posted 07-11-2019 04:41 AM            

October's ESA Open Day looks to the Moon

Come to ESA's technical heart this October to meet veteran Apollo astronauts and hear from engineers designing future European missions to the Moon. This year's ESA Open Day at ESTEC in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, will take place on Sunday 6 October – everyone is welcome.

To commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first lunar landing and plans for return there in this coming decade, the theme of this year's Open Day is ESA to the Moon.

To tie in with this theme, we are happy to announce that our confirmed guests on the day include Apollo 7 astronaut Walt Cunningham, who flew on the first crewed Apollo mission; Apollo 9 astronaut Rusty Schweickart, first pilot of the Lunar Module and who tested the first lunar EVA suit, and Dutch ESA astronaut André Kuipers, who has flown two missions to the International Space Station.

With 22 Member States, ESA is the space agency for Europe, working in every aspect of space activities, working with people and organisations all across our continent and beyond.

Our Open Day is hosted at ESA's ESTEC technical centre, but you can come here to see space science and technology from across the Agency – from astronauts to Earth observation, spacecraft control to satellite testing.

Visitors are free to explore ESA's largest establishment at their own pace, learn how we simulate space on the ground, plan future missions, try out hands-on activities and exhibits and join Space Talks by astronauts and space experts.

Attending ESA's Open Day

The Open Day typically attracts upwards of 8000 visitors per year – but to ensure a great experience for all who do attend, you will have to register in advance. Registrations will be free of charge, and open from 30 August onward.

posted 08-04-2019 07:49 AM               

Sounds like a great 'astro' lineup already, and the chance to go behind the scenes is not be missed, see the nuts and bolts engineering and the scientific technology that enable space exploration.

posted 08-30-2019 06:13 PM               

Register now for ESA's Moon-themed Open Day

Registrations are now open for ESA's Open Day in the Netherlands on Sunday 6 October – your chance to meet astronauts, space experts and see behind the scenes of Europe's space adventure at ESA's largest establishment.

The theme of this year's event is 'ESA to the Moon'. Dutch ESA astronaut André Kuipers will be joined by pioneering Apollo astronauts Walt Cunningham, who flew on the first crewed Apollo mission, and Rusty Schweickart, who was the first person to fly the Lunar Module and use an Apollo lunar spacesuit for a spacewalk.

As well as celebrating the 50th anniversary of the first Apollo lunar landing, the Open Day will also be looking forward, highlighting ESA's role in returning people to the Moon, including contributing the service module to NASA's Orion spacecraft and participating in the Lunar Gateway, a station around the Moon to act as a base for both robotic and human explorers.

ESA is also working with Russian space agency Roscosmos on future lunar landers. Further ahead, ESA's Director General Jan Wörner has proposed a 'Moon village' as a model for cooperative international lunar settlement.

ESTEC, hosting the annual Open Day, is ESA's technical centre where new missions are designed, their industrial development is managed and the resulting satellites are tested for flight in space.

Technical experts and a suite of space labs support the development of new technologies making future missions possible.

This is your opportunity to come nose to nose with space hardware, hear where we're going next and meet Europe's space agents – space scientists, engineers and mission designers.

Want to find out about ESA's work in education, or how to make a career in space? There's a full day of talks from ESA's Education and Human Resources teams.

Want to learn more about what the Netherlands does in space? The NL Space Tent is the place to be to meet with Dutch space professionals.

Register here

The Open Day typically attracts upwards of 8000 visitors per year – but to keep everyone safe and happy we need to limit the numbers so don't forget to register here.

Because we are obliged to limit the total number of visitors, to ensure a great experience for all who do attend, we urge you to book early to avoid disappointment.

This annual event takes place as part of the Netherlands' national Weekend of Science as well as World Space Week.