CANADA: American astronaut Kjell Lindgren played the bagpipes in the International Space Station (ISS) to pay tribute to his deceased colleague.
Lindgren played in space to recognize researcher and scientist Victor Hurst of Wyle Science who helped train astronauts to prepare for space travel. Hurst died suddenly this October at 48 years old, to the shock of family and colleagues.
Lindgren said that he and the six other astronauts in the ISS had all known Hurst and had worked with him at some point in their lives. Lindgren himself trained under the scientist in preparation for his own space flights.
“I don’t know if anyone was more enthusiastic and professional about being involved in human space flight,” Lindgren recalled about the deceased scientist, describing Hurst as kind and always with a quick smile.
Lindgren’s rendition of Amazing Grace with bagpipes is believed to be the first time that bagpipes have ever been played in space.
The Scottish pipes were custom made for Lindgren by the McCallum Bagpipes in Kilmarnock. Kenny MacLeod of the said company said that Lindgren got in touch with them last 2013 to find out if it was possible to make bagpipes that could be played in space.
