The event program is still being updated - please check back here to see the full list of talks and live shows as they're confirmed.

1. Roadside Assistance in Space

   • David Keszthelyi, Astroscale
   • TBC

   Imagine if the roads on Earth had no roadside assistance, no fuel stations, and nothing to clean them up with. That is exactly what is happening in space. In this talk, spacecraft engineer David explores how badly our orbital highways need roadside assistance and how “space tow trucks” work. Learn more about the dangerous debris filled orbits satellites have to work in, and how essential it is that we keep them safe by keeping space tidy.

2. Walrus from Space

   • Rod Downie, WWF
   • TBC

   Walrus are an iconic species of immense cultural importance to Arctic people.Since 2021, WWF and British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have been asking the public to become ‘Walrus Detectives’ and help contribute to conservation science by searching for and counting walrus in thousands of satellite images taken from space. Join Rod to learn how this project will help scientists to better understand the impact of climate change on populations of this iconic species and help safeguard their future.

3. Space Traffic Control: how we keep satellites and Earth safe from space junk

   • Mark Buckley and Saoirse Osborne, The PSC
   • TBC

   What is space debris? Why is space junk becoming more of a problem? Join Mark and Saoirse as they discuss how traffic in space is monitored and how the UK is tracking close approaches and re-entries of objects to make space safer and more sustainable.

   They'll also share more about the different roles needed in keeping space safe and how they’re expected to grow.

4. Age of Aurora: The Future of the Northern Lights

   • Tom Kerss
   • TBC

   During the past two years, the maximum period of the solar cycle delighted aurora-chasers both in and out of the Arctic. It wasn't only sky-watchers as far south as the tropics astonished by a visit from the Northern Lights in May 2024; scientists were also surprised by the performance of the maximum, which exceeded expectations.

   Join Tom as he shares what have we learnt and what the future holds. With new instruments in space, including the UK-built magnetometer onboard NASA’s IMAP spacecraft, the future of aurora-chasing and understanding the Northern Lights is looking bright!

5. One Telescope or a Fleet of Flying Robots?

   • Fadi Atallah, Zeeko Ltd.
   • TBC

   Space telescopes are giving us a window into the Universe's mysteries. But imagine a world where rather than having single telescopes looking out into the cosmos, robots flying in formation instead combine their light to act as one giant eye on the Universe

   Join Fadi as he explores how future space telescopes could read the light from far‑away cosmic objects to discover their secrets - revealing the newest techniques to detect distant worlds and search for signs of life beyond Earth.

6. Space, Security & Connectivity: The UK’s Satellite Future

   • Paul Meacham, Airbus Defence and Space
   • TBC

   Science space missions are always very interesting and valuable but the core activity of many organisations like Airbus actually revolves around satellites built for telecommunications. The world we live in now requires more security measures and that applies to our satellite too.

   Join Paul as he describes the shifting focus in UK space strategy towards telecommunication satellites for national security, including how these satellites work and the threats they must face.

7. Unexpected Results from Drilling the Chicxulub Impact Structure

   • Annemarie Pickersgill, SUERC – Centre for Isotope Sciences/University of Glasgow
   • TBC

   Hydrothermal systems, such as where heat from inside the Earth and water on the ocean floors interact, likely played a role in the origin of life on Earth. One of the unknowns is how long these systems last.

   Join Annemarie as she share her work that has focused on the Chicxulub “dinosaur killer” impact structure. Research has found that hydrothermal activity lasted for 8 million years, about four times longer than previously estimated. This makes it the longest-lived impact generated hydrothermal system documented, and means that these systems provided much longer windows of duration for early life to develop and thrive.

Meet the Experts

1. Keynote - Dallas Campbell

   • Broadcaster and Author

   Dallas has presented some of television’s highest-profile factual programmes for the BBC and beyond, including: The Gadget Show, Bang Goes the Theory, Supersized Earth, Stargazing Live, and The Sky at Night.

   He has written two books on the history and culture of space of space exploration: Ad, Astra an Illustrated Guide to Leaving the Planet (Simon & Schuster) and Space Journal: The Art and Science of Cosmic Exploration (Thames & Hudson), as well as contributing to several others.

2. David Keszthelyi

   • GNC Systems Team Lead, Astroscale

   David has spent his career working in the UK as a spacecraft engineer – mostly specializing in Guidance, Navigation, and Control (GNC). His passion truly took off at Nanoavionics, where working on CubeSats and leading a small technical team taught him how to balance hands-on engineering with leadership.

   He now leads the development of the GNC system for the ELSA-M mission at Astroscale, designed to remove defunct satellites from Earth’s orbit. His dedication to the space industry earned him a spot on Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list.

