Date: 12/02/2004
Source: Ministry of Education
Title: K Asmal: Celebration ceremony for student astronaut
STUDENT ASTRONAUT PREPARES FOR MARS: SPEECH BY THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION, PROFESSOR KADER ASMAL, MP, AT THE CELEBRATION CEREMONY FOR STUDENT ASTRONAUT, NOMATHEMBA KONTYO, AT FEZEKA SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, GUGULETHU, CAPE TOWN, 12 February 2004
President Mbeki
Cabinet colleagues
Teachers and students
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Today, at Fezeka Senior Secondary School in Gugulethu, we celebrate the achievement of one of our students, who will be representing Africa in the scientific exploration of the planet Mars.
Since January of this year, two space vehicles, known as rovers, have been on Mars. These Mars Exploration Rovers, which bear the names "Spirit" and "Opportunity," were launched by the National Aeronautical Space Agency (NASA) in the United States. Scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, are monitoring the rovers. They are watching the movements of their robotic arms and drilling tools. They are studying the pictures coming back from their four pairs of cameras. They are gathering data from the scientific instruments about rocks, soils and traces of water that will help us understand the Red Planet.
Soon, one of us will be working with them. From 20 to 29 February, Ms Nomathemba Kontyo, a student at Fezeka Senior Secondary School, will join the scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, to work on the mission to Mars.
As one of sixteen student astronauts selected from all over the world by the Planetary Society, Nomathemba Kontyo is going to the United States, not as a tourist, but as a working scientist. She earned this distinction by submitting a winning essay to the society's programme, "Red Rover Goes to Mars". In that essay, Nomathemba outlines the experiments she would like to conduct with the rovers, proving that when it comes to science, she knows what she was talking about.
Nomathemba will have to know what she is doing because once she gets to mission control at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory she will be put to work, analysing the images and data as the come back to Earth from the rovers on Mars. Along with the other Student Astronauts, she will report to the rest of the world about what she learns inside mission operations.
Obviously, Nomathemba Kontyo has extraordinary talent. But she is also one of us. When she speaks about herself on the website of the Planetary Society, you get the impression of someone who might have her head in the sky but who also has her feet firmly on the ground. She is a member of the Astronomy Club, but she also plays football. She enjoys listening to opera, but she also listens to R&B, House and Hip-Hop. While she loves the sky and everything about outer space, she has the same love for the ocean.
Above all, you get the sense that Nomathemba Kontyo cares deeply about advancing science, empowering women, and helping her community. "I am a female and live in an impoverished community," she says. "Being part of the Mars Exploration Rover mission would show that women could achieve anything they put their minds to and show learners from similar environments that through dedication and hard work, everything and anything is possible."
In our efforts to achieve our goals of education for all in South Africa, we often talk about the importance of studying maths, science, and technology. Nomathemba Kontyo does not just talk about it. She does it.
"I am a proud citizen of South Africa," Nomathemba says. We can all be proud that one of us has achieved this honour of serving as a Student Astronaut. Today we celebrate her accomplishment and wish her safe travels on her long journey to work with other scientists in the United States.
I now wish to request President Mbeki to briefly address us and present a gift from the Government to Nomathemba.
I thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Education
12 February 2004
Source: Ministry of Education
Title: K Asmal: Celebration ceremony for student astronaut
STUDENT ASTRONAUT PREPARES FOR MARS: SPEECH BY THE MINISTER OF EDUCATION, PROFESSOR KADER ASMAL, MP, AT THE CELEBRATION CEREMONY FOR STUDENT ASTRONAUT, NOMATHEMBA KONTYO, AT FEZEKA SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL, GUGULETHU, CAPE TOWN, 12 February 2004
President Mbeki
Cabinet colleagues
Teachers and students
Ladies and Gentlemen.
Today, at Fezeka Senior Secondary School in Gugulethu, we celebrate the achievement of one of our students, who will be representing Africa in the scientific exploration of the planet Mars.
Since January of this year, two space vehicles, known as rovers, have been on Mars. These Mars Exploration Rovers, which bear the names "Spirit" and "Opportunity," were launched by the National Aeronautical Space Agency (NASA) in the United States. Scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, are monitoring the rovers. They are watching the movements of their robotic arms and drilling tools. They are studying the pictures coming back from their four pairs of cameras. They are gathering data from the scientific instruments about rocks, soils and traces of water that will help us understand the Red Planet.
Soon, one of us will be working with them. From 20 to 29 February, Ms Nomathemba Kontyo, a student at Fezeka Senior Secondary School, will join the scientists at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, to work on the mission to Mars.
As one of sixteen student astronauts selected from all over the world by the Planetary Society, Nomathemba Kontyo is going to the United States, not as a tourist, but as a working scientist. She earned this distinction by submitting a winning essay to the society's programme, "Red Rover Goes to Mars". In that essay, Nomathemba outlines the experiments she would like to conduct with the rovers, proving that when it comes to science, she knows what she was talking about.
Nomathemba will have to know what she is doing because once she gets to mission control at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory she will be put to work, analysing the images and data as the come back to Earth from the rovers on Mars. Along with the other Student Astronauts, she will report to the rest of the world about what she learns inside mission operations.
Obviously, Nomathemba Kontyo has extraordinary talent. But she is also one of us. When she speaks about herself on the website of the Planetary Society, you get the impression of someone who might have her head in the sky but who also has her feet firmly on the ground. She is a member of the Astronomy Club, but she also plays football. She enjoys listening to opera, but she also listens to R&B, House and Hip-Hop. While she loves the sky and everything about outer space, she has the same love for the ocean.
Above all, you get the sense that Nomathemba Kontyo cares deeply about advancing science, empowering women, and helping her community. "I am a female and live in an impoverished community," she says. "Being part of the Mars Exploration Rover mission would show that women could achieve anything they put their minds to and show learners from similar environments that through dedication and hard work, everything and anything is possible."
In our efforts to achieve our goals of education for all in South Africa, we often talk about the importance of studying maths, science, and technology. Nomathemba Kontyo does not just talk about it. She does it.
"I am a proud citizen of South Africa," Nomathemba says. We can all be proud that one of us has achieved this honour of serving as a Student Astronaut. Today we celebrate her accomplishment and wish her safe travels on her long journey to work with other scientists in the United States.
I now wish to request President Mbeki to briefly address us and present a gift from the Government to Nomathemba.
I thank you.
Issued by: Ministry of Education
12 February 2004
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