Contents
We’ve collected a range of activities for you to do on the night of
Tim’s launch. Have a go at hosting your own launch party using the
ideas below! Remember to register your event on the Principia website
and show us your pictures on Twitter and instagram by using the
hashtag #Principia #BritInSpace.
On 15 December 2015 Tim Peake will be
making history as the first British ESA
astronaut on board the International
Space Station (ISS). The European Space
Agency will be sending Tim for a 6
month mission of scientific research
to advance our understanding of the
space environment.
His mission, ‘Principia’ is based on Sir
Isaac Newton’s Principia Mathematica a book describing the principal laws of
motion and gravity.
Whether you are planning on gathering
with your friends and family to
celebrate, or following along at work or
school, we have some useful ideas you
could use on the night of launch.
Click here to register your event on
the Principia website and send us your
pictures on Twitter and Instagram
using #Principia #BritInSpace.
If you are reading a printed version,
please check the end of the guide
for all links.
This is your chance to be there from
the start.
@astro_timpeake @spacegovuk
@esa #Principia #BritInSpace
www.principia.org.uk
This pack contains fun activities to help
you host your own launch party to
celebrate Tim’s launch.
Space culture
Rocket biscuits
Become a
rocket scientist
Dressing up ideas
Quiz
Stargazing
Launch
Here is some information about Tim’s launch
Launch schedule | 15 December 2015
These times are subject to change. Click here to check the times on the night
of launch.
05:47
06:42
07:22
08:27
08:32
09:02
09:17
10:47
10:52
10:55:47
10:57
11:02:13
11:02:33
11:04:31
16:57
18:32
Crew on site
Crew suited
Crew reports to delegations
Crew arrive at launch site
Crew enter Soyuz
Hatch closes
Soyuz pressurised & system checks
Checks complete
On-board recorders activated
Countdown auto-sequence
Transfer to on-board control, Commander’s controls activated, Crew switches to suit air by closing helmets,
launch key inserted in launch bunker.
Engine ignition
Lift-off
Booster separation
Rendezvous with ISS and docking
Hatch opens (greetings + safety briefing)
Why is the launch window so precise?
The time of launch and path or trajectory of the rocket have to be carefully
calculated. This is so that both the ISS and the capsule are in the right place at
the right time. This is so that the capsule can connect with the ISS.
This launch schedule is based on a 6 hour journey. This could change after
launch to a 48 hour journey if there are unexpected problems along the way.
Read our ‘Stargazing’ page to find out
what time you’ll be able to spot the ISS
on day of launch!
Click here to follow Tim’s journey from
Earth to Space on ESA TV.
Use this schedule to plan your launch
day activities. As you can see, Tim and
the team are going to be having a
busy day!
Space Culture
Why not start off celebrations by indulging in your favourite Sci-Fi?
UK Space Agency staff voted for their favourite Films and TV shows –
do you agree with what made the cut?
TV Programmes
Battlestar Galactica
Blake’s 7
Button Moon
Dr Who
Futurama
Grand Day Out
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
Red Dwarf
Star Trek
The Clangers
Films
Alien (15)
Apollo 13 (PG)
Close Encounters of the Third Kind (PG)
Flash Gordon (U)
Guardians of the Galaxy (12)
Interstellar (12A)
Mars Attacks (12)
Santa Clause Conquers the Martians (U)
Star Wars Episodes 4-6 (U)
The Mouse on the Moon (U)
Songs
Below are a list of our favourite space
songs. Create your own space playlist to
listen to them on launch night!
Around the World (Daft Punk)
Champagne Supernova (Oasis)
Cosmic Love (Florence and the Machine)
Drops of Jupiter (Train)
Intergalactic (Beastie Boys)
Man on the Moon (REM)
Reach for the Stars (S Club 7)
Rocket Man (Elton John)
Space Cowboy(Jamiroquai)
Star Man (David Bowie)
Tim, what is your favourite film and why?
Apollo 13. I love this film for so many reasons! Of course, it’s a true story of
an incredible mission that overcame the odds and returned the crew from a
perilous journey that, by all rights, should have ended in disaster. It teaches us
lessons in teamwork, communication and problem solving that is a model for
everyday situations. And it reminds us that in order to push the boundaries of
our knowledge you sometimes have to take a risk.
Do you have a favourite childhood space themed (or sci-fi) film that
encouraged your interest in space exploration?
I was (and still am!) a big Star Wars fan. Having two young sons is a great
excuse for enjoying those movies all over again.
Bake Rocket biscuits!
Simple, yummy treats your party guests will adore or alternatively, use
them to decorate your Christmas tree! Make sure to bake with an adult,
be extra careful with sharp knives.
