BUDDING young scientists will have the chance to meet their hero after being selected to attend a children’s space conference in York.

British ESA astronaut Major Tim Peake, who launched to the International Space Station in December 2015, is the special guest at the UK Space Agency’s Schools Conference at the University of York, on November 5.

The event will celebrate the work of students inspired by Tim’s Principia mission. Among those attending and presenting their work to pupils from around the country and space experts will be 12 pupils from Hempland Primary School in Heworth.

Year five teacher Gareth Dyer, a Space Ambassador for the Tim Peake Project, said: “The ones who were chosen are incredibly excited. Tim Peake has become a hero of theirs. The thought of doing a presentation is exciting anyway because they love sharing what they have done but the idea of having their photo taken with Tim Peake is unreal.”

He set up Hempland’s out-of-school Stem (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) club, which focussed on the International Space Station mission and space for a whole term.

York Press:

The club appealed to girls and boys of all abilities and interests, and had changed their overall attitudes towards school, he said.

“It is not just about reading, writing and maths. I have one child who now wants to be a space biologist and she is thoroughly capable of becoming one; others are joining engineering clubs outside school.”

Tim Peake will also give a public talk about his time on the ISS, from launch to landing, on November 5 at the university. The event is fully booked.

The conference continues the next dayon Sunday, November 6 at the university with events open to the public, including talks, film showings, an exhibition of UK Space Agency projects and family-friendly workshops. Tickets for that event, which Tim is not attending, can be found at the university’s website.