ESA to launch children's work into space
How do you get children interested in astronomy? Well, there are of course a number of ways to try, but the European Space Agency (ESA) is now going for the 'incentive' approach. Unfortunately, it can't offer budding astronomers a ride on a space ship, but it can give them an opportunity to send something they've made into orbit. ESA is holding a competition - open to schools in ESA's 14 member states only - which will give children aged 8 to 12 the chance to have their work sent into space. To enter the XMM 'Draw me a telescope' competition, one drawing of a telescope per classroom must be submitted to ESA. One picture from each of the ESA Member States will then be chosen to be placed on the fairing of the Ariane-5 rocket that will launch the X-Ray Multi Mirror Observatory (XMM) into space in December 1999. Also, ESA will invite one pupil from each of the winning classes (with an accompanying adult) to fly to the European Space Port in Kourou, French Guiana, and watch the XMM launch live. Older children also have an opportunity to go to South America to watch the launch. In a category for 13 to 15 year olds, ESA is running a competition for students to map out a vision on space and astronomy and its benefits for humanity. In this category, the entire winning class from each ESA member state will be invited to Kourou, at ESA's expense For final year pupils though, ESA has created a 'stargazing' category. For the first time ever, it will allow young people to use one of its telescopes - the XMM. ESA is asking physics classes to submit an observation project (with the support of the scientific community). One project per winning member state will be carried out during a summer camp in 2000. The ESA member states are Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Norway, The Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.