ESERO Ireland is delighted to participate with colleagues from ESERO Germany and ESERO Czech Republic in an In Flight Call to German ESA Astronaut Matthias Maurer on 24 November.
What an AMAZING event at our In Flight Call with IT Carlow. Students from St Leo’s College, Presentation College and Tyndall College Carlow joined us at the IoT and they asked questions directly to ESA German Astronaut Matthias Maurer on board the International Space Station.
We learned about working and living on the space station and the science research that Matthias is doing as part of his Cosmic Kiss mission including testing concrete for CO2 emmsions and different closed life cycles on the ISS.
Don’t worry if you missed this exciting event you can watch it back on YouTube
Cosmic Kiss Mission
ESA astronaut of German nationality Matthias Maurer launched on his first space mission to the International Space Station (ISS) from Florida on 11th November for a six month mission called Cosmic Kiss. During his mission, Matthias will support over 35 diverse scientific and technological experiments, the outcomes of which will advance knowledge in areas ranging from human health to materials science. The knowledge gained as a result of the mission will shape the future of space exploration and help enhance life on Earth.
The name of the mission, chosen by Maurer, is a declaration of love for space. It communicates the special connection the Station provides between Earth’s inhabitants and the cosmos. The name also conveys the value of partnership in exploring farther to the Moon and Mars, alongside the need to respect, protect and preserve the nature of our home planet for a sustainable future on Earth.
More information about the Cosmic Kiss mission can be found at the links below:
https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Cosmic_kiss
https://blogs.esa.int/exploration/category/astronauts/matthias-maurer/
https://www.dlr.de/content/en/missions/cosmic-kiss.html
ESERO Ireland local Programme with Institute of Technology Carlow
ESERO Ireland and IT Carlow will have a separate programme for senior cycle second level students in attendance on the day which will also be streamed on HEAnet platform.
We will be chatting to members of the Cosmic Kiss Crew Support team at the ESA Astronaut Centre in Cologne as well as PhD students studying in IT Carlow. We will also be chatting to Thomas Ormston from ESA about the upcoming James Webb Space Telescope Mission and to Dr Patrick Kavanagh from Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies who will tell us how Ireland can benefit from the JWST mission.
Registration has now closed for this event but you can still watch the In Flight Call element on the YouTube link above between 13.35 hrs and 15.30 hrs.
Below is the outline of the day. (Please note that times are approximate and maybe subject to change)
| Time | Item |
| 11.45 hrs | Event opens – Welcome from IT Carlow |
| 11.50 hrs | Setting the Scene
Introduction to SFI, ESA & ESERO Stephanie O’Neill, ESERO Ireland Manager |
| 12.10 hrs | The Cosmic Kiss Mission
Review of the launch and interview with Crew Support from the ESA Astronaut Centre in Cologne |
| 12.30 hrs | Meet the PhD Students from IT Carlow
Dillon O’Reilly – “Exploring the Solar System with Small Robots” Yona Samuel – “Space; The Challenges of Exploration” Chloe Leddy – “Exploring Human Movement in Space; Biomechanics at Microgravity” |
| 12.40 hrs | Creating our Future, Rebecca Wilson, SFI |
| 12.50 hrs | Lunch Break |
| 13.35 hrs | YouTube Streaming begins
Links Check introductions to the three ESERO sites |
| 14.05 hrs | Live In-Flight Call begins
With questions from students in Germany, Ireland and Czech Republic. |
| 14.30 hrs | Comfort Break |
| 14.40 hrs | Revert back to local programme
Introduction to the James Webb Space Telescope Mission Interviews with Thomas Ormston from ESA and Dr Patrick Kavanagh from DIAS |
| 15.00hrs | Quiz for students in the room |
| 15.20 hrs | Prizes awarded and end of the programme |
