A COLLECTION of space memorabilia was presented to Chief Minister Tony Brown MHK in July to celebrate the Isle of Man's links with a mission to the International Space Station.
The framed montage of photographs and mission patches was a gift from NASA astronaut Nicole Stott who served as a flight engineer on board the Space Shuttle Discovery last year.
The presentation was made by Nicole's husband Chris, the Isle of Man Government's honorary representative to the space community.
Chris, who is chairman and chief executive officer of Island-based aerospace company ManSat, said: "Nicole felt truly honoured to carry these items into space for the Isle of Man.
"It meant a great deal to her and she was thrilled by the interest and support shown by people in the Island, which she now regards as her second home."
The images presented to the chief minister depict various stages of the mission, while the patches are ones that Nicole actually took with her to the International Space Station.
American-born Nicole, who completed a six-hour spacewalk during the expedition, was seen wearing an Ellan Vannin T-shirt during a live link from orbit with a group of Island secondary school pupils last October.
Accepting the gift on behalf of the Isle of Man Government, Mr Brown said: "We followed Nicole’s progress last year with great interest and I know that her mission really captured the imagination of Island residents, in particular our school children.
"The space industry is an important part of the Isle of Man’s increasingly diversified economy and Nicole’s mission helped to further enhance our profile within the international space community."
In another connection between the Isle of Man and the International Space Station, singer and guitarist Davy Knowles, who grew up in Port St Mary but now lives in America, played a song live from NASA's Mission Control Centre in Houston to the International Space Station when Nicole was onboard.
Nicole headed back to the International Space Station in November 2010 on board the final flight of space shuttle Discovery
