The workshop « Space for Life »

Ecsite workshop

The Space Group workshop “Space for Life - Develop and share resources”, organised by ESA and Ecsite, takes place on 7–8 June at the Graz Art Museum, Kunshtaus.

It includes a presentation of ESA highlights 2016-2018 and space news from the Austria Space Agency.

Representatives of science centres and museums will work together on three pilot projects that will be developed with the support of ESA and shared within the Ecsite network:

- Pilot Project 1 - The International Space Station: Living and working in Space, fully developed in 2016, co-led by Cité de l’Espace, Toulouse, France; Tycho Brahe Planetarium, Copenhagen, Denmark.

- Project 2 - Is there life out there, fully developed in 2017, led by City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia, Spain.

- Project 3 - Climate change: Monitoring the Atmosphere and Oceans from Space, fully developed in 2018, led by Ciência Viva, Lisbon, Portugal.

Key-speakers include ESA experts in the fields of Earth Observation, Human Spaceflight and Exploration, Planetary Science and Astronomy.

On the first day, ESA astronaut Jean-Francois Clervoy will provide an overview of the European contribution to the International Space Station and his vision of future exploration. He commented: "Since time immemorial the unknown has inspired humankind to travel on a constant quest for knowledge and discovery. The ISS represents a major step forward: we are now able to live and work in space in peaceful international cooperation.

"The ISS not only expands the frontiers of human knowledge providing cutting-edge scientific research but also provides an invaluable platform for observing the Earth and the Universe and as a foothold for the future space exploration."

The Conference

On 9 June, the Space Group will hold a session entitled “Cooperation in Space – the ISS”. ESA astronaut Jean-Francois Clervoy commented: “The ISS is the world’s largest international and peaceful scientific venture ever”. Science centres and museums have an important role in the field of communication; they have skills and expertise to design exhibitions, events and educational tools to communicate with different target audiences and to inspire young generations in the STEM fields.

ESA at the Business Bistro

ESA will also be present at the traditional Ecsite Business Bistro, a place for professionals and institutions to present new science communication tools.

This year, the ESA-Ecsite Space Group stand will be the platform to promote the pilot project “Europe and the ISS: Living and working in Space”. Results of the “Hook up with Rosetta” campaign will also be presented and there will be an opportunity to share and develop new projects around the topic “Space for life”.

The Space Group

The Ecsite Space Group was founded with the support of ESA in 2012 and now comprises more than 80 museums. It offers a platform to facilitate cooperation among science centres, museums, research institutions, universities, national space agencies and industries all over Europe. Together they design collaborative projects to better share European space activities with the general public thanks to the strong leverage provided by European science centres and museums.

The Space Group is led by Marc Moutin, Director of Exhibitions at Cité de l’Espace, Toulouse, France; Ana Noronha, Executive Director of Ciência Viva, Lisbon, Portugal; and Maria Menendez, Head of ESA Corporate Exhibitions and Events.

For more information, please contact:

Maria Menendez
ESA Head of Corporate Exhibitions and Events Office, Communication Department
Tel: +33 1 53 69 7167 +33 1 53 69 7167
Email: maria.menendez@esa.int

Fiorella Coliolo
Space Group Coordinator for ESA
Mob: +33 6 50 03 0885 +33 6 50 03 0885
Email: fcoliolo@exoworld.net

:

- Pilot Project 1 - The International Space Station: Living and working in Space, fully developed in 2016, co-led by Cité de l’Espace, Toulouse, France; Tycho Brahe Planetarium, Copenhagen, Denmark.

- Project 2 - Is there life out there, fully developed in 2017, led by City of Arts and Sciences, Valencia, Spain.

- Project 3 - Climate change: Monitoring the Atmosphere and Oceans from Space, fully developed in 2018, led by Ciência Viva, Lisbon, Portugal.

Key-speakers include ESA experts in the fields of Earth Observation, Human Spaceflight and Exploration, Planetary Science and Astronomy.

On the first day, ESA astronaut Jean-Francois Clervoy will provide an overview of the European contribution to the International Space Station and his vision of future exploration. He commented: "Since time immemorial the unknown has inspired humankind to travel on a constant quest for knowledge and discovery. The ISS represents a major step forward: we are now able to live and work in space in peaceful international cooperation.

"The ISS not only expands the frontiers of human knowledge providing cutting-edge scientific research but also provides an invaluable platform for observing the Earth and the Universe and as a foothold for the future space exploration."

The Conference

On 9 June, the Space Group will hold a session entitled “Cooperation in Space – the ISS”. ESA astronaut Jean-Francois Clervoy commented: “The ISS is the world’s largest international and peaceful scientific venture ever”. Science centres and museums have an important role in the field of communication; they have skills and expertise to design exhibitions, events and educational tools to communicate with different target audiences and to inspire young generations in the STEM fields.

ESA at the Business Bistro

ESA will also be present at the traditional Ecsite Business Bistro, a place for professionals and institutions to present new science communication tools.

This year, the ESA-Ecsite Space Group stand will be the platform to promote the pilot project “Europe and the ISS: Living and working in Space”. Results of the “Hook up with Rosetta” campaign will also be presented and there will be an opportunity to share and develop new projects around the topic “Space for life”.

The Space Group

The Ecsite Space Group was founded with the support of ESA in 2012 and now comprises more than 80 museums. It offers a platform to facilitate cooperation among science centres, museums, research institutions, universities, national space agencies and industries all over Europe. Together they design collaborative projects to better share European space activities with the general public thanks to the strong leverage provided by European science centres and museums.

The Space Group is led by Marc Moutin, Director of Exhibitions at Cité de l’Espace, Toulouse, France; Ana Noronha, Executive Director of Ciência Viva, Lisbon, Portugal; and Maria Menendez, Head of ESA Corporate Exhibitions and Events.

For more information, please contact:

Maria Menendez
ESA Head of Corporate Exhibitions and Events Office, Communication Department
Tel: +33 1 53 69 7167 +33 1 53 69 7167
Email: maria.menendez@esa.int

Fiorella Coliolo
Space Group Coordinator for ESA
Mob: +33 6 50 03 0885 +33 6 50 03 0885
Email: fcoliolo@exoworld.net