The ILA Tweetup programme is finally stable and includes a fantastic line up of speakers, presenters and all-round smart folks who have agreed to join us in Room Bravo (or elsewhere at ILA!) to share their passion for space science, exploration and the future.

Without giving away too many details – @AndreasSchepers insists that we keep the programme mostly secret so as to torture you a bit more 🙂 – I want to mention just some of the speakers that will be at the Tweetup next week in Berlin.


Ulrich Köhler

Ulrich Köhler Credit: DLR

Uli Köhler (DLR) – German Aerospace Center, Institute of Planetary Research. Uli works on several projects including the High Resolution Stereo Camera (HRSC), which is on board Mars Express and is returning some of the most stunning images ever from the Red Planet. The HRSC is imaging the entire planet in 3D, full colour, and with a resolution of about 10 metres. Selected areas are being imaged at two-metre resolution.

 

Michael Khan

Michael Khan Credit: ESA

Michael Khan (ESA) – European Space Operations Centre, Mission Analysis Office. Michael works on the team that provides in-depth profiling of future missions in exquisite detail; how to get to a scientific target like, say, an asteroid or Jupiter, how the spacecraft has to perform and how to maximise the return of science data. He also writes and edits the Go For Launch blog over at Scilogs.de, where he covers space science topics ranging from Cassini, Berlin’s recent CampusParty and the Tunguska event to wondering if Apophis really is a killer asteroid.

Nils Sparwasser points out details to the Prime Minister of Brandenburg Credit: DLR

Nils Sparwasser points out details to the Prime Minister of Brandenburg Credit: DLR

Nils Sparwasser (DLR) – German Aerospace Center, German Remote Sensing Data Center, Science Communication and Visualization department. Nils is department head of a team that works to visualise fascinating results delivered from a wide range of earth missions – highlighting how this crucial data help protect our home planet. The department’s products are primarily intended for laypeople, the media and scientists active in fields other than remote sensing, making complex science topics accessible many (take a look!).

 

ESA Mission Director Kris Capelle at ATV-CC on docking day, 24 Feb 2011 Credit: ESA

ESA Mission Director Kris Capelle at ATV-CC on docking day, 24 Feb 2011 Credit: ESA

Kris Capelle (ESA) – ATV Control Centre, Mission Operations Team. Kris is one of the Agency’s most experienced mission directors and worked on the critical launch and early orbit (LEOP) operations for numerous missions at ESOC in Darmstadt before moving to Toulouse in 2009. He sits on console at ATV-CC, helping manage the launch, docking and attached operations of ATV, the most sophisticated vessel ever flown by Europe.


Our short list above leaves off a number of other fantastic presenters, including ESA’s Richard Fisackerly (Lunar lander) and Martin Zell (ISS Science), as well as DLR’s Ulrike Friedrich (Zero-G research), Martin Sippel and Carola Bauer (Spaceliner).

Nor does it include any of several astronauts (including one who only recently became re-accustomed to gravity!), a pair of VIP senior managers, the hard-working communication & outreach team members nor the guy who runs Germany’s top space science Podcast. Phew!

It’s going to be an excellent day! 🙂