The overall winning design of the Space Week 2018 ‘Design a Mission Patch’ competition has been awarded to 6th class student Adrian Shestakovs of Scoil Spioraid Naoimh, Laytown, Co. Meath. The announcement, made during Science Week in association with Science Foundation Ireland, celebrates how science, technology, engineering, art and maths are creative endeavours that drive human curiosity and exploration. Runners-up were Kayleigh Swanser from St. Oliver's National School, Ballylongford, Kerry and Matilda Castle Metlitski, St. Brigid’s National School, Glasnevin, Dublin 11.
The competition, marking the progress of the CubeSat ‘EIRSAT-1’ through the European Space Agency’s Education Office ‘Fly Your Satellite!’ program, invited primary school students during Space Week Ireland 2018 to design a “mission patch”. Since the earliest human endeavour to explore space, each mission has been given its own unique “mission patch”, an emblem which visually captures the aim and scope of the expedition.
Entries were received from schools throughout the country to Blackrock Castle Observatory (BCO) as part of their Space Week 2018 activities with University College Dublin. The competition was supported by a comic book resource developed by BCO and EIRSAT-1 teams to describe the importance of satellites in our daily lives.
The BCO and EIRSAT-1 judging panel was delighted to see themes such as environmentalism, our Irish heritage and the wonder of space exploration emerge in students’ creative efforts. EIRSAT-1 is part of a growing armada of spacecraft that are designed and built by schools and colleges, developments which students and teachers will be following in the years ahead. It’s an exciting time to be involved in the new satellite industry!
The panel commended Adrian Shestakov’s design for not only capturing the technical aspects of the CubeSat but in communicating these well in a visually creative way. Several judges’ selections from 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th class categories were Highly Commended and also chosen to be exhibited alongside the winner and runners-up entries, in the EIRSAT-1 clean-room, where the satellite will be assembled.
Team EIRSAT-1 will link up soon to 6th class at Scoil Spioraid Naoimh for a “Space Speaker in your Classroom” video chat. This Space Week programme gives class groups the chance to ask questions, learn about a career as a scientist and get to know some of Ireland’s most creative space explorers!
Thank you to all participating teachers and students in celebrating Space Week 2018 with us!
A selection of the winning mission patches can be seen below:
A selection of highly commended mission patches from Aoibheann Ryan, Milltown NS Co. Galway, David Xie, St. Marys NS Thurles Tipperary, Patrick O'Shea, St. Brigids BNS Foxrock Dublin, Ruby McGonnell,St. Lukes O'Mahoney's Avenue Co. Cork, and Realtín Ginestrino, Gaelscoil Riabhach Loughrea Co. Galway.