Gernot Groemer, of the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF), welcomed a group of 14 high school students and two teachers at the OeWF Spacesuit Laboratory. He gave the group an overview of Mars exploration and analog research, assisted by Selina Brand, also from OeWF. 

After this introduction, theory gave way to practise with a hands-on tour of the spacesuit lab. This included a presentation of the Aouda spacesuit simulator and–possibly the highlight of the visit–the ESA Vertical Treadmill Facility. The students took full advantage of their visit to try it all out!

A presentation of the EXPLORE and the student roles in the next mission followed this visit. Given the lively Q&A session at the end, the visit was a hit with the students and we look forward to seeing more of these new faces during the year! 

The participants were welcomed by COSPAR President Pascale Ehrenfreund, who emphasised the importance of education in inspiring the next generation of scientists.

The workshop  programme was busy: after an introduction to project-based, student-centred teaching methodology by Rosa Doran, there was a presentation of EXPLORE 1, the first analog mission, its objectives and how it had impacted the students and teachers involved. 

This was followed by a hands-on activity to show the importance of clear communication during space missions (and, of course, in real life!). This involved one group of participants going outside and issuing simple spoken directions via a walkie-talkie to the other participants, who wrote down what they understood. The second group then attempted to follow the path chosen by the first group using these directions. This activity generated a lot of laughter–and a determination to issue clear instructions when the groups changed roles. The participants learned about the other exercises students could do to improve their communication skills–in space it can be a matter of life or death–and to build trust.

At the end of the workshop, participants were invited to attend the Education Road Map Roundtable.

On 25 October, NUCLIO introduced 53 Portuguese teachers to the EXPLORE project during an interactive, hands-on workshop that was part of the training course Práticas Inspiradoras no Ensino das Ciências that took place during the Science on Stage Portugal 2025 Festival.

After learning about how EXPLORE brings space exploration into the classroom, participants tried one of the project’s classroom activities, becoming real communication crews that had to guide “astronauts” to unknown destinations. By becoming students themselves, experiencing the excitement–and sometimes frustration! –of learning, the teachers could understand the importance of using a project-based, student-centred approach in class.

Here we share some moments from this fantastic multiplier event! 

Rosa Doran and Carlos Santos from NUCLIO, Portugal, were there to take part and present EXPLORE to a group of Brazilian teachers and university students.

Participants had the opportunity to learn about student-centred methodologies, innovative assessment, the importance of inclusion and diversity in the classroom, interdisciplinary learning and digital innovation as a way to engage the students and bring enthusiasm to their learning experience. Added to the context of a space exploration mission to Mars or the Moon, EXPLORE is a project that is hard to resist! 

A group discussion was conducted, related to the importance of space exploration in our lives and how projects like EXPLORE can spark student interest in STEAM subjects and beyond. The participants were enthusiastic about the project.

The second EXPLORE mission will launch next year, please share the news with any teachers who might be interested in bringing space into their own classrooms and helping their students have a life-changing experience!

At this year’s Summer School, held in Marathon, Greece, 6-11 July, participating teachers were able to meet an analog astronaut from the EXPLORE-1 mission, Nestoras.

Nestoras, from Ellinogermaniki Agogi high school section, shared his experience of a week spent in isolation in the wilds of the Alentejo, Portugal. He gave a well-received presentation on what the first EXPLORE mission was like, explaining the many ways that it had changed him, made him appreciate fresh food, for example, and the importance of trust, and answered questions with confidence.

Nestoras was present throughout the Summer School, offering assistance with donning and doffing procedures for the delta suit, in particular. Thanks to his feedback, the teachers now have a much clearer idea of what their EXPLORE-2 mission will be like, and are raring to get started!

What are you waiting for? Why not join us and help your students have a life-changing experience!

The students handled this new role with ease, now that they have an analog mission under their belt–they spoke confidently about their experience, about engaging with science in a different way and answered many questions from curious participants.

Fantastic work, everyone!

