JOIN SPACE ROCKS AT ESA’s ANNUAL OPEN DAY THIS SUNDAY, 8th OCTOBER!
We're delighted to announce the full lineup of our stage at this year's ESA Open Day at ESTEC this Sunday, 8th October. If you’re unable to make it to the free event, you can still follow along – we'll have a special day-long livestream of Uplink so you can follow along!
Located on the western coast of the Netherlands, The European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) is the European Space Agency's main technology development and test centre for spacecraft and space technology. Held on the first Sunday of every October, ESA’s Open Day is when ESTEC opens its doors to 10,000 members of the public from across Europe to meet its astronauts and space experts and to see spacecraft, hardware, and test equipment up close.
In association with ESA, Space Rocks has hosted a stage at the Open Day in previous years during 2018 and 2022. If you’re at the Open Day in person, we’ll have a range of official Space Rocks merch on offer as well as free posters and stickers to give away so pop along and say hello! But whether you’re at the Open Day or following online, here’s our full programme. And don’t forget to check out our space shop for our new line of merch!
SPACE ROCKS ESA OPEN DAY SCHEDULE: Sunday 8th October
(All timings are Central European Time/CEST)
Our hosts are ESA astrobiologist Nicol Caplin and ESA medical scientist Angelique van Ombergen.
10:30 SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT WITH ANDRÉ KUIPERS
With ESA astronaut André Kuipers and guests.
ESA astronaut André will be making a significant announcement with very special guests!
11:45 THE SCIENCE OF STAR WARS
A family-friendly show with author and rapper Jon Chase.
Welsh science communicator and rap scientist Jon Chase – author of The Science of Star Wars – will be delivering a family-friendly exploration of how Star Wars relates to the real world.
12:25 DEFENDING THE PLANET WITH HERA
With Hera project manager Ian Carnelli and ESA director-general Josef Aschbacher.
13:05 MUSIC FROM LONELY ROBOT
With musician John Mitchell who headlined the first ever Space Rocks London live event in 2018. A noted prog musician, John is a prolific producer and also a member of the bands Frost* and It Bites.
13:40 SCIENCE vs SCI FI WITH ALASTAIR REYNOLDS
With astrophysicist and Space Rocks co-founder Mark McCaughrean and bestselling author Alastair Reynolds.
14:20 DEATH RAYS FROM OUTER SPACE
With medical scientist Angelique van Ombergen and astronomer Erik Kuulkers.
15:05 MISSION UPDATES
• JWST AND A NEW VISION OF ORION
With JWST astrophysicist Mark McCaughrean.
• ICY ALIEN OCEANS WITH JUICE
With Juice project scientist Olivier Witasse.
• DETECTING THE DARK UNIVERSE WITH EUCLID
With cosmologist Guadalupe Cañas Herrera.
16:05 SPACEFLIGHT: THE NEXT GENERATION
With astronaut John McFall.
