FAO - any  journalists wanting to attend London Science Festival 2011 events:

Press access to LSF11 events... 

Our events are happening in our partner institutions across London, from 19-26 October 2011.

Press access for LSF11 events is being negotiated on a 'venue-by-venue' basis. 

 
To apply, we require:

1 - Name
2 - Publication affliation(s) - incl. website URL(s)
3 - Email

4 - Telephone number(s)

5 - List of LSF11 events you wish to attend

» Please email this information to [log in to unmask] with 'Press' in the subject field of your message.

NB: If your application is successful, we will issue you with a printable press pass via email - you'll require this and a form of ID to gain access to LSF11 events. 

Bridget, Mars Rover | Press Preview, Jeremy Bentham Room, UCL - Saturday 22 October 2011, 9.30-11.00am... 

Bridget, Mar Rover will be on public display at UCL from 22-23 October - this will be a unique opportunity for Londoners to meet Bridget, Astrium's Mars rover prototype for the European ExoMars Rover Vehicle Project - which is due to launch for Mars in 2018.   

In collaboration with Astrium, Venture Thinking and UCL,  London Science Festival is holding a press preview for Bridget, between 9.30-11.00am, in the Jeremy Bentham Room, UCL, on Saturday 22 October 2011. 

Members of the press will have the opportunity to meet and photograph the rover, and partake in a Q&A session with the Astrium engineers developing the rover for the ExoMars Rover Vehicle Project - ahead of the rover's first public opening. 

» To reserve a place, please send your RSVP to [log in to unmask] with 'Bridget' in the subject field of your message, and the following information:

1 - Name
2 - Publication affliation(s) - incl. website URL(s)
3 - Email

4 - Telephone number(s)

Bridget’s LSF11 microsite: http://www.londonsciencefestival.com/2011/bridget

Bridget, Mars Rover 

Bridget is the first breadboard full-size rover developed and built as part of the ExoMars Rover Vehicle Project. Funded by Astrium R&D, Bridget was designed to aid in the development of the flight ExoMars locomotion system, and was later used in the preliminary testing of the autonomous navigation system. 

Bridget comes to UCL after an intensive trial session on the martian-like terrain of Tenerife. In this exhibit, Bridget rovers over a simulated Mars landscape controlled remotely by an operator. Bridget speed is only a few centimeters per second, but it is powerful enough to overcome severe obstacles expected on the martian soil.

Bridget plays an important role in Astrium's outreach programme to promote its activities and to increase the student uptake of STEM subjects. In particular, she demonstrates the link between theoretical engineering and real spacecraft. Bridget captures the interest of students and the general public as a whole in a way no other outreach activity does, and engages them on a number of levels.

Astrium

Number 1 space company in Europe and no. 3 worldwide, Astrium employs 15,000 men and women in five countries: France, Germany, the UK, Spain and the Netherlands. 15,000 professionals chosen from among the very best, all passionate about space and driven by the great adventure of our time - bringing the infinite potential of space down to Earth for the benefit of mankind.

Astrium boasts some of the most advanced design, manufacture and test facilities in the space industry. It has unrivalled expertise in the techniques and key technologies required for development and delivery of major space systems.

» astrium.eads.net

UCL 

UCL is among the world's top universities, as reflected in performance in a range of rankings and tables. 21 Nobel prizewinners have come from the UCL community. The University has a global reach and global vision. 38% of UCL students come from outside the UK, attracted from nearly 140 countries around the globe.  

UCL was founded in 1826 as a radically different university, opening up English higher education for the first time to people of all beliefs and social backgrounds.

 » ucl.ac.uk 

Venture Thinking 

Venture Thinking inspires young people to think about exciting careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics through partnering with companies and projects in the space world.   

Venture Thinking has developed a number of award winning projects for Queen Mary University of London, Ideas Foundation, London Borough of Newham, The Learning Trust Hackney and others.

» venturethinking.com 

London Science Festival

London Science Festival is a brand new festival for London in 2011, which was founded with the mission to inspire and engage the public in all things scientific, from natural science to science in its most cultural contexts.

» londonsciencefestival.com