Open doors for World Space Week
2019-10-04 00:00:00
World Space Week (WSW) is starting today in Barcelona and all around the world – an international celebration of science and technology, and their contribution to the betterment of the human condition. Three locations where members of the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC — Institut d’Estudis Espacials de Catalunya) work will open their doors to the general public: the Montsec Astronomical Observatory (6 October), the UPC Clean Room (7 October) and the MELiSSA pilot plant (10 October).
The United Nations General Assembly declared in 1999 that World Space Week will be held each year from October 4-10. These dates commemorate two events: the launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, thus opening the way for space exploration, on 4 October 1957 and the signing of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, on 10 October 1957.
The Montsec Astronomical Observatory (OAdM – Observatori Astronòmic del Montsec) is organising a visit for the public on 6 October 2019, at 12.00. The visit is estimated to last one hour. Located in one of the most suitable areas on the European continent for astronomical observation, OAdM is a cutting-edge scientific infrastructure managed by IEEC and used by scientists. During the visit, the astronomers will explain how the scientific instruments work and what kind of research is done at the infrastructures.
As places are limited, prior registration is required by filling out this form.
On Monday, 7 October 2019, at 17:00, the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) is organising a visit to the Clean Room. The clean room is a solid-state laboratory where the sensing chips of the wind sensors missions such as Curiosity, InSight and Mars 2020 were developed. The Micro and Nanotechnology Research Group (MNT) at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia / the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia have designed and fabricated these chips, some of which will measure, among others, the angle and velocity of the Martian wind, relative humidity, pressure and the properties of the red planet's suspended dust. These data will be used to feed the computational models for physicists studying the atmospheric dynamics of the planets. This research facility is classified as a Class 100 Clean Room.
Registration is required at the following link.
On Thursday, 10 October 2019, at 17:00, the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia / the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) are organising a visit to the MELiSSA pilot plant. MELiSSA is the acronym for Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative, an innovative project of the European Space Agency (ESA), which was initiated as part of a research programme on life support technologies, in order to facilitate long duration manned space missions. In 2009, the second-generation laboratory for the MELiSSA Pilot Plant at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) started its activities, providing a world-class research and development facility. One of its most impressive achievements so far was the successful functioning of three compartments of the MELiSSA Pilot Plant during a long term period under continuous and controlled operation.
The visit is scheduled to last two hours. Registration is required at the following link.
Other events happening in Spain on the occasion of World Space Week can be found here.
Image credit: WSW/IEEC
The United Nations General Assembly declared in 1999 that World Space Week will be held each year from October 4-10. These dates commemorate two events: the launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1, thus opening the way for space exploration, on 4 October 1957 and the signing of the Treaty on Principles Governing the Activities of States in the Exploration and Peaceful Uses of Outer Space, including the Moon and Other Celestial Bodies, on 10 October 1957.
The Montsec Astronomical Observatory (OAdM – Observatori Astronòmic del Montsec) is organising a visit for the public on 6 October 2019, at 12.00. The visit is estimated to last one hour. Located in one of the most suitable areas on the European continent for astronomical observation, OAdM is a cutting-edge scientific infrastructure managed by IEEC and used by scientists. During the visit, the astronomers will explain how the scientific instruments work and what kind of research is done at the infrastructures.
As places are limited, prior registration is required by filling out this form.
On Monday, 7 October 2019, at 17:00, the Polytechnic University of Catalonia (UPC) is organising a visit to the Clean Room. The clean room is a solid-state laboratory where the sensing chips of the wind sensors missions such as Curiosity, InSight and Mars 2020 were developed. The Micro and Nanotechnology Research Group (MNT) at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia / the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia have designed and fabricated these chips, some of which will measure, among others, the angle and velocity of the Martian wind, relative humidity, pressure and the properties of the red planet's suspended dust. These data will be used to feed the computational models for physicists studying the atmospheric dynamics of the planets. This research facility is classified as a Class 100 Clean Room.
Registration is required at the following link.
On Thursday, 10 October 2019, at 17:00, the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia / the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) are organising a visit to the MELiSSA pilot plant. MELiSSA is the acronym for Micro-Ecological Life Support System Alternative, an innovative project of the European Space Agency (ESA), which was initiated as part of a research programme on life support technologies, in order to facilitate long duration manned space missions. In 2009, the second-generation laboratory for the MELiSSA Pilot Plant at the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) started its activities, providing a world-class research and development facility. One of its most impressive achievements so far was the successful functioning of three compartments of the MELiSSA Pilot Plant during a long term period under continuous and controlled operation.
The visit is scheduled to last two hours. Registration is required at the following link.
Other events happening in Spain on the occasion of World Space Week can be found here.
Image credit: WSW/IEEC