Researchers on hand at Tim Peake link up

Researchers from LJMU’s Astrophysics Research Institute and School of Sport and Exercise Sciences supported the live in-flight call with British astronaut Tim Peake, which took place at Liverpool’s World Museum.

On board the International Space Station, Tim took part in a question and answer session, watched live by more than 300 school children who gathered at the museum. The Cosmic Classroom event was organised by TES Global, the UK Space Agency and the European Space Agency. 

School of Sport and Exercise Sciences showed children how they could ‘train like an astronaut’ with public engagement project ‘Mission X’. Focusing on fitness and nutrition, the learning challenge demonstrated how much preparation is involved for the demands of space travel, with the children learning about pre-flight medical checks such as heart rate monitoring and hydration, and gravity, balance and resistance games. 

Researchers from the ARI delivered workshops which involved the school children working in teams to create the planets of the solar system, to scale, using play-doh. 

The hands on and interactive session was very popular with the children; as well as learning about the science of the solar system they also learnt skills such as dealing with fractions, working as a team, and carefully following a set of instructions.

Jon Marrow, Senior Education Manager at National Museums Liverpool, said: “Thousands of school children and visitors have been engaging in space-related activities here at World Museum over recent months as part of the Destination Space education programme. The in-flight call was an extraordinary way to bring the wonders of human space flight to life for children.”

Tim Peake, the European Space Agency’s first British astronaut, travelled to the International Space Station in December 2015, where he will live and work until June this year.