Space event features meet & greet, speeches & Mars rover

Keynote lectures will be presented by Dr Matt Taylor, ESA Rosetta Project, who will summarise the Rosetta mission so far, providing an update since the deployment of the lander to the surface of the comet 67P. Abbie Hutty, Spacecraft Structures Engineer, ExoMars Rover Project, Airbus, will present a mission overview and discuss some of the fundamental challenges her team are working to overcome.

A range of guests will speak at the event, including Professor Chris Lintott, University of Oxford and Zooniverse; Dr Lewis Dartnell, University of Leicester; Dr Jen Gupta, Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation, University of Portsmouth; Dr David Birch, University of Surrey, Dr Anne Green University of Nottingham; Tom Gunner, Defence and Space, Airbus; Dr Justin Read, University of Surrey; and Richard Graham, Richemont.

The conference will play host to Bridget, a prototype Mars rover. Bridget is used to test systems such as autonomous navigation that will be incorporated into the ESA ExoMars spacecraft, due to launch in 2018.

On the evening of Saturday 28^th February, there will be a networking reception sponsored by Satellite Applications Catapult, which will provide attendees and exhibitors with networking opportunities in an informal atmosphere, incorporating refreshments. Nominations are now open for the inaugural UKSEDS National Awards, which will be presented at the reception. This will be followed by an evening social event at Wates, which includes a hot buffet and bar. Tickets are sold separately, and can be bought through the conference site.

The conference is made possible by the sponsorship of Printech Circuit Laboratories, HE Space, Satellite Applications Catapult, CGI and Royal Astronomical Society, and the support of the Aerospace MSc Bursary Scheme (Royal Academy of Engineering/Royal Aeronautical Society), International Space University, Umeå University, Airbus Defence and Space, Surrey Satellite Technology, European Southern Observatory, British Interplanetary Society, University of Surrey and Surrey EARS.