Children from all corners of Luxembourg played a central role in the Asteroid Day weekend that took place from 29-31 June this year. In this photo they can be seen with some of their space-inspired artworks talking with ESA astronaut Matthias Maurer.
As well as presenting their projects to Matthias, they also displayed them to Joseph Rodesch, aka Mr Science – and viewers around the globe – during the live 48-hour Asteroid Day webcast.
Their projects were part of the “Interdisciplinary Cre@tivity Skills Competition”, under this year’s theme “Living and Working in Space”, and who better than Matthias to discuss the interdisciplinary nature of exploring the Universe?
With a degree in materials sciences, Matthias went on to work for ESA as a flight controller for the International Space Station. Now an astronaut, he is studying impact craters on Earth and how they formed, including the impressive Nördlinger Ries crater in Germany, with an entire town within its boundaries.
“I’m part of an astronaut generation that hopefully continues where we stopped 50-60 years ago with the Apollo mission. We want to return to the moon.” Matthias said during the live Asteroid Day webcast.
“Some of the Moon’s craters are volcanic, and some are impact craters arising from countless asteroid strikes.”
Whether it is materials science, flight dynamics, astronaut training or creating model airplanes and rockets, the key ingredient to exploring the universe is curiosity – something both astronauts and children have in abundance.