Future space engineers

A while ago, EISCAT had the opportunity to visit a preschool in Kiruna and meet children aged 4–5 to talk about what we do at EISCAT, about space in general, and about the many space-related activities in Kiruna.

The space industry is an important part of Kiruna’s business community. Educational programmes related to space are available at both Rymdymnasiet and Luleå University of Technology (LTU), and the Swedish Institute of Space Physics (IRF) conducts teaching, research, and development of space instruments. In addition, SSC Esrange hosts a rocket and balloon launch base where rocket engines are tested and, in the future, satellites will also be launched. And of course, there us here at EISCAT, operating advanced radar antennas across Fennoscandia and Svalbard.

In the small city of Kiruna, it is possible to pursue an education and build an entire career in the space sector, working in a wide range of fields and even conducting your own space research.

The opportunity to talk about space and our activities at an early age helps spark curiosity and interest among children—interest that we hope will grow and, in the future, enable us to recruit talented scientists and engineers.

Good for us, good for the children, and good for Kiruna.

As part of EISCAT’s visit, the children also had the chance to build a small antenna themselves. This activity was very popular and provided an engaging and accessible way for us to demonstrate the breadth of the space industry in Kiruna.