Astronaut lands to deliver inspiring talk

It was standing room only as hundreds of people crammed into the Wakatipu High School auditorium in Queenstown on Wednesday night to hear US Air Force colonel and Nasa astronaut Michael Hopkins (seated) talk about his six-month stint on the International Space Station.

He covered much in the fascinating talk, arranged by Catalyst Trust, from the push for Mars and the beauty of sand dunes when seen from space, to the challenges of bathroom breaks in zero gravity.

It was an inspiration to adults and children alike, who gathered around for autographs and selfies at the end.