World Space Week at the National Space Centre

To celebrate World Space Week the National Space Centre is hosting its first in-person Space Lates since January 2020, offering space fans the chance to explore the galleries after hours, hear from special guest speakers and take part in a wide range of space-themed activities including astronomy and crafts.

Space Lates is an evening created for people who want to know more – those who have an interest in astronomy, space missions, and the exciting research happening here in the UK, around the world, and out in space.

World Space Week highlights globally “the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition”. This year the focus of the week is Women in Space.

Talks

The evening’s guest talks will see Dr Sarah Casewell, observational astronomer at the University of Leicester, explain how you can find exoplanets through a new citizen science project called Planet Hunters.

Sue Nelson, science writer and broadcaster, will tell the extraordinary story of female aviation pioneer Wally Funk and how her Race for Space was recently completed as she became the oldest person to ever travel to space.

The European Space Agency recently invited applications for its next class of astronauts and Space Lates guest speaker Dr Jackie Bell, from Imperial College London, will host a live Q&A looking at the realities of astronaut training. Jackie took part in the BBC show Astronauts: Do You Have What It Takes? and will share her experiences.

Activities

You can explore the galleries after-hours with a wide range of activities. Fans of astronomy will be offered the chance to take a Tour of the Winter Night Sky in the UK’s largest planetarium, join experts from the Leicester Astronomical Society for a session of stargazing.

For those wanting to get creative, you can make and take home your own Mars Ingenuity space helicopter model.

There will also be the chance to find out about the stories behind inspirational female scientists, astronauts and mathematicians, the opportunity to get hands on with a real pressure suit and learn how astronauts stay alive in space, and the centre’s Curator Dan will be revealing more about the collection of Gemini artefacts, some of which have never been on display.

Tickets

Tickets cost £8 and include a planetarium show.

This is an Evening Event – Annual Passes are not valid and a Space Lates ticket must be purchased in advance. You are free to explore the National Space Centre’s galleries throughout the night. Please note that the Rocket Tower will not be open.

The café will be serving hot and cold drinks, snacks and sandwiches throughout the evening and The Shop will be open from 18:00 – 21:00. All talks and activities are aimed at adults and engaged families, with an interest in science.