Work on the myPocketQub project is continuing and we are still recruiting helpers for construction and design tasks on the satellite we’re aiming to launch in October.
Do you have a creative idea of how to promote space? Or a cool project you always wanted to do but never had the cash for it? Here is your chance to get the funding from the UK Space Agency through the Space for All scheme.
More details on the UK Space Agency website: http://www.ukspaceagency.bis.gov.uk/About-BNSC/Space-for-All/12167.aspx
The Astronauts of Expedition 26/27
ESA’s Italian astronaut Paolo Nespoli will soon visit the International Space Station, and he needs your help to name his mission.
Paolo Nespoli will be launched in a Soyuz TMA spacecraft from Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on 30 November with Dmitri Kondratyev and Catherine Coleman (pictured right). After docking two days later, they will stay on the International Space Station (ISS) as members of Expeditions 26/27.
Paolo’s previous mission was called Esperia from the Ancient Greek name for the Italian peninsula. Following the enthusiastic response to earlier competitions, ESA is again inviting European citizens to suggest names for his new mission.
The competition is open to all citizens and residents of ESA’s Member States. The winning name will become the official name of Nespoli’s mission and the winner will receive a frame with the mission logo signed by European astronauts.
Submissions need to be in by 30 June, so you don’t have much time!
For more information about the competition check out the ESA website here.
SGAC and its Near Earth Object Working Group are happy to announce the third annual Move an Asteroid technical paper competition!
While previous years’ competitions asked contestants how to move an asteroid, this edition of the competition challenges students and young professionals worldwide to come up with ideas for a global asteroid impact early warning system.
The winner will receive a fully paid trip to Prague, Czech Republic to present the findings at the Space Generation Congress and the International Astronautical Congress. Flights, hotel, and conference registration will be covered.
Submissions are due 30 July, 2010 so don’t delay!
Fly Your Thesis
The European Space Agency is proud to announce the third edition of “Fly your Thesis! – An Astronaut Experience”. Through this exciting programme, several teams of university students throughout Europe will be given the opportunity to fly their experiments in microgravity by participating in a series of parabolic flights on the Airbus A300 Zero-G aircraft.
“Fly Your Thesis!” requires each team of students to design a scientific experiment to be performed in microgravity, as part of their Masters/PhD thesis or research programme. In order to apply for the programme, teams should submit their outline proposals using a Letter of Intent template to be found on the website, by the deadline of 12 July 2010.
A Review Board will then select up to 20 teams, who will be invited to elaborate a detailed scientific proposal, with the support of a scientific mentor. As a conclusion to this phase, the teams will present their projects to a review board during a dedicated workshop to be held at an ESA Centre.
After this initial workshop, up to four teams will be selected to further develop and perform their experiment on an ESA Microgravity Research Campaign that will take place in Bordeaux, France, during the spring of 2012. There, the student teams will work in close contact with renowned European scientists carrying out their own research. During the Campaign, the students will accompany their experiments on board for three flights of 30 parabolas, experiencing about 20 seconds of microgravity during each parabola.
During the development of the “Fly your Thesis!” experiments, the participating teams will be supported by ESA’s Education Office, ESA microgravity experts and members of the European Low Gravity Research Association (ELGRA). ESA will offer financial support to cover part of the cost of the experiments, necessary travel and accommodation.
Teams from ESA Member States and Cooperating States are encouraged to register on the ESA Education Office’s project portal and upload their proposals for this programme.
All the information can be found on the website of ESA Education:
www.esa.int/education together with information about many other projects and opportunities organised by ESA Education Office.
The newest issue of ECLIPTIC is now available. Along other important news it includes the announcement of our first competition open to all members where you can win a cool prize and glory with some creativity. It also includes an article on the new membership prices and branch affiliation. We hope you will be glad to hear all prices have been reduced and branch affiliation is now free. Please read the ECLIPTIC for more details.
You can view and download the April ECLIPTIC here.
P.S.: you might have noticed that the March edition of ECLIPTIC is not available at the moment. We did not miss out on that issue and it will be uploaded to the publication page shortly!
P.P.S.: March ECLIPTIC is now available for download!