3. Rod Downie

   • Chief Advisor, Polar & Oceans, WWF

   Rod has worked in the polar regions for nearly 30 years, initially at the British Antarctic Survey and for the last 15 years with WWF. With 15 field seasons in Antarctica under his belt (totalling 2 ½ years of living and working on the ice), he has also worked in the Canadian, Russian and Norwegian Arctic.

   Rod leads a wide portfolio of science and conservation projects ranging from krill and humpback whales to polar bears and ‘Walrus from Space’. Additionally, he serves as an advisor to the UK Government at the Antarctic Treaty, as well as sitting on numerous scientific and technical advisory bodies. 

4. Charles Black

   • Founder and CEO, Sen

   Charles has been passionate about space since he was a child, and came up with the original vision for Sen in 1991, aged 19.

   Prior to founding Sen, Charles set up his first company, cloud computing business Nasstar, in 1998. Nasstar plc was admitted to trading on the London Stock Exchange in 2005. Charles stepped down as CEO of Nasstar in 2014 in order to focus on Sen, pursuing his life-long dream to democratize space by streaming real-time videos from space for the benefit of all humanity.

5. Daisy Richardson

   • Software Engineer, Goonhilly

   In 2018, Daisy was part of the winning team for the UK CanSat competition. It inspired her to aim for a career in the space industry which she began by completing her degree in Physics with Astrophysics at the University of Leeds.

   She started her careers on an internship with a Welsh start-up called B2Space, and stayed on as a Junior Aerospace Engineer. More recently she moved to Goonhilly and now works as a Software Engineer, recovering signals and generating a simulator to test the set-up of this major satellite communications station.

6. Greg Duffy

   • Director, Prospero Space Fellowship

   Greg is a passionate advocate for the space industry. He is a founding director of the first UK space fellowship – Prospero Space Fellowship. He is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, a STEM Ambassador and has mentored ESA CanSat teams since 2015 with teams winning the UK competition in 2018 and 2019.

   Greg is also an Assistant Headteacher in the East Midlands.

7. Martin Goff

   • Meteorite Collector, MSG Meteorites

   Collecting meteorites since 2007 - Martin is meteorite obsessive! With half English - half French heritage, his main collecting focus is on UK/ Irish and French meteorites. The historical and cultural impact that each meteorite fall brings is what makes collecting meteorites such a fascinating hobby for him.

   Having previously worked as a chef, freelance photographer, crime scene investigator, computer technician. trainee electrician and cheesecake factory operative, Martin has had such varied jobs that shows space is not out of bounds for anyone!

8. Mark Buckley and Saoirse Osborne

   • Product Manager and Associate Consultant, The PSC

   Mark is a digital product specialist at The PSC, helping public sector organisations design and deliver better online services. He's worked with the UK Space Agency and National Space Operations Centre on Monitor Space Hazards (a service that tracks satellite collision, re-entry and space debris risks to support safer space operations).

   Saoirse is an Associate Consultant at The PSC. She works on Monitor Space Hazards, doing research with satellite operators to make sure that the service gives them the data they need to safely manoeuvre their satellites and avoid collisions.

9. Tom Kerss

   • Author / Astronomer / Chief Aurora Chaser, HarperCollins / Hurtigruten

   Tom is an astronomer, author of fifteen books, and Hurtigruten’s Chief Aurora Chaser. An expert in the sky, specialising in the Northern Lights and Eclipses, and with a background in astrophysics, he has worked under the darkest and most beautiful skies on Earth.

   Tom was formerly based at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, and his latest edition of Northern Lights: The Definitive Guide to Auroras carries the institution’s endorsement.

10. John Chinner

    • Head of Outreach, Airbus Defence and Space

    John has always been passionate about engineering and space and joined Airbus in 2010 as an electrical engineer. He then joined the Airbus Space Engineering Academy combining his love of space engineering and developing people to make sure engineers had the skills they needed to design and build the best spacecraft. 

    As his responsibilities for future skill and competence road mapping grew he took on a newly created role as Head of Outreach and STEM Engagement in 2024, helping to find new opportunities for people to join the space industry.

11. Fadi Atallah

    • Research & Development Engineer, Zeeko Ltd

    Fadi is a Research Engineer at Zeeko Ltd - a UK based company which builds very exact, top-quality machines that make camera, telescope, laser and glass lenses super smooth. The harsh space environment and the requirements of telescopes and satellites to focus light accurately over huge distances, makes this technology invaluable to space.

    As one of the leading companies in the world at developing these precision optics, Fadi leads a €3.6 million European consortium developing next‑generation robotic fabrication systems.

