World Space Week 2003 Report

Events were organized in the Czech Republic on the occasion of the World Space Week for the second time. As in the previous year, the main organizer of the Czech participation was the Czech Space Office. Involvement of individual organizations as well as individuals in the campaign was managed and coordinated by Mr. Milan Halousek, editor of KOSMOS-NEWS astronautics bulletin.

The year of 2003 would have been considered an extremely successful year with respect to the interest of the public in astronautics – if, however, the major interest of media and the public had not focused especially on the tragic catastrophe of U.S. Columbia space shuttle. In addition to this, in 2003 large attention was paid to another historical milestone in manned astronautics – the lift-off of the first Chinese astronaut, Jang Li-wei on 15 October 2003. Another event in astronautics at the end of 2003 was connected with the upcoming landing of research rovers on Mars. All of these topics were reflected in events organized in 2003 in the scope of the World Space Week. However, it needs to be stressed that contrary to expectations, the interest of the public in astronautics during entire 2003 slightly reduced the quantity and quality of events organized in the scope of this week. This was due to the fact that a number of organizers of exhibitions and lectures held their events, which were normally planned especially for World Space Week, earlier thus utilizing the interest of listeners and visitors in the actual happenings. Despite this, a number of events promoting astronautics took place during the 2003 World Space Week and just after the Week.

Lectures

A total of 19 lectures were given in direct connection with World Space Week and covered astronautics and partially astronomy. These activities took place in astronomical observatories in Pardubice, Hradec Králové, Hrádek, Prostějov, Valašské Meziříčí, Uherský Brod, Vsetín, Brno or schools in regions in which these observatories are active. Particularly, lectures held in primary or high schools enjoyed a substantial attendance of students. This attendance is even more valuable in view of the fact that new active individuals interested in astronautics may come from this category. Organizers of individual lectures reported more than 950 participants who heard lectures covering the Columbia catastrophe, the Apollo program, stellar space, Mars, ISS, etc.

Exhibitions

Organizers reported that a total of nine exhibitions took place with more than 3,500 visitors. Also in this case, these exhibitions included events organized in primary and high schools. The highest share on the overall results in this area goes especially to the astronomical observatory in Valašské Meziříčí, which has substantial experience with this method of presentation of astronautics. In addition, Mr. Vladimír Plachý from Pardubice contributed significantly to the spectrum of quality exhibitions organized in the scope of the 2003 World Space Week. He organized four exhibitions in primary schools in Pardubice region with over 900 visitors. These exhibitions are always accompanied with a separate brief lecture for each group of visitors and all questions are answered.

Program series

In connection with World Space Week, astronomical observatories in various regions of the Czech Republic designed programs featuring this event. These were mostly included into their program series. Alternatively, some observatories called attention of the public to the ongoing World Space Weeks in the scope of their regular events and provided explanation of its background and significance. These included especially highly active astronomical observatories in Valašské Meziříčí, Prague, Uherský Brod, Vsetín, Brno, Hradec Králové and Pardubice.

Web presentations

Information on World Space Week and related activities appeared on a large number of web pages of both organizations and individuals.

Media presentations

This particular area represents one of a few fields which could still be a subject of significant improvement. Presentation of World Space Week in the media was very weak, despite all media generally paying considerable attention to astronautics in 2003. The only significant activity in this area includes the regularly published press release of the Czech Astronomical Society on the occasion of the World Space Week, which was prepared by Mr. Marcel Grün, the Director of Prague Astronomical Observatory and Planetarium.

Recommendations

Although strong participation of the public in events organized in the scope of World Space Week 2003 in the Czech Republic raises optimism, it is necessary to be fully committed to the promotion of astronautics in the upcoming year. The public needs to be informed on the contribution of astronautics to everyday life and convinced that it represents a useful spending of funds.

The majority of events promoting astronautics, not only during World Space Week, are organized by professional and amateur astronomical observatories. These, however, focus primarily on astronomy and the quality of presentation of astronautical topics is assured only if some of the staff are also engaged in astronautics. For this reason, a number of astronautical topics are presented by external collaborators of astronomical observatories. The element limiting these activities is the amount of time that these external lecturers are able to devote to these events and, last but not least, the financial capabilities of individual observatories.

In addition to introducing astronautics to the general public, a very significant outcome of the 2003 World Space Week is the improved communication between the staff of astronomical observatories and amateur and professional promoters of astronautics. It is certain that these contacts will facilitate higher quality and more emphatic presentations of astronautics to the general public not only in 2004, but also in the years to come.

Summary of selected events having taken place during the World Space Week in the Czech Republic

• Lecture: "Columbia – Investigation Finished"
• Vernissage of the exhibition "Apollo: Footsteps On The Moon " + Lecture
• Afternoon Program of the E. Halley Amateur Astronomical Observatory
• Lecture: "Stellar Space"
• Lecture: "Are we the Center Point of Space?"
• Program: "Astronautical Chronicles" - Summary of the most interesting events in astronautics, launch vehicles and space research in the last quarter
• Vernissage of the traveling exhibition "Share of the Czech Republic in the Space Research"
• Lecture: "Mars and Other Planets by Eyes of Space Probes"
• Lecture: "Past and Presence of the Solar System Bodies"
• Lecture: "Earth in Motion"
• Observation of Fly-Overs of Bright Satellites with Explanation and Description of Satellites
• Night Astronomical Observations, Fly-Overs of Iss, Flares of Iridiums
• Lecture series: "2003 Events", "Exploration of Interplanetary Matter by Space Probes"
• Lecture Series: "Mars Research Continues", "Features and Records of Manned Space Flights", "Columbia", "Iss After Five Years"
• Start-up of the "Space Probes Database"
• Program: "Space Spies"
• Article: "Safety of Manned Space Flights"
• Putting the Czech Translation Of "Orbitron" Program (Monitoring Flyovers of Satellites Above The Earth) Into Operation
• Astronautical and astronomical afternoon.
• Lectures: "Mars – Planet of the Year", "Astronomical News"
• Publishing the "Sunflower Project" web site
• Lecture: "Future of the International Space Station"
• Exhibition: Astronautics
• Traveling exhibition: "Call Sign Caique or Women in Space"
• "Hradec Králové Astronomical Observatory And Planetarium" - Talking about astronautics (Columbia, Mars space probes, Chinese astronautics) in the scope of regular school events and observations for the public

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