Ireland AM’s Anna Daly speaks to former astronaut Chris Hadfield about life in space.

For further information:

Sharon McHugh
TV3 PRESS OFFICE
+3531 419 3430 / 087 922 4143
sharon.mchugh@tv3.ie
publicity@tv3.ie

Ciara Byrne
+353 1 419 3329 / 087 3199732
ciara.byrne@tv3.ie

TV3 GROUP RELEASE                                                                               

IMMEDIATE: Thursday 9th January, 2014

 

Ireland AM’s Anna Daly speaks to former astronaut Chris Hadfield about life in space.

 

Hadfield took time out to speak to Anna Daly while he was in Dublin to announce he is now an Ambassador for Irish Tourism.

 

He tells Ireland AM what it’s like being the most social media savvy astronaut to leave earth, how he cried in space but his tears never fell and how David Bowie approved his revised version of 'Space Oddity'.

 

 

Ireland AM airs Monday to Friday on TV3 from 7am – 10.45am on TV3.

 

Ireland AM’s Anna Daly speaks to former astronaut Chris Hadfield. The former International Space Station (ISS) commander Commander Chris Hadfield was in Dublin to announce that he is now a tourism “ambassador” for Ireland.

As ambassador, Cmdr Hadfield will promote some of Ireland’s best known attractions including the Guinness Storehouse, Titanic Belfast and the Wild Atlantic Way.

Hadfield took time out to speak to Anna about being the most social media savvy astronaut to leave earth, how he cried in space but his tears never fell, how Bowie approved his revised version of 'Space Oddity' and how proud he feels becoming an Ambassador for Irish Tourism.

 

Below are some quotes from his interview with Anna Daly, which will air on Ireland AM tomorrow (Friday 10th January 2014)

 

Hadfield chatting about being the most social media savvy astronaut to leave earth.

 

“I flew in space three times and it is such a magnificently rare experience. It’s new to see our world that way and its new to see the solar system and the solar system in that way and to have the ability to share it now with the spread ,and the depth and the reach of social media was just a wonderful treat.”

How he cried in space but his tears will never fall

“If you change one major variable, like you removed gravity, it makes you rethink everything and when you start rethinking the mundane then that’s the real spark of imagination. If you realise that just taking a sip of water is going to be different or brushing your teeth is going to be different, then what else is going to be different?

Without gravity, it [tears] just stays, there’s nowhere for it to go. Your nose won’t run and your tears don’t fall and you just have a bigger and bigger tear. Even something as simple as that is both provocative in thought and poetic.”

How Bowie approved his revised version of ' Space Oddity'

 

“It was really at the insistence of my son. A little side project, an evening project, I made an audio recording and then got permission from Bowie to make the video and then it was just a lot of work for my son on the ground putting it all together and then at the last minute we released it, not to any great plan. We released it just before we came home but to a phenomenal worldwide reaction. Hundreds of millions of people have seen that video and Bowie said it was the best cover ever of that song.”

How proud he feels becoming an ambassador for Irish Tourism

 

“To really start to see the planet as a living, functioning, ancient, thriving being, a living construct, where we are all sort of  crew and passengers on board, you get to see and feel the world that way and so you really see the special places as you come around the Atlantic because our orbit sort of apexes Ireland. You end up seeing Ireland as a reward for crossing the Atlantic. No matter where you start, you come up and you arch across and there’s Ireland in the distance and on a clear day, like today, nothing is more beautiful than the green after you’ve come across the blue. My daughter has lived here for many years and she’s finishing up in Trinity here in Dublin in a year or two. My wife and I have visited here several times and it’s just such a beautiful, historic part of the world. So much of the culture of the civilized world is reflected and stored, and created and flourishing here. It’s beautiful place to be part of and I’m delighted at the give and take, the back and forth, the conversations we had from orbit, the reaction on the people. Even though I’m not originally from here, I don’t think you have to be from somewhere to truly appreciate it and maybe even a set of eyes, that’s new on a place, sees it in a slightly different way, even more appreciatively so I’m delighted in the role to help be an ambassador for such a beautiful place and such good people.”

 

Ireland AM airs Monday to Friday on TV3 from 7am – 10.45am on TV3.

 

Images have been sent to your picture desks

 

ENDS

 

For further information
Jean O’Donovan

Press & Publicity Assistant

00353 1 419 3428

 

Sharon McHugh
Head of Press & Publicity

00353 1 419 3430
00353 87 922 4143

publicity@tv3.ie                        
www.tv3.ie

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