stronaut Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger at The German International School Cape Town (DSK) 23 July 2026.

NASA Astronaut Dorothy “Dottie” Metcalf-Lindenburger will visit South Africa for the highly anticipated Space Tour 2026, presented in partnership with Living Maths. The tour will bring world-class STEM inspiration to schools, universities, science centres, educators, and communities across South Africa, including underserved and remote areas.

Metcalf-Lindenburger is a veteran NASA astronaut and former science teacher who flew aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on the historic STS-131 mission to the International Space Station in 2010. During the mission, she served as Mission Specialist 2, robotic arm operator, and intra-vehicular coordinator supporting complex spacewalk operations. The mission delivered over 27,000 pounds of scientific equipment and traveled more than 6.2 million miles.

She was part of a historic milestone when four women were simultaneously in space for the first time. Prior to becoming an astronaut, she taught earth science and astronomy and was selected by NASA as part of the Educator Astronaut Program in 2004, becoming the first Space Camp alumna to join the Astronaut Corps.

Following her NASA career, she commanded the NEEMO 16 underwater exploration mission and continues to champion STEAM education globally as a professional speaker and founder of Dottie ML, LLC.

Steve Sherman, Chief Imagination Officer of Living Maths, emphasized that the tour is about inspiring young people to realize their potential in science and technology. The tour aims to reach communities beyond major cities, bridging the opportunity gap in STEM education.

Metcalf-Lindenburger expressed excitement about connecting with South African learners and sharing experiences from space exploration, teamwork, leadership, and discovery.

Astronaut Dorothy Metcalf-Lindenburger at The German International School Cape Town 23 July 2026

Space Tour 2026 will feature keynote talks, student engagements, educator sessions, leadership discussions, and public appearances focused on science, innovation, resilience, and the future of human exploration.

Tour Dates: 22 July – 4 August 2026
Locations: Cape Town, Gauteng, Durban, and selected national outreach locations