Reserve astronaut Meganne Christian to present free household speak

Want to satisfy an astronaut?

The Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) is happy to announce that European Space Agency (ESA) reserve astronaut Meganne Christian will this month be delivering a public speak on humanity’s return to the Moon.

With NASA’s Artemis II simply across the nook, households are invited to hitch us throughout February half-term to listen to Meganne discover what the mission means for the UK’s subsequent era of aspiring astronauts, who may in the future be dwelling and dealing on the Moon.

What will people be doing on Gateway, the proposed lunar house station? How will they survive for lengthy intervals on the floor? And what may a base on the Moon seem like?

Find out on the free speak ‘Back to the Moon’, being hosted by the RAS at Burlington House in London on Friday 20 February.

It will happen from 2pm, adopted by a Q&A the place the viewers will get to grill Meganne about no matter they like, equivalent to how she was chosen as a reserve astronaut, what NASA’s mega Moon rocket SLS seems to be like up shut and why going again to the Moon is so necessary.

As an added bonus, there will even be an opportunity to climb aboard a cellular observatory referred to as ‘Moon Palace’, which might be stationed outside our Burlington House courtyard from 20-21 February.

This transformed college bus sports activities a mesmerising array of vibrant nebulae on its exterior, whereas inside it’s geared up with a robust optical telescope for stargazing at planets, distant stars and galaxies, plus a rooftop radio telescope which permits guests to take heed to sounds of the universe.

It additionally includes a lunar map on board, loads of sculptures and paintings of planets and stars, cosy blankets to maintain heat and “cosmic tea” served in mugs resembling an alien head.

To e-book a FREE ticket for Back to the Moon, click here. No reserving is required for the Moon Palace, simply flip up and hop on.

Further data

About Meganne Christian

In November 2022, Meganne was chosen from a pool of over 22,500 candidates throughout Europe to be one of many 17 members of ESA’s first astronaut class in 13 years.

She can also be Senior Exploration Manager (Commercial) on the UK Space Agency, advising on human and robotic spaceflight within the post-International Space Station panorama.

About the Moon Palace

Moon Palace is an paintings and dealing cellular observatory by artists Heather Peak and Ivan Morison. Co-produced by East Leeds Project and LEEDS 2023 and commissioned by Foxglove and LEEDS 2023 for Smeaton300. Developed in partnership with the School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds.