26 vie to be first Singaporean to fly into space

Trying their luck: The seven of the 26 candidates posing at the Global Space & Technology Convention at Sheraton Towers.

A 15-YEAR-OLD girl, a former soldier who has climbed Mount Everest and Singapore Airlines (SIA) pilots are among 26 Singaporeans vying to become the first citizen to pilot a craft into near space – more than 20km above sea level.

Seven of them were picked to face the nation for the first time yesterday at the Global Space & Technology Convention held at Sheraton To­­wers.