From day 1, when they first visited the Mission Support Centre (MSC) and the habitat, located 2 km from Monsaraz in the Portuguese region of the Alentejo, they soaked up the new experiences and took to their roles and responsibilities with professionalism. Taking turns to be Flight Director, Remote Science Support, Procedures and Records Officer, Media, Ground Support, Flight Plan, and field crew (Crew Commander and AA1 and AA2), they ran the mission by themselves, with no help from outside.

As Angelika and Nestoras (two of the students from Greece) said: “EXPLORE is not just a project – it’s a journey into the unknown, where curiosity lights the path and discovery writes the story.”

From start to finish, our EXPLORE 1 analog astronauts fulfilled their mission thoroughly. This involved a multitude of tasks, from organising EVAs (Extra-Vehicular Activities) with the Field Crew in the habitat, to scheduling–and often re-scheduling–the planned science experiments, writing their reports, tracking their waste and more problem solving than they had expected! All of this took place in English, the language of international cooperation, and they learned very quickly to communicate clearly, to avoid (simulated) fatal incidents.

Because of the exceptional nature of this analog mission, media interest was intense. The local Portuguese media covered our intrepid student astronauts during the week and it wasn’t long until the national –and international–media caught up, attracting coverage by Portuguese TV channel SIC and national press Público and Forbes Portugal, to name but a few. Our students had to organise online interviews with Austrian schools, and a radio station, HitRadio OE3.

What is more, the EXPLORE project was also highlighted in the COSPAR statement during the COPUOS plenary meeting on 30 June 2025 of its 68th session, delivered by COSPAR General Counsel Niklas Hedman. Read the statement here. 

We’ll be bringing you more details of the mission very soon: stay tuned to the mission page!

Don’t miss EXPLORE-1, the first student analog mission in Portugal. Follow our nine trained high school students from Austria, Greece and Portugal to see how they face the challenge of being isolated, in a harsh environment, reliant on each other from 23 to 27 June!

This mission is a training ground for teamwork, resilience, and discovery. A mission about: 

• Curiosity over comfort 
• Teamwork over ease 
• Discovery through doing

The students will gain hands-on experience with scientific protocols, explore the relevance of space research in everyday life, and build skills in collaboration, communication, and problem solving. Konstantinos Nousis, a teacher at Ellinogermaniki Agogi (EA), Greece, says “ It is one of the most innovative educational programs ever implemented at a European level and has truly inspired and captivated all participants.” 

Do you follow us on social media? Don’t miss any updates about this mission, get the latest news about these determined pioneers on their extraordinary journey on Facebook and on Instagram.

Help us spread the word about this innovative project to inspire interest in STEAM subjects! 

One of the items included in the physical EXPLORE mission toolkit is a Raspberry Rover that works in a similar way to the Mars rover. Built on NASA’s rocker-bogie system, it can traverse rocky or sandy terrain, and carries a camera and sensors.

The rover can be used in multiple ways inside the classroom–and outside, starting with the complex assembly and disassembly procedures. Students will be able to acquire the fundamental concepts of programming, and also “see” the world around them through the rover sensors. 

One of these rovers will be used by the EXPLORE students during their analog mission, performing tasks similar to those conducted by rovers on extraterrestrial surfaces. This directly connects their classroom learning to real-world and space applications, providing hands-on experience and making complex ideas accessible and engaging.

This rover is just one example of how the EXPLORE project provides educators with innovative tools to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers. As Angelika, one of the students who will be on the first mission, says: “Joining the EXPLORE project feels like stepping into the future of learning.”

It was a full programme, with the students diving into mission planning, safety protocols, communication, and experiment design. They also got to grips with the various essential roles involved in analog space exploration and carried out hands-on exercises and role plays, putting into practice what they had learned. 

There are many details of analog missions to remember, and we had so much material to work through, but we are already very impressed by the students’ progress and their commitment.

This was also the first time that our analog astronauts had met each other online, with English as the common language and space science as their shared passion. From what we saw, we are convinced that they will make a great team. 

Follow us on this amazing journey—or even better, join us!