Register now to attend ESA’s open day in the UK

Register now to attend ESA’s open day in the UK To step behind the scenes of Europe’s ambitious space endeavours, join the European Space Agency’s open day in the UK on Saturday 10 October. This unique event will take place at ESA’s European Centre for Space Applications and Telecommunications (ECSAT) on the Harwell campus, Oxfordshire. You can register now to secure your place. What’s happening? The open day – to be held at ECSAT’s Magali Vaissiere Conference Centre – will focus on how ESA is using space technology to improve daily life and push the boundaries of exploration. To showcase these activities, ESA has put together a packed programme of talks and hands-on demonstrations, delivered by scientists, engineers – and UK ESA astronauts. It will feature: panel sessions with UK members of ESA’s astronaut class of 2022; ESA professionals who will highlight the career and learning opportunities available at ESA; and Earth observation experts who are using space data to help tackle the climate crisis. A dedicated demonstration area will highlight the work taking place at ECSAT’s many cutting-edge facilities, including its 5G/6G Hub and its Vulcan Sample Analogue Facility. Vistors will be invited by the 5G/6G team to don virtual reality headsets to experience how space is transforming connectivity, while experts from Vulcan will present their efforts to use terrestrial samples to simulate rocks found on other planetary bodies. Other demonstrations will include: a replica Mars rover; advanced robots connected over space-enabled networks; climate visualisations created using Earth observation imagery; and much more. The detailed programme is currently being finalised and will be released in the coming weeks. How to register Further information can be found on the registration page. The open day is split into a morning and an afternoon session, and visitors can register for either session, with up to five attendees per booking. There are a limited number of tickets available, allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. The 2026 ESA open day in the UK is the second time ECSAT has opened its doors to the public, following its participation in the Harwell Campus open week in 2024. You can see the ESA highlights from this event in the video below: