Astro Pi is back! Next year, kids from across Europe will be challenged to create code for Raspberry Pi computers in space.
The European Space Agency (ESA) and Raspberry Pi Foundation have teamed up to run a brand new Astro Pi challenge. This year, the challenge will be open to children from 22 different countries.
This time around, the code will be run in space by French astronaut Thomas Pesquet.
Astro Pi Europe: Meet French astronaut Thomas Pesquet
Thomas is going to blast into space during November 2016. He will serve on board the ISS as a flight engineer for Expeditions 50 and 51.
"I'm currently at the European Astronaut centre," says Thomas. "I'm training for my Proxima mission. I'll be going to the International Space Station this fall, for six months:"
"My friend, and fellow ESA astronaut Tim Peake just finished up his ISS mission," says Thomas. "He has left two very special items on board for me. Two Astro Pi Computers."
The Astro Pi computers, nicknamed Ed and Izzy, contain a Raspberry Pi, SenseHAT and Pi Camera Module. Equipment that can be easily sourced on Earth.
"So get ready," says Thomas, "because a lot of exciting science can be done with the Astro Pis. I'm very glad to invite you join the Astro Pi School Challenge I will challenge you to run a coding competition based on the mission that I will assign you."
Sign up for the Astro Pi Europe mission plan
That mission is organised by teachers, who create a mission plan with school children. This mission plan has to be submitted by 1 November 2016.
Applications for Astro Pi are sent differently depending on which country you are in.
- Teams from France should register through the Centre National d’Etudes Spatiales (CNES). (In French)
- Teams from Poland should register directly through ESERO Poland. (In Polish)
- Teams from other ESA Member States should register and upload their mission plan here. (All entries must be submitted in English).
If you're looking for inspiration, take a look at the winners from Tim Peake's Astro Pi mission.
"You may even have the chance to send your code to the Astro Pi on the ISS where it'll be run in space," says Thomas. "Have fun learning. I can't wait to see all the computer code that you come up with. See you soon!"
In the meantime, here's our new favourite astronaut Thomas Pesquet spinning around a centrifugal chamber as part of his training. Good luck Thomas. We can't wait to follow your space mission.
