Asteroid Day 2023: Big Success in Luxembourg and More than 300 Events Worldwide

We are excited to recap the Asteroid Day 2023 events brought to you by the Asteroid Foundation. This year, we took Asteroid Day to new heights in Luxembourg with two flagship events: the Asteroid Day Space Lecture and the Asteroid Day Festival. The response was overwhelming, with participants of all ages joining us for two days of learning and fun.

Asteroid Day Space Lecture: The Latest Updates in Asteroid and Space Research

On the UN-recognised Asteroid Day, June 30, Asteroid Day Space Lecture co-funded by the European Union (ERASMUS+) was hosted in Tramsschapp, Luxembourg. This event gathered students, teachers, academia, and the public, as it provided unique insights into the latest updates in asteroid and space research from space resources to planetary defence.

The Space Lecture featured a distinguished lineup of speakers and a panel of European astronauts who shared their experiences and knowledge. For those who couldn’t attend in person, the event was live-streamed on the Asteroid Day YouTube channel, you can watch the recording here.

Asteroid Day Festival: Where Passion for Space Ignites

The Asteroid Day Festival, supported by the FNR, was a celebration that brought together people of all ages who shared a common passion for exploring space and asteroids. From children to teenagers to adults, attendees found something exciting to engage in throughout the day. 

With a wide range of engaging activities available, participants could see for themselves how diverse the space sector is. From painting on a giant papier-mache asteroid to programming space rovers and launching Lego rockets, there was no shortage of captivating experiences. The festival covered into various fascinating topics, including finance in space, space resources, asteroids, and the history and future of manned missions. You can watch the stream recording here.

As part of its 5th anniversary, the Luxembourg Space Agency (LSA), the Asteroid Foundation’s main sponsor, organised, in collaboration with the Ministry of the Economy, the Ministry of National Education, Children and Youth and the Ministry of Sports, the national “Astronaut for a day” competition to enable around thirty young people to experience a zero-gravity flight and become a “space ambassador” for Luxembourg.

The announcement of the final selection of the winners of the national competition “Astronaut for a day” took place during the Asteroid Day Festival in the presence of ministers Franz Fayot, Georges Engel and Claude Meisch.