Retired American astronaut Col. Ron Garan will be in the island next week for an event.

Col Garan is a highly decorated fighter pilot, test pilot, astronaut, spacewalker and aquanaut.

He will be the special guest speaker at the inaugural annual fundraising dinnner for the island based International Institute of Space Commerce.

Since leaving NASA, Ron has become a leading social entrepreneur and science advisor to Nobel Laureate Mohamed Yunis.

His speech is likely to be fascinating and will appeal to all those with an interest in space, aviation, science and engineering, e-business and entrepreneurship. The dinner is being held in the Sanderson Suite at the Claremont Hotel Douglas on the evning of Tuesday, November 11.

Tickets are priced at £50 a head or £500 a table

For more information on the event and for tickets and tables contact John Sheath, secretary of the institute via john@cornerstone.im

More information about the IISC can be found at www.iisc.im