It has been announced that the UK Space Agency is investing over £1.5 million in education and outreach projects that harness inspirational power of European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Tim Peake’s space mission.

W5 at Odyssey Belfast has been chosen as one of the nation’s top science and discover centres to launch an inspirational and exciting hands on programme.

Backed by the UK Space Agency, W5 is one of twenty science centres across the UK that have joined forces with the European Space Agency’s first British astronaut, Tim Peake, to provide children all over the UK with a unique opportunity to learn about human space flight and follow life on the International Space Station.

With over 20 million visitors to UK science centres every year, Destination Space will give children across the nation the chance to learn about Tim Peake’s mission through hands-on experiments, rocket demonstrations, space equipment and live video from the International Space Station.

As well as learning about Tim Peake’s work on the International Space Station, the programme will celebrate the team behind Tim, highlighting great opportunities for young people across the science and space sector.

The programme is being developed with teams at the National Space Centre in Leicester, Science Museum in London and Jodrell Bank Discovery Centre in Cheshire, and led by the UK Association for Science and Discovery Centres in Bristol.

Families and schools will be invited to join Destination Space through a calendar of family shows and live events at W5 running from October 2015 including special events for Tim Peake’s launch, meet-the-expert sessions and a fabulous astronaut show that will engage and inspire family audiences with Tim’s mission. Special curriculum-linked activities for school children aged 5-14 will be starting from January 2016 whilst Tim is in space.

Online, Destination Space will allow people to follow Tim Peake’s adventures in space in real time, find out what role in the crew would suit them and learn about inspiring figures within the field of human space flight.

Dr Penny Fidler, the CEO of ASDC and Director of Destination Space said:

“Tim Peake is the European Space Agency’s first British astronaut and we want children and families to feel they are truly a part of his exciting mission. His journey and time on the International Space Station provides a great opportunity to encourage children to be more curious, ask big questions and to enjoy science.

“By following Destination Space online or joining us for one of our science centre events, young people all over the UK can explore human space flight in a hands-on, fun and involving way.

“We want to show there is a huge crew of women and men from all areas of science and engineering who work to make space missions possible. This is a chance to celebrate their endeavours, giving young people the confidence and curiosity to explore and ask questions long after they leave the science and discovery centres.”