The Committee on Space Research is pleased to announce the launch of an ambitious series of space science education projects through its Panel on Education, starting with participation in two Erasmus+ programmes. This is part of the COSPAR Panel on Education’s new approach to its mission of developing “means and media to encourage and spread space-related education”.
One of the programmes, The EXpeditionary Program for Learning OppoRtunities in Analog Space Exploration (EXPLORE) is coordinated by the Austrian Space Forum (OeWF), aiming to invite students to engage in activities similar to existing analog missions that simulate Moon or Mars environments. Visit the project website at: https://explore-project.eu/
EXPLORE is highlighted in the COSPAR statement made by COSPAR General Counsel Niklas Hedman during the COPUOS plenary meeting on 30 June 2025 of its 68th session. Read the statement here.
Read the latest EXPLORE newsletter (January 2025) here. The EXPLORE Experiment Design Challenge has been launched, for students to propose a scientific experiment to be carried out during the second EXPLORE Mission at the Mars Analog Research Station (MARS) inside OLA – Observatório do Lago Alqueva (Lake Alqueva Observatory), Monsaraz, Portugal.
EXPLORE Facebook account
The second project, The StudenTs As plaNetary Defenders (StAnD), coordinated by the Italian Istituto nazionale di astrofisica (INAF), aims to engage primary and secondary school students in the subject of asteroids, meteors, and planetary defence. Visit the project website at: https://projectstand.eu
StAnD Facebook account
The latest StAnD Newsletter (December 2025) is available here. Sign up to learn more or join the project here. The StAnD Image competition has also been launched–the winning images will feature in the StAnD 2027 Calendar and will appear in the StAnD Image Gallery on the website.
In both projects, educators will receive training to deliver curriculum content and improve their knowledge of digital solutions, as well as student-centred, inclusive, equitable and accessible methodologies while implementing the project.
The second Summer School for StAnD took place in Marathon, Greece from 6 to 11 July 2025.
Group photo of trainers and participants
at the first EXPLORE and StAnD summer schools
held in Marathon, Greece, July 2024.