“In Orbit” lecture by ESA Astronaut Paolo Nespoli

“When you leave the ISS, you close all the hatches, check your suit and don’t touch anything anymore. You make sure the seals are effectively sealed, else you’re stuck, you might not have enough oxygen.”

 

ESA Astronaut Paolo Nespoli (Italian), addressed the question of the amazing photographs he took when last leaving the ISS, given the unique opportunity to provide images of ISS with space shuttle Endeavour and ATV-2 both docked. The talk was part of the Mission X initiative and took place at the Royal Aeronautical Society in London on Saturday 28^th April. Due to transport issues he started with an impromptu questions and answers session.

Conference celebrating 50 years of the UK in space

There was a great program of events for this two day conference at the Science Museum.

My contribution to their official blog can be found here.

I was excited to meet and talk with John Zarnecki, who spent over 15 years of his life working on the science surface package for the Huygens probe, which successfully landed on Titan on 14th January 2005, and continued to send back data for over 90 minutes. I look forward to seeing him again this summer as he is a tutor at the Alpbach summer school.

NPoC for the Space Generation Advisory Council

I am pleased to announce that I have been appointed as one of the two UK National Points of Contact for the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC).
Their vision is to employ the creativity and vigour of youth in advancing humanity through the peaceful uses of outer space and to represent students and young professionals in the creation of international space policy; supporting the UN Programme on Space Applications.

Alpbach Summer School

"Dear Ms MacArthur
We are pleased to inform you that your application has been accepted and that we can offer you a place in the Summer School Alpbach 2012. You will be granted a scholarship by the UK Space Agency."

Best email I have received this year! Very excited and mildly terrified at the prospect of designing a mission to the outer planets, in a diverse international team of 15, in six days plus three days of lectures.  Having spoken with some Alpbach tutors since, the common advice seems to be "Make sure you come well rested and don't expect to sleep, it will involve 20 hour working days".

UKSEDS Annual Conference

 “Everything starts as someone’s daydream” (Larry Niven)

The UKSEDS (UK Students for Exploration and Development of Space) conference took place on Sat 31^st March and Sun 1^st April at the University of Kent, bringing together space students and enthusiasts from universities across the UK, to enjoy two days of talks, discussions and exhibitions. 

 

Professor Mark Burchell

After a welcome from Nancy Hine, the UKSEDS outgoing chair, Jeremy Curtis from the UK Space Agency brought us up to date with the latest statistics.  The UK space sector employs 24,900 people directly in an industry worth £7.5bn, which is currently growing at over 9% a year, contrary to the rest of the economy. By 2020 this is projected to account for £14bn with 115,000 jobs. With 57% of workers currently having a degree, this is one of the most highly skilled industries which will continue its growing need for strong science and engineering graduates.

Gyroscope at the Cité de l'Espace

They persuaded me to try the gyroscope...

ATV Tweetup in Toulouse

The space tweeps with astronaut Paolo Nespoli (photo credit ESA)

Witnessed the docking of the ATV-3 to the International Space Station, 
live in Toulouse, after this tour of the control room.

Highlights video (credit ESA)

APEX lecture at UCL

Dr Nick Achilleos - The Warping of Saturn's Plasma Sheet

APEX lecture at UCL

Camilla Danielski, Marcell Tessenyi and Morgan Hollis - Atmospheric Characterization of Exoplanets, The EChO Space Mission and A Bayesian Catalogue of Exoplanets

RAS lecture

Dr Ian Crawford - The Far Future of the Sun, Earth and Life in the Solar System