ASDC developed and ran Our World From Space, a strategic two-year, national STEM programme funded by the UK Space Agency in partnership with the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), part of UK research and Innovation. The programme has had a significant national reach, engaging with 263,847 individual participants across the UK. From schools in the Outer Hebrides to community groups in coastal towns of Devon, Our World From Space fostered a new understanding of space science’s role in our everyday lives and for the future health and sustainability of our planet.
Watch the highlights showreel of the project to see the kinds of activities and events many of the people engaged with:
The programme leveraged current learning and connections from two previous ASDC programmes, Destination Space and Operation Earth, to celebrate, engage and inspire audiences with UK space science, innovation and skills. This existing expertise was coupled with an external and robust evaluation programme lead by OnData Research, to explore the impact for participants and practitioners.
From global themes down to hyper-local case studies, the programme used awe, wonder and inspiration, alongside immediate relevance, to increase audiences’ understanding, engagement and sense of ownership in relation to these areas of science. This programme specifically challenged perceptions of space science being “not for me” and focussed on the impact and relevance that space science has for daily life, as well as for the most pressing challenges our society and world face today.
Twenty-five delivery partners, including science centres, museums and outreach organisations across the UK ran interactive workshops for families and community groups, bespoke classroom-based activities, ‘meet the scientist’ events, awe-inspiring planetarium shows, pop-up science shows, and STEM career days. Each organisation adapted the theme in their own unique way to engage audiences on the key objectives of the project. Over 263,000 people have taken part in Our World From Space, with a total of 166,554 interaction hours with a wide range of groups including, school groups, Girl guides and Scouts, autistic young people, teachers on CPD courses, young people from youth centres, home educators and families.
The evaluation of Our World From Space demonstrated that across the delivery partners, “over 90% of respondents who strongly agreed or agreed that they can see a connection between space science and their own lives and that space science is relevant to the health of the planet”. By showcasing how space technology is actively monitoring and protecting our planet, the programme provided a sense of hope and empowerment, in some cases countering eco-anxiety, a feeling that has become increasingly prevalent in younger audiences today. For example, following engagements, when asked about how space science is relevant, many of the responses from families, school pupils and teachers then focussed on how satellites are used to monitor the climate or for GPS and tracking.
“The Our World From Space programme has been a real success, engaging over 260,000 people across the UK. Engaging young people and their families in their local communities is a key part of our aims. We’re excited to see so many children and adults who can now see how their own lives are connected to space science. What’s even more exciting is hearing how this programme has highlighted the broad range of space careers available and addressed the misconceptions around who can have a career in space."
- Ingmar Kamalagharan, Head of Education and Future Workforce, UK Space Agency
Map of the science centres and museums across the UK that are taking part in Our World From Space. View an interactive map with photos and more information about the projects.
Programme Vision
To inspire and empower a society that embraces the value and relevance of space science for everyday life and the sustainable future of our planet.
Programme Mission
To leverage the ASDC network to promote curiosity and identity with UK space science through interactive, meaningful and exploratory experiences for school children, teachers, families and diverse communities across the UK.
Timeframe: April 2023 - March 2025, with the delivery period taking place from June/July 2023 and wrapping up by December 2024.
Scope: Our World From Space will be delivered by 22 science and discovery centres and museums around the UK, with participating organisations choosing where to prioritise their engagements across the key audiences.
Funding: The programme is majority funded by the UK Space Agency, with additional funding from the Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), part of UK Research and Innovation.
Project Development Partners: National Centre for Earth Observation, Dynamic Earth, National Space Centre and Science Oxford
