What Happens at the UK In Space Festival?
- 5th Sep 2025
- Author: Elliott Langley - Marketing Administrator
Did you know that the United Kingdom plays a bigger role in the exploration and our understanding of space than you might have realised? Our nation is, in fact, an important contributor to many parts of the space industry around the world! Dhara, our Space Expert, recently wrote a blog post all about our the UK’s involvement, and it gave me the idea to take a closer look at our upcoming UK in Space Festival event.
In case you've never heard of it, the Festival is an annual event that brings the story of the UK’s involvement in space to life. It's a day designed to inspire curiosity in all ages, whether you’re a lifelong space enthusiast or just wondering what really happens beyond our atmosphere.
We have been running this event for several years now, so to better understand what goes on at the Festival, I decided it was time to sit down with Dhara and talk about this exciting event, who it is for, and what you can expect on this very special day!
Thanks for joining me Dhara! So let’s start by asking what the UK in Space Festival is all about?
Thanks for having me on the blog Elliott! So, the UK in Space Festival is a one-day event showcasing all the incredible things happening across the UK’s space sector. The whole idea is to showcase the cutting-edge research, pioneering technology, and the people driving our nation’s contributions to space exploration, all in one day. Hopefully people who attend will walk away as experts on why the UK is such a key player in the space industry.
And whose idea was it originally, did you pitch the concept?
No actually, although it is very much my baby now! The first Festival was held before I joined the National Space Centre, which was about three and a half years ago. It grew out of our popular Space Lates events, which are evenings focusing on specific themes in space science. The festival expands on that idea, and we turned it into a full-day extravaganza. Many people don’t realise just how much the UK does in space, so it’s also about celebrating and raising awareness.
And who is the Festival for?
Everyone! Whether you’re fascinated by astronauts, robotics, telescopes, or even space careers, there’s something for you. You don’t have to be a space expert, even a mild curiosity is enough. And even if you think space is something you don't find interesting, I honestly think the Festival will change your mind!
What can visitors expect on the day?
Loads! We’ve got Planetarium shows in the UK’s largest planetarium, produced in-house by our NSC Creative team. There’s a keynote talk from ESA reserve astronaut John McFall, who is leading a feasibility study on sending astronauts with physical disabilities into space. We've got expert talks every half hour, covering topics like Mars rovers, space junk, Earth observation, and lots more. Then there's interactive exhibits across our galleries, from careers stands with organisations like Airbus and ESA, to hands-on science activities with the experts.
There’s honestly too much to do in one day, anyone who manages it all deserves a gold badge!
What makes this different from your other events?
It’s very science-focused while still being family-friendly. We’ve brought everything together in one day, so there’s something for everyone, even if science isn’t your main interest. For example, this year we’ve got a space artist joining us too, so if art is your thing then there's something for you too.
And it's a "Festival"... so does that mean people need to bring their wellies, put on sunblock and prepare for a mosh pit?
[Laughing] Not quite, it's not the type of festival that you go to Elliott! For one thing, it's all indoors. But we will have Leicester Astronomical Society joining us, so fingers crossed the weather plays ball!
The plan is for them to be outside in the front of our car park. And you might think, "well Dhara, the sky won't be dark, so what are we going to be looking at?" But they're going to have their telescopes set on the sun to do "daytime stargazing", using sun filters to protect people's eyes.
And if it does turn out that it's pouring with rain, then they'll be set up inside to showcase the different types of telescopes and answer any questions.
What about souvenirs and merchandise? You've got to have some merch for a festival, right?
Absolutely! We've got a whole range of UK in Space Festival-themed merchandise in our online shop, so visitors can grab a t-shirt in advance and wear it to the event! It might even be worth getting one of the tote bags and brining it along, as lots of the guests like to give out free bits and leaflets.
There's also the chance to get a copy of the new Space Tour book that myself and Charlie [our NSC Discovery Director in Education] have co-written and have it signed by us! We'll both be giving a talk about the book and doing a signing, so that will make a great souvenir for the day. We'll also be giving away an exclusive Space Tour pin badge whenever someone gets a book signed, which is really exciting! The Festival is going to be the only place that you'll be able to get one.
What do you think will be the highlight for visitors?
Oooh, it's hard to choose just one thing when there's going to be so much going on! I've deliberately picked things that I think people will genuinely be interested in. John McFall’s keynote will be a real standout, but honestly, the whole lineup is brilliant, and many of our speakers will also have stands, so people can meet them and ask questions directly. I'm gutted that I'm not going to be able do and see everything!
What are you personally going to be doing on the day?
I’ll be busy running around making sure everything goes smoothly, so like I say, I won’t get to enjoy every talk and activity. But I’m excited to see visitors’ reactions, the smiles, the gasps of surprise when they learn something new, and the excitement of meeting people working on real space missions.
Is it challenging to organise a festival like this?
It definitely has it's challenges. Coordinating such a wide variety of speakers and exhibitors is tricky. We want to make sure there’s a broad range of topics without too much overlap. Then there are all the logistics, like making sure speakers, exhibitors, and visitors have a seamless experience. It’s a lot of behind-the-scenes work, but it’s so worth it to see it all go smoothly on the day.
Thank you Dhara. And finally... have you got a fun "UK in Space" space fact to leave us with.
[Laughing] You always do this! Hmm... did you know that there are around 48,000 people employed in the UK’s space industry, and that number is growing? People often don’t realise just how big and important the UK’s role in space really is, but that number there shows how much of an impact the UK is having!
Thank you so much to Dhara for taking the time to speak to me and telling me all about the UK in Space Festival.
The Festival will be held on Sunday 14 September - Book your tickets now
Merchandise using the UK in Space Festival design can be purchased on our online shop.