12. Dr Annemarie Pickersgill

    • Leverhulme Early Career Research Fellow, SUERC - Centre for Isotope Sciences/University of Glasgow

    Annemarie has been researching impact structures for nearly 20 years, first at the University of Western Ontario, Canada, and then at SUERC and the University of Glasgow, UK.

    She was a participating scientist during IODP-ICDP Expedition 364: Drilling the Chicxulub impact structure, and is currently a Leverhulme-funded Research Fellow investigating the duration of impact-generated hydrothermal activity. 

13. Dr Chrysa Avdellidou

    • Lecturer in Planetary Science, University of Leicester

    Chrysa is a planetary scientist at the University of Leicester who studies the physical properties of asteroids and meteoroids to understand how the Solar System formed and evolved, and how these objects can impact planetary surfaces. Her research combines telescope observations, laboratory impact experiments, and space missions' exploration. 

    Passionate about public engagement, she enjoys bringing meteorites, minerals, and impact experiment samples to events, giving audiences the opportunity to handle real space rocks and discover how scientists uncover the history of our Solar System.

14. Dr Marisa Rydzy

    • IODP Research Associate, University of Leicester

    Marisa is a rock physicist from the University of Leicester. She studies the mechanical, electrical, radioactive, and thermal properties of a great variety of different rocks and sediments – both, in the borehole and laboratory.

    Her favourite part of her work is to help facilitate rock physics measurement on scientific ocean drilling expeditions. She loves space and hopes to one day get the chance to investigate the physical attributes of extraterrestrial rocks. 

15. Professor Sarah Davies

    • Professor of Sedimentology, University of Leicester

    Sarah is a geoscientist from the University of Leicester who uses clues preserved in rocks and sediments to reveal how Earth has responded to major events throughout its history. Over the past two decades, she has helped plan and deliver nine scientific ocean drilling expeditions through the International Ocean Drilling Programme, including the mission that drilled into Mexico's Chicxulub impact crater, linked to the extinction of the dinosaurs.

    Sarah is passionate about sharing the excitement of scientific discovery and inspiring future generations of researchers and explorers.

16. Paul Meacham

    • Spacecraft Chief Engineer, Airbus Defence and Space

    Paul has been working for Airbus for the last 20 years of his career, the majority of which has been on the ExoMars Rover Vehicle Project (Rosalind Franklin rover due to launch in 2028) for the European Space Agency. 

    Currently he is the Satellite Chief Engineer for a major proposal to develop the next generation of telecommunication satellites. These satellites create a communication link between distant locations on Earth and are the systems that power global television, internet, telephone, and military data networks.

Activities & Workshops

The event program is still being updated - please check back here to see the full list of activities and workshops as they're confirmed.

1. Orbiter – Cleaning Up Space!

   • Astroscale
   • TBC

   Space is becoming less spacious....

   Just like cars on a busy road, satellites are now facing higher risks of colliding with each other or with pieces of space debris. Come help us build our space tow truck satellite and play our retro game, ORBITER, to learn more about different types of debris, how they threaten activities in space, and see if you have what it takes to navigate the orbital highways!

2. Telescopes and Daytime Observing

   • Leicester Astronomical Society
   • TBC

   Meet the Leicester Astronomical Society to find out more about stargazing and to look through their telescopes. *weather permitting in the Car Park, or Boosters if poor weather.

   Limited availability (first come, first served basis): Bring your own telescope along and members of the Leicester Astronomical Society will happily offer telescope setting-up advice.

3. Walrus Detectives

   • WWF
   • TBC

   The Walrus from Space project which is in cooperation with scientists around the Arctic, aims to carry out a census of Atlantic walrus populations in Canada, Greenland and the Norwegian Arctic using satellite imagery, and explore what might happen to them in the context of rapid climate change.

   Come and along and find out how you can become a Walrus Detective yourself!

4. Book Signing - Dallas Campbell

   • Dallas Campbell
   • TBC

   Following his talk, Dallas will be signing copies of his newest book Space Journal: The Art and Science of Cosmic Exploration. This visual celebration of how we perceive and endeavour to reach the Universe, is expertly woven together with memorabilia, experiments and scenes from the seventieth century to the modern day.

   Grab your copy of the book ahead of the signing from our gift shop, and come along to meet the author and get your copy signed.

5. Watch Space Live

   • Sen
   • TBC

   Sen operates a 4K UHD video camera system hosted on the International Space Station (ISS) which livestreams around 20 hours per day of video from three different cameras. And they'll be launching more video cameras into space into different orbits to increase the amount of live video from space.

