four months orbiting the earth as part of a joint operation involving Russia and the United States. And if you've ever left home without your most valued belongings then spare a thought for this famous South Australian.

"Yer, it's not the right size for him. He had to try it on while he was up there. It's actually an escape suit to get away from MIR if there was a disaster of some sort, but he tried it on and it didn't fit. There was a bit of an argument about it I think. But he could actually fit into it with a few adjustments. It's only about five foot three tall and I think he's a bit taller than that".

Andy Thomas was the last NASA astronaut-come-cosmonaut to spend time on MIR prior to its decommissioning early this year and for a bloke from Adelaide, the MIR experience was as much cultural as scientific.

"He had to go to Russia to be a cosmonaut which included learning Russia so he had an intense program of learning Russian in a matter of months".

"He had to know how all the controls worked in the Space Station, ah it's quite intensive and when you think about it, it is a great achievement".

At the South Australian Museum, the Andy Thomas Exhibition takes you through the career highlights of this former Adelaide University student who graduated in mechanical engineering, then worked with Lockheed in American specialising in aerodynamics. It was a journey which would eventually end up here at the launch pad of the Space Shuttle and as part of the exhibition you can get a sense of what a take off is really like.

"It's a fairly hands-on exhibition. People can have an interactive ride or launch experience where they can stand on a special platform and feel the shuttle take off".

The exhibition also provides the latest information on the newly commissioned international space station, which Thomas visited earlier this year.

"For a total of over five hundred hours, more space walking hours than NASA has conducted in its entire history".

No doubt it's a project, which our very own Andy Thomas will continue to follow with keen interest. "Andy Thomas 2001 an Australian Space Odyssey" is on at the South Australian Museum until July 22nd. For more information email info@postcards-sa.com.au