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Euro Space Center & Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy: a fruitful collaboration over the years

2020-09-28

On Saturday October 3rd, 2020, after one year of closure and €13 million of investments, the Euro Space Center in Transinne will reopen its doors to the public! The Euro Space Center is the ideal place to discover the world of space exploration with the entire family, but it also allows young people to stay for a total immersion course, whether on school visits or during holiday camps.

Our Institute is very proud to be collaborating with the Euro Space Center for many years already. Our scientists are always ready to give scientific explanations, to set up experiments in collaboration with the Euro Space instructors, or to go and give a lecture at special events. Over the years, the collaboration between BIRA-IASB's scientists and communication department has resulted in temporary exhibitions at the Center in Transinne. A few examples: the exhibition on Venus Express during which the model of BIRA-IASB's SOIR instrument could be admired, the exhibition on UV radiation to present: the characteristics of UV radiation, the Institute’s measuring stations, the development of a UV index, and finally to consider the potential dangers of UV radiation for humans. Most recent was the very comprehensive exhibition on the planet Mars and the mission in which we participated: ExoMars/Trace Gas Orbiter. For its part, the Euro Space Center is always ready to participate in our events as well, like our Open Doors.

In this renewed version of the Center, our B.USOC team worked on simulations with the SOLAR platform for future youngsters participating in the school or holiday camps. The model of the SOLAR instrument, property of BIRA-IASB/B.USOC, is now installed at the Euro Space Center. Other teams are also currently working to make the camps at the Center as close to scientific reality as possible. A space physics team is giving its expertise in meteor detection methods with radio waves, the UV team is managing a 17-metre-high antenna, and the planetary aeronomy team are supplying their knowledge for the future Mars Camp. New temporary exhibitions following the latest space exploration news will also be set up in the future.

BIRA-IASB wishes the Euro Space Center a very good reopening and hopes to contribute to its space adventure for many years to come! Congratulations!

Euro Space opening

 

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The renewed Euro Space Center will open its doors on October 3rd !
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BIRA-IASB's model of the SOLAR instrument (mounted on the ISS from 2008 to 2017) being installed at the renewed Euro Space Center.
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The renewed Euro Space Center, with a flight simulator on the left and the Mars village in the back.