World Space Week 2021
3... 2... 1... lift off!
Did you know that the theme for World Space Week this year is 'Women in Space'?
To celebrate, we're excited to share the stories of three inspirational galactic girls: Mae Jemison, Jill Tarter and Margherita Hack.
Not only do they have amazing tales to tell, they feature on one of our favourite t-shirt designs this season too.
We also have some fun space-inspired activities and colouring sheets for you to try at home.
Mae Jemison
Growing up, Mae always reached for the stars. She graduated from university with degrees in chemical engineering and African-American studies, and then she went on to become a doctor (after deciding against training to be a professional dancer!). However, Mae was also determined to travel into space, and she did just that.
Applying to NASA in the mid 1980s, Mae went on to become a fully-fledged astronaut. In 1992 she flew solar-bound on the Space Shuttle Endeavour, making her the first African American woman to journey into the cosmos. As a qualified doctor, her mission was to conduct experiments on weightlessness and motion sickness.
Jill Tarter
Jill has always been certain that the universe is too vast for humans to be its only inhabitants. Since childhood she has been asking herself the question, 'Are we alone?'
Her fascination for extraterrestrial life led Jill to become a leading astronomer and a pioneer in the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) for over 35 years.
In that time she received lots of awards and is widely recognised as one of the most important women in science.
Margherita Hack
Margherita, born in Florence, Italy, was always interested in the stars and how, just like us, they are born, they grow old, and then they die.
She became an incredible astrophysicist, a popular Italian civil rights activist and she also administered the Trieste Astronomical Observatory for over 20 years. She was the first woman to hold this position and gave the observatory its international status.
She lived her life inspiring others and being passionately curious about the skies - indeed she even said that some of her best friends were stars!
Activity time!
Get ready for takeoff with our space activities for all ages.
You can build a flying bottle rocket, make some outer space snacks or craft a terrific toilet roll rocket.
Cosmic colouring
Enjoy our space-tastic colouring sheets. They feature a variety of fun designs for your little one to choose from.
We'd love to see their finished works of art!
Featuring our three inspiring galactic girls, this t-shirt is a celebration of amazing women and making ambitions and dreams a reality.
Remember, you can be anything that you want to be!
If you want to find out more about World Space Week, click here.
