Blackrock launch for Space Week

Space Week Ireland was officially launched in CIT Blackrock Castle Observatory.

The event itself will run during the first week of October across Ireland, coinciding with World Space Week.

Minister of State for Training, Skills, Innovation, Research and Development, John Halligan attended the launch.

“This week-long event will provide an ideal opportunity for Irish people to learn more about the significant impact space has on our daily lives, including our ability to communicate, travel and address climate change,” he said.

Space Week encourages people to engage with Science, Technology, Education and Maths (STEM) through the inspirational topic of space.

It is run by CIT Blackrock Castle Observatory in partnership with Science Foundation Ireland and ESERO Ireland.

Some of the key events already planned include a Space Careers Roadshow at Dublin City University and CIT (on October 4 and 10 respectively), a conference for Junior Cycle science teachers at Birr Castle on the 6th October, and a musical project with musician Jack L and the National Children’s Choir that offers an exciting take on David Bowie’s classic song Starman.

“Space Week highlights the importance and excitement of looking out at the cosmos from the vantage point of our fragile home planet, and of looking down on our planet from the vantage point of space,” said Dr Niall Smith, head of CIT Blackrock Castle Observatory.

“The week provides an opportunity for us all to better understand how we can work together for the benefit of our society and our economy — and to have fun while doing so.”

Ireland’s cooperation in this global celebration will also include a large-scale Space Selfie taken from Planet satellites during the Careers Roadshow at Cork Institute of Technology.

The selfie will involve hundreds of participants coming together to form a large 50m x 50m human symbol that will be viewed from the satellite.