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The Royal Aeronautical Society - Space Group Notification Service
The Royal Aeronautical Society – Space Group
(1) “Return to the Moon – A UK Perspective” discussion paper ** Have Your Say
(2) ESA European Astronaut Selection ** opens 19 May 2008
(3) Mission Virgin Galactic ** National Schools Competition
(4) Competition ** Win a flight on SpaceShipTwo
The Space Group of the Royal Aeronautical Society (RAeS) organises a small number of public lectures and seminars on space-related topics each year at the Society’s headquarters at 4 Hamilton Place, London. Sometimes events are organised jointly with other institutions or companies, and held elsewhere across the UK. We also occasionally use our free email notification service to publicise other space-related events in which we believe our Space Group members may have a special interest.
We are pleased to seek your active participation in the following:
(1) “Return to the Moon – A UK Perspective” discussion paper ** Have Your Say **
The RAeS Space Group committee has published a new discussion paper on “Return to the Moon – A UK Perspective” with a view to sparking debate on that subject.
Those of you who are already members of the Royal Aeronautical Society will have seen the Discussion Paper in the May 2008 issue of the Society’s magazine “Aerospace Professional”.
The rationale for UK participation in robotic and human missions to the Moon is assessed. The science objectives are found to be strong, as is the use of the Moon as a test-bed for exploration beyond the Earth-Moon system. UK and international initiatives are reviewed, showing that the UK has extensive expertise to bring to bear. Recommendations for action by UK government are presented including the need for a sustainable programme of missions rather than a one-off, and the benefit of UK leadership of discrete and critical elements of any lunar project in order to attract public support.
This paper is the start of a Society initiative to help inform UK policy on the preferred options for UK participation in the Return to the Moon international initiative. The timing of our initiative seeks to build on ongoing events such as the Agreement between NASA and the UK on lunar missions, and the imminent selection of new ESA astronauts. The conclusions and recommendations attempt to be inspirational but also realistic.
The RAeS Space Group committee welcomes your comments on the issues raised in this paper and the recommendations made. Comments received will be incorporated into presentations and papers to be presented by RAeS officials and officers later this year.
Please send your comments to space@raes.org.uk preferably by 31 May 2008.
See full details at the RAeS Space Group web site http://www.raes.org.uk/space/ and click on “Return to the Moon – Have Your Say” near top right.
(2) ** ESA European Astronaut Selection ** opens 19 May 2008 **
ESA’s human spaceflight activities have entered a new era. It is now time for ESA to seek out new talent to bolster its Astronaut Corps for future manned missions to the ISS, the Moon and beyond.
Registration takes place online. The application website will be made available from Monday 19 May 2008. The closing date for applications is Sunday 15 June 2008.
ESA needs to regenerate the European Astronaut Corps, increasing its size in order to successfully accomplish its present and future programmes. The Agency has therefore decided to initiate this process of selecting new astronauts. Candidates from all 17 Member States (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom) are welcome to apply.
The preferred age range is 27 to 37.
See full details at the RAeS Space Group web site http://www.raes.org.uk/space/ and click on “ESA European Astronaut Selection” near top right.
(3) ** Mission Virgin Galactic ** National Schools Competition **
The Royal Aeronautical Society, The Royal Air Force and Virgin Galactic launched “Mission Virgin Galactic” a truly innovative National Schools Competition.
Mission Virgin Galactic will be open to all 11-14 year old students (Key Stage 3) across the UK and has been designed with the backing of education experts to fit within and complement the national curriculum. The aim of the competition is to inspire pupils in the areas of science, maths, technology and engineering in a fun and exciting way.
Working in teams of four to six pupils, the challenge is to design a marketable product that demonstrates one or more of the science, technology or engineering principles used in the Virgin Galactic space tourism programme.
And the grand prize… the winning team and its teacher will be flown to the US as guests of Virgin Galactic where they will enjoy a tour of the Mojave spaceport and spend time chatting and learning from the engineers who have built WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo. The winning team will get the chance to witness history in the making by getting the once-in-a-lifetime chance to see a flight of SpaceShipTwo, Virgin Galactic’s commercial spaceship. The team will be accompanied by Sir Richard Branson and have the chance to ask him first hand why he believes that one day space travel will be open to all.
2008-2009 will be the first year of Mission Virgin Galactic with the hope that by 2011 all UK schools will be signed up and be competing for this amazing prize. Going forward the plan will be to extend the competition to schools across America, Europe and the rest of the world with a Grand Draw (from all the winning teams in the pervious years) eventually being held to give the chance of a winning team to go to space!
See full details at the RAeS Space Group web site http://www.raes.org.uk/space/ and click on “Mission Virgin Galactic” near top right.
(4) ** Win a flight on SpaceShipTwo: a truly unforgettable experience **
Also to further publicise the announcement made on 07 June 2006 giving advance notice of a truly amazing competition:
“To be able to float around in zero-g, I wish everybody could experience this. The view is so hard to describe. It’s moving. It’s emotional.” John Glenn, Astronaut.
Through the generosity of Virgin Galactic, the Royal Aeronautical Society is delighted to offer our members the opportunity to win a ticket on SpaceShipTwo. Your chance to experience weightlessness and gain your Astronaut Wings. The winner will be the one who can most effectively demonstrate how they would use the experience of a SpaceShipTwo flight to best motivate young people to enter the fields of aerospace and its applications. Register your interest online at http://www.aerosociety.com/galactic/. You do not have to be a member to do so, but this will ensure you receive competition details early.
See preliminary details at the RAeS Space Group web site http://www.raes.org.uk/space/ and click on “Win a flight on SpaceShipTwo”.
