Astronaut

Katherine Bennell-Pegg, a South Australian aerospace engineer, was named 2026 Australian of the Year for her pioneering work as Australia's first qualified astronaut. The award comes after she completed Basic Astronaut Training at the European Astronaut Centre in Germany and became the first person to train under the Australian flag.

Astronaut Claude Nicollier flew the Pilatus Next Generation Trainer, praising its handling qualities and aerobatic capabilities. Nicollier, who has logged over 1,000 hours in space, shared his thoughts on the PC-21 during a test flight at Pilatus.