Part of the campus-wide Harwell open week, the event’s packed programme of talks and hands-on demonstrations launched visitors on an inspiring journey through ECSAT’s activities, showing how expert teams at the site are collaborating with partners on campus, the UK and across ESA’s member states for the benefit of European citizens.

After months of preparations, the ESA open day at ECSAT and the final day of Harwell campus open week coincided with soaring temperatures and clear blue skies, with some 20 000 people making their way to Harwell to explore behind the scenes at the UK’s leading science and innovation campus.

The ESA open day, hosted by ESA’s Magali Vaissiere Conference Centre, kicked off with a welcome to ECSAT from its head of establishment Laurent Jaffart, followed by a Q&A with British ESA astronaut Rosemary Coogan and British ESA astronaut reserve Meganne Christian that was attended by a packed audience of space enthusiasts of all ages.