Banner image credit: NASA Goddard
What is Project Orbit?
Project ORBIT (Opportunities for Research and Building Interstellar Talents) aims to develop a sustainable strategy to integrate planetary geoscience into our initiatives, and to encourage the uptake of planetary geoscience at University level and/or through to careers.
The project focuses on the application of geology and geophysics to investigate the rocky planets, moons and asteroids in the Solar System, aligning with the national curriculum and space sector needs. We are developing teaching materials, workshops, lesson plans, and laboratory experiments, covering a wide range of topics: meteorite formation, impact cratering, off-world construction via in-situ resource utilisation, and planetary defence.
We will also launch a brand-new tactile handling box containing terrestrial and extra-terrestrial rock samples, which will be available for loan to schools and public groups, facilitating diverse participation in space and planetary science.
Resources
Discover the resources emerging from this project.
Funding for Project Orbit
Project ORBIT is funded through the UK Space Agency’s Space for All fund. The UK Space Agency has awarded funding to 15 projects across the UK designed to engage young people from all backgrounds and inspire the next generation into Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers.
Project Orbit Public Engagement Events
The project commenced in April 2024, and since then we engaged with over 3600 people on planetary science topics, by participating in events including the Harwell Science and Innovation Centre Open Week, Carfest Festival, the Geological Association’s Festival of Geology, and the Science Museum STEM Skills Fair. We also hosted a planetary science Public Lecture, and our annual Careers Day, which took place in Manchester in 2024.
Space Week
The flagship event of Project ORBIT was Space Week, which took place from 18-28 February 2025. During this special week, we organised a series of space-themed outreach and education events. Aiming to make space and planetary geoscience accessible and exciting to all audiences and ages, we hosted school workshops, a Public Lecture, teacher training, and two family fun days at Burlington House.
