Astronaut Thomas Pesquet during his visit © Belga Image
The afternoon started on a playful note with the launch of water rockets on the plain of the Atomium. Once in the Planetarium, Thomas Pesquet commented on a film retracing his experience in space. The young people were able to ask him questions about the daily life of an astronaut in orbit.
The 44-year-old astronaut then answered questions from journalists during a press conference, alongside Thomas Dermine, Secretary of State for Science Policy. ” The reception of such a personality has an unparalleled impact for the promotion of scientific studies among young people “Mr. Dermine said. “Children can be inspired by Thomas Pesquet’s journey to work in astronomy in the future after scientific studies.”
The astronaut intends to inspire future generations. “I came here to call on them to seize the opportunities offered to them. Space inspires dreams and therefore remains a means of raising young people’s awareness of all sorts of issues that will arise in the future.”
Among these issues, climate change is crucial. “Space allows us to realize that climate change is not a political opinion; it is a fact that is happening”, commented Thomas Dermine, who considers that space research has a role to play in this area. The Secretary of State also reaffirmed Belgium’s desire to invest in ESA. “We want to stay in the game of space research”, he concluded