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A space mission and Science at Eddies – What’s the link?

Last week, Europe’s first mission to explore the smallest and least well-known planet in our solar system, blasted off from Kourou, French Guiana. The BepiColombo mission aims to gain a greater understanding of the environment and conditions on and around Mercury, a planet that is a mere 58 million kilometres from the Sun, on average, and its days are twice as long as its years! On its arrival at Mercury in 2025, the spacecraft will endure temperatures above 350 degrees Celcius and will gather data for up to 2 years. It will also test Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, a theory that is over 100 years old, by making precise measurements of its position and orbit. The BepiColombo mission has so far used the most advanced technology and combined this with a very human trait of being able to take its own selfies! Below is the first image it has taken of itself on its epic journey.

Date: 20 October 2018
Satellite: BepiColombo
Depicts: MTM solar array
Copyright: ESA/BepiColombo/MTM, CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO

So what relevance does this mission have to everyday life here at St Edmund’s? Well, here in the Science department, we are in the process of obtaining the latest and most advanced measuring equipment that can be used in a classroom environment and integrates the current shift to digital technology. We are implementing a host of measurement probes that can instantaneously transfer data to the user in real time (via the SparkVue app as detailed in the Vortex for Week 1, Term 4). Although our measuring techniques cannot compare to the sophistication and precision of the measurements to be taken by the BepiColombo mission, here at St Edmund’s, we have similar ambitions to provide students with the opportunities to advance their skills and help promote their interest and engagement in science by using equipment that is fit for the 21st century.

Ross Bristow (Head of Science)