   Watch the world’s first and only 4K UHD livestream of Earth from space and find out how streaming real-time videos from space can benefit of all humanity.

6. UK Launch Ecosystem

   • Prospero Space Fellowship & Goonhilly Ltd.
   • TBC

   In this collaborative and interactive activity join Prospero and Goonhilly to experience the future of UK launch capabilities by celebrating and simulating the UK Launch Ecosystem.

   Launch your Mars sample return spacecraft, create and test your range safety zone, and keep shipping and aircraft safe. Track your spacecraft, collect the Mars sample and clear up space junk - all while collecting stickers and completing your mission certificate.

7. MSG Meteorites

   • MSG Meteorites
   • TBC

   Discover a world of meteorites! We often think that space is so far away but sometimes bits of space come to us on Earth. Find out about different types of meteorites, what these space rocks are and where they came from.

   Join Martin and explore his display of meteorites from around the world and buy your own little piece of space to take home with you or a gift that someone else can treasure.

8. From Space to Seafloor: Drilling Earth’s Most Famous Impact

   • International Ocean Drilling Programme (IODP3)
   • TBC

   Sixty-six million years ago, a meteorite struck Earth, causing the extinction of 75% of plant and animal species, including non-flying dinosaurs. Scientists discovered the now buried impact crater more than 35 years ago and, in 2016, an international scientific ocean drilling expedition revealed what occurred right after the collision.

   University of Leicester researchers co-organised this expedition and will show how rocks from beneath the seafloor can reveal the secrets of Earth's most dramatic events.

9. Collision Course!

   • The PSC
   • TBC

   Put your skills to the test in an attempt to keep our planet safe in this interactive activity - Collision Course!

   With pieces of orbital debris predicted to pass near your satellite, your goal is to plan and carry out manoeuvres that prevent them from colliding. Have a go at guiding a satellite safely through a busy orbital environment, avoiding debris and making decisions about fuel, warnings and safe disposal. 

    

10. Book Signing - Tom Kerss

    • Tom Kerss
    • TBC

    Following his talk, Tom will be signing copies of the latest edition of his Northern Lights: The Definitive Guide to Auroras book. Packed with the science of nature's greatest light show and human perspectives from antiquity to modern times, this guide shares essential equipment, practical forecasting tools and viewing tips for those wanting the catch the northern lights.

    Grab your copy of the book ahead of the signing from our gift shop, and come along to meet the author and get your copy signed.

11. Airbus Careers

    • Airbus Defence and Space
    • TBC

    Come and chat to the Airbus team about the many different roles and careers available within the space industry and what you can do to get in on a slice of the action. They'll also have their Mars rover demo and a docking activity to show how challenging it can be to operate a spacecraft on another planet. 

    And find out about the British built ESA ExoMars rover, what its mission will entail and how you build a mobile science lab that can survive and work on the red planet. 

12. Laser Scanning Optics

    • Zeeko Ltd.
    • TBC

    Take a look at world leading scanning optics with a safe 3D laser scanner from Zeeko. See how it captures the exact shape of a 3D object - every curve and tiny detail.

    The robot can then read the accurate 3D map to identify any defects and once it has figured out where the shape is wrong, a polished and accurate surface can be produced in the final stage of the process. Join the Zeeko team to see how their machines have ended up in the space sector but also how moulds polished by Zeeko machines have likely helped create optical lenses of the smart phone in your pocket.  

Planetarium Shows

1. One Step Beyond

   • Brand-New Show
   • 10:20 / 13:50 / 15:10
   • Ages 5+

   From our first baby steps to setting foot on the Moon, humanity has always been driven to explore. Now, as we look to our next giant leap, Mars stands as our most ambitious goal yet. This new show explores the challenges of sending humans to the Red Planet, the global effort it will take, and the possibility of discovering signs of ancient life.

2. Tour of the Night Sky

   • Presenter-Led Show
   • 11:10 / 15:50
   • Ages 8+

   Join a member of our Discovery Team for an immersive journey through the wonders of the Universe. Your presenter will guide you through the current seasonal night sky before venturing into space for a unique perspective of Earth and distant celestial objects.

3. The Great Solar System Adventure

   • Award-Winning Show
   • 11:50 / 14:30 / 16:30*
   • Ages 5+

   Step inside the Observatorium for a thrilling journey across the Solar System, led by showman extraordinaire The Great Schiaparelli. From the scorched surface of Mercury to the icy reaches beyond Pluto, this daring adventure dives into the dangers and wonders of space and reminds us just how extraordinary Earth truly is. The 16:30 show is subtitled*.