ARLA/CLUSTER: Send your code into space with astronaut Tim Peake KG5BVI

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

Leading UK space organisations have joined forces with UK Astronaut
Tim Peake KG5BVI and Raspberry Pi to offer students a chance to devise
and code their own apps or experiment to run in space.

Two Raspberry Pi computers are planned to be flown to the
International Space Station (ISS) as part of Tim's 6 month mission and
both will be connected to a new "Astro Pi" board, loaded with a host
of sensors and gadgets.

Launched December 10 at an event held by the UK Space Agency, the
Astro Pi competition will be officially opened at the BETT conference
(January 21-24) and will be open to all primary and secondary school
aged children who are resident in the United Kingdom. The competition
will be supported by a comprehensive suite of teaching resources that
are being developed by ESERO-UK and Raspberry Pi.

During his mission to the ISS, Tim Peake KG5BVI plans to deploy the
Astro Pi computers in a number of different locations on board the
ISS. He will then load up the winning code whilst in orbit, set them
running, collect the data generated and then download this to Earth
where it will be distributed to the winning teams.

Speaking at the Astro Pi launch event, Dr David Parker, Chief Executive
of the UK Space Agency, also revealed that the UK Space Agency has
been given a £2 million programme, as part of the Chancellor's Autumn
Statement, to support further outreach activities around Tim's
mission, particularly to help inspire interest in STEM subjects.

Tim Peake KG5BVI said I'm really excited about this project, born out of
the cooperation among UK industries and institutions. There is huge
scope for fun science and useful data gathering using the Astro Pi
sensors on board the International Space Station. This competition
offers a unique chance for young people to learn core computing skills
that will be extremely useful in their future. It's going to be a lot
of fun!

To help students on their way in developing their code, five inspirational
themes have been devised to stimulate creativity and scientific
thinking. The themes are Spacecraft Sensors, Satellite Imaging, Space
Measurements, Data Fusion and Space Radiation.

In the primary school age category, teams will be asked to devise and
describe an original idea for an experiment or application which can
be conducted on the Astro Pi by Tim during his mission. The two best
submissions will get the opportunity to work with the Astro Pi team to
interpret their ideas and the team at the Raspberry Pi Foundation will
then code them ready for flight on the ISS.

In the secondary school age group, the competition will be run across
three age categories, one for each of Key Stages 3, 4 and 5 (in
England and Wales, and their equivalent ages in Scotland and Northern
Ireland). In the first phase, competitors can submit their ideas for
experiments and applications. At least the best 50 submissions in each
age category will win a Raspberry Pi computer and an Astro Pi board on
which to code their idea. In phase 2, all teams will develop code
based on their original concept and two winning teams will be selected
in each age category. The winning teams' code will be readied for
flight by the Raspberry Pi Foundation and CGI.

As well as having their code uploaded to the ISS, all winning teams will
each receive a class set of Raspberry Pi and Astro Pi boards, meet the
Astro Pi team and participate in a winners event during Tim's flight.

In addition to the main prizes, each of the UK space companies
supporting the project have offered a prize. These prizes will be
awarded to the best submission associated with each of the themes,
across the age ranges.

ESERO-UK and Raspberry Pi are developing a comprehensive suite of
teaching resources to link to the curriculum and assist teachers of
STEM subjects in engaging their students in the competition. As well
as explaining how to use and write code for the Astro Pi and its
sensors, the resources will provide a context for the Astro Pi in the
curriculum and link to teaching subjects and areas.

The first two resources of the series are available now in the National
STEM Centre eLibrary and the rest will follow.

Launching the Astro Pi computers, and consequently the successful
implementation and completion of this competition is subject to
nominal progress through the ESA integration programme and operations
on-board the ISS.

BBC TV News: Astronaut Tim Peake KG5BVI invites Raspberry Pi challenge
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-30415207

Astro Pi: Your code in space http://astro-pi.org/

Thanks to ANS and the UK Space Agency for the above information