ASTEROID DAY PRESENTS ITS 2023 PROGRAMME FOR 30 JUNE AND 1 JULY

Astronauts, experts and scientists join Asteroid Day to educate and inspire about asteroids and space

LUXEMBOURG (26 June 2023) — Asteroid Foundation celebrates the 8th Asteroid Day on 30 June and 1 July 2023 and presents its programme that focuses on education about asteroids and space, the development of space businesses and their importance and impact ‘down to Earth’. 

Asteroid Day is a United Nations-recognised event held annually on 30 June, as an official day in the UN calendar. It is a programme of the Asteroid Foundation, based in Luxembourg, which works to inspire the world about space and asteroids, their role in the formation of our solar system, the use of space resources, space exploration, space business, and the protection of our planet. 

“Asteroid Day brings the global space community together, to educate and learn about space, the history of our solar system, the future of space exploration, and planetary defense,” Markus Payer, Chair of the Asteroid Foundation said. “We want to attract the public and young people to this sector which plays an increasingly important role in the development of our economy and society. We thank our sponsors and partners and look forward to making Asteroid Day 2023 another success.”

Asteroid Day’s 2023 programme is built on three pillars.

• The Astronaut and Expert Schools Visits on 29 and 30 June, when astronauts will deliver a presentation to inspire teachers and students. They will visit St. George’s International School, Lycée des Arts et Métiers, Lycée Aline Mayrisch, and the University of Luxembourg.
• The Asteroid Day Space Lecture on 30 June 2023 gives space enthusiasts the opportunity to peek into asteroid and space research. It takes place in Tramsschapp, 49 Rue Ermesinde, L-1469 Luxembourg, from 16.00 to 18.00, and concludes with the Space Happy Hour, sponsored by OffWorld at 18:00.The speakers of the two-hour panel are Daria Alice Ciobanu (Young Researcher), Marco Micheli (ESA) Carl Shneider (Research Associate, University of Luxembourg), Slava Turyshev (Astrophysicist, NASA JPL), and Nancy Wolfson (International Astronautical Federation). The astronauts Christer Fuglesang, Dorin Prunariu, and Paolo Nespoli will be present.
• The Asteroid Day Festival on 1 July 2023 promotes space and asteroid science to children, students, and adults. It will gather astronauts, engineers, scientists, and entrepreneurs, offering panel discussions on a wide range of topics. It will also take place in Tramsschapp in Luxembourg, 49 Rue Ermesinde, L-1469 Luxembourg, between 10.00 and 18.00. 

The Asteroid Day Festival agenda in detail:

10:00 – 10:20: Welcome – Michelle Weber (FNR, Host/Moderator), Maurice Bauer (VDL), Markus Payer (Asteroid Foundation)
10:30 – 11:00: “Past and Future Manned Missions” – Christer Fuglesang, Dorin Prunariu, Paolo Nespoli, Michele Weber (FNR, Host/Moderator)
11:00 – 11:30: Astronaut Autograph Session – Christer Fuglesang, Dorin Prunariu, Paolo Nespoli
11:30 – 12:00: “From Data to Art. Images and Sounds of Space” – Duncan Geere (Loud Numbers), Jamie Perera (JPML), Mike von der Nahmer (German Aerospace Center (DLR)), Miriam Quick (Loud Numbers), Patrizia Luchetta (Moderator)
12:30 – 13:00: “Finance in Space” – Ahmed Aly (LSA), Andreas Aristotle Papadimitriou (EIB), Bogdan Gogulan (NewSpace Capital), Jeremy Teboul (Promus Ventures), Lynn Zoenen (Alpine Space Ventures), Luca Mancuso (LHoFT, Moderator)
14:00 – 15:00: “Astronaut for a Day” Announcement of the finalists – Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) – Ministers Claude Meisch, Franz Fayot, Georges Engel
15:00 – 15:30: “Space Education in Luxembourg“ – Frank Eyschen (LGL), Martine Reicherts (FNR), Marc Serres (LSA), Philippe Glaesener (SES), Yves Elsen (University of Luxembourg), Michele Weber (FNR, Moderator)
15:30 – 16:00: Astronaut autograph session – Christer Fuglesang, Dorin Prunariu, Paolo Nespoli
16:00 – 16:30: “Space Resources for Exploration: Moon, Mars, and Beyond” – Dorin Prunariu (astronaut), Kyle Acierno (OffWorld), Kathryn Hadler (ESRIC), Slava Turyshev (NASA JPL), Michele Weber (Moderator)
17:00 – 17:30: “Asteroids, Comets, and Space Missions” – Alan Fitzsimmons (Queen’s University Belfast), Dennis Harries (ESRIC), Marco Micheli (ESA), Patrick Michel (CNRS), Slava Turyshev (NASA JPL), Gianluca Masi (Moderator)

During the Asteroid Day Festival, on 1 July at 14.00, the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA), Asteroid Foundation’s lead sponsor, will announce the selection of its “2023 Astronaut for a Day” programme (https://www.astronautforaday.lu) and present 25 finalists plus 10 ‘reserve astronauts’. The announcement will be made in the presence of Franz Fayot, Minister of Economy, Claude Meisch, Minister of Higher Education, and Georges Engel, Minister of Sports. 

All events are open to the public and media and live-streamed on Asteroid Day’s digital platforms.

This year’s Asteroid Day celebration in Luxembourg is made possible thanks to the support and partnership of the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA) as a main partner and lead sponsor, and by international partners and contributors like the Association of Space Explorers, B612 Foundation, the European Space Agency (ESA), The European Space Education Resource Office (ESERO Luxembourg), Euro Space Centre, Perpetuity Capital, The Planetary Society, and OHB, as well as by partners and contributors from Luxembourg, namely Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce, the Dots, the European Space Resources Innovation Centre (ESRIC), Fondation Jeunes Scientifiques Luxembourg, GRADEL, Groupement luxembourgeois de l’aéronautique et de l’espace (GLAE), LIST (Luxembourg Institute of Science & Technology), The LHoFT Foundation (Luxembourg House of Financial Technology), LuxSpace, Musée national d’histoire naturelle – ‘natur musée’, NewSpace Capital, Ville de Luxembourg, OffWorld Europe, SnT, SES, Sofitel, Telindus, UNIVERSEH, and VAUBAN, Ecole et Lycée Français de Luxembourg. The Asteroid Day Space Lecture is co-funded by the European Union’s ERASMUS+ programme. The Asteroid Day Festival is supported by the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR) (project code PSP-C2022-02/17736367). Asteroid Day is also supported by two international PR, Communication & Marketing agencies, XWECAN and waveL communications.

On the occasion of Asteroid Day, POST Luxembourg has issued a special Asteroid Day stamp with asteroid discovery as the theme this year.  

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Press contact:

For interview requests or more information please contact Markus Payer, markus.payer@asteroidday.org, + 352 621 968 002. Find the Asteroid Day Press Kit here.