Astrium engineers go back to school for World Space Week

To mark World Space Week, Astrium employees across Europe will be heading back to school to teach pupils about the realms of outer space. Between the 4th and 10th October thousands of pupils will get the chance to learn about our solar system and beyond.

World Space Week was initiated by the United Nations in 1999 to “celebrate each year at the international level the contributions of space science and technology to the betterment of the human condition”: www.worldspaceweek.org.

The 4th and 10th October are significant dates in space history with the first artificial satellite Sputnik being launched on the 4 October 1957, and the international Outer Space Treaty being signed on the 10th October 1967.

Employees from Astrium, the European leader in space technology, are traveling to schools and universities throughout France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Spain to communicate their experiences and share their enthusiasm for space in their respective countries.

Astrium CEO François Auque paid tribute to this initiative: “It is our duty to teach people about space and the role space technology plays in our daily lives. It would be difficult to imagine life without telephones, television, navigation systems or weather forecasts. Our employees are going out to meet young people to discuss current issues, listen to what they have to say, and try to get them excited about careers in the space industry.”

A variety of special events will be held at Astrium sites throughout Europe from 4th to 10th October:

In the United Kingdom, local schools from Hampshire will be coming to the INTECH Science Centre and Planetarium in Winchester, where employees from Astrium in Porsmouth will be supporting the celebrations.

Astrium will be running a series of workshops throughout the week at the INTECH Science Centre and Planetarium http://www.intech-uk.com where hundreds of schoolchildren are expected to take part in activities that include building your own satellite!

Employees from Astrium in Portsmouth and Stevenage will also be visiting over 30 schools in their respective local areas to share with pupils their excitement for space.

In France: Activities in the French departments

In the Ile de France region, the departments of Yvelines and Essonne will be celebrating World Space Week. Astrium employees from the sites of Les Mureaux and Bures-sur-Yvette will be visiting dozens of classes throughout the area who are participating in the event.

In Paris, Globalscope awaits you as part of the “Objectif Terre” Earth observation exhibition at the Paris Science and Industry Museum, where you can see real-life applications of satellite data here on Earth.

In Haute Garonne, World Space Week is as a celebration for the entire family, where the employees of Astrium will welcome members of their family to the Palays site in Toulouse. Different exhibitions will enable the young and young-at-heart to discover all about the work their family members at Astrium accomplish every day.


In Gironde, employees from the Saint-Médard-en-Jalles site will be giving presentations at local secondary schools.

In Germany and Spain, employees are holding a “space rendezvous” with students

Employees from Astrium’s four German sites (Bremen, Friedrichshafen, Ottobrunn and Lampoldshausen) and from Madrid will be visiting local schools and universities to run a series of conferences about the latest scientific findings from recent space missions. They will also discuss how space research not only increases our awareness of the wider universe, but also how space technology plays a key role in their daily lives. Astrium employees across Germany and Spain will also be doing their best to spark interest amongst young people in pursuing careers in the space industry.

Astrium, a wholly owned subsidiary of EADS, is dedicated to providing civil and defence space systems and services. In 2008, Astrium had a turnover of €4.3 billion and more than 15,000 employees in France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain and the Netherlands. Its three main areas of activity are Astrium Space Transportation for launchers and orbital infrastructure, Astrium Satellites for spacecraft and ground segment and Astrium Services for the development and delivery of satellite services.


EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2008, EADS generated revenues of €43.3 billion and employed a workforce of more than 118, 000.