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.
1. Put the flour, bicarbonate of soda,
salt and ginger together in a bowl.
2. Rub in the butter until the mixture
resembles fine breadcrumbs, then
stir in the sugar.
3. In another bowl, beat together
the egg and golden syrup, pour
this mixture into the flour mixture
and mix to make a smooth dough,
kneading lightly with your hands.
4. Put the sweets in a plastic bag and
crush the sweets with a rolling pin.
7. Fill the cut out with the crushed
sweets, until they are slight higher
than the dough. Try not to get
any of the crushed sweets on the
dough as they will colour it.
8. To make the biscuit into a hanging
decoration, use a straw to make a
small hole at the top to the rocket.
9. Bake the biscuits in the oven for 10
minutes.
10. Remove the biscuits from the oven.
While they’re still warm, check that
the holes are still there - if not,
push a straw through again. Do not
remove the biscuits from the baking
tray until they have cooled because
the boiled sweets need to harden.
5. Roll the dough out on a floured
work surface to about 0.5cm/¼in
thick, then cut out the shape using a
rocket cutter.
11. Once cooled you can lift them from
the baking tray. Store in an airtight
6. Place the biscuit on a baking tray
container.
lined with baking parchment, cut
out the windows using an apple
corer, or with a small sharp knife.
You will need:
• 350g/12oz plain flour (plus extra for dusting)
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground ginger
• 100g/3½oz butter
• 175g/6oz soft brown sugar
• 1 free-range egg, beaten
• 4 tbsp golden syrup
• packet wrapped fruit-flavoured boiled sweets in different colours
Become a rocket scientist!
Here we will be showing you two different ways of building your own
rocket! This page will show you how you can create your own water rocket
at home. Scroll down to find out how to create your own Soyuz rocket!
Do not attempt this without an adult. The water-rocket may take off
suddenly. DO NOT approach the rocket once you have started pumping into
it, even if it looks like nothing is happening. Ages 10+. Do not try this indoors.
1. Push the needle adaptor of the
pump through the cork. It must go
through the whole way, so trim the
cork if you need to.
2. Decorate the bottle with the cone and fins.
3. Fill the bottle one quarter full of
water and push the cork in tightly.
Your rocket works because as you pump
air through the water, the pressure inside
the bottle builds up. This continues to
happen until the force of the air pushing
against the water is strong enough to
push the cork out of the bottle. The
water rushed out in one direction, whilst
the bottle pushes back in the other.
Space rockets work similarly to your
home-made water rocket. Instead of
4. Take the bottle outside and connect
squirting water, they burn fuel to make
the pump to the needle adaptor.
a powerful jet of hot gas. The force of
5. Pump air into the bottle. Everyone the gas downwards pushes the rocket
should stand away from the rocket. upwards.
The rocket will launch after a few
Sounds familiar? “For every action there
seconds.
is an equal and opposite reaction”
– Sir Isaac Newton. The third law of
Newton’s three laws of motion is
demonstrated by your water rocket.
On 15 December Tim and his 2 astronaut crew mates (Tim Kopra and Yuri
Malenchenko) will be launched to the ISS on a Russian Soyuz rocket. These rockets
have been used since the 1960s to carry cosmonauts and astronauts into space.
You will need:
• An empty plastic bottle
• Cardboard made into a cone and 4 fins
• Thicker cardboard will allow the rocket to stand on it’s own
• A cork
• Pump with needle adaptor
• Water
The Soyuz
The crew can always get home in case of an emergency. Their Soyuz
spacecraft stays docked at the ISS throughout their mission and the
crew check it and print out their possible un-docking times every
morning, just in case!
The Soyuz launches from Kazakhstan,
south of Russia. After launch, the
spacecraft separates and the rocket
returns to Earth, with the capsule only
taking 9 minutes to reach space and 6
hours to reach the space station.
Use the instructions on pages 16-18 to
create your own paper Soyuz!
Dressing up ideas
Why not theme your outfit for launch night?
Astronaut
On board the ISS Tim will spend most of his time in shorts and t-shirts.
Spacesuits worn for space walks protect astronauts from getting too hot or
cold, give astronauts oxygen to breathe and water to drink. They also protect
astronauts from space dust while special gold-lined visors protect eyes from
bright sunlight.
Engineer
Engineers building spacecraft have to dress in special coats, hairnets, masks,
gloves and overshoes to stop any dust or bacteria getting into the clean
rooms where space craft are built.
Scientist
Most scientists would be upset if you called them ‘mad’ but many do wear
white coats and safety goggles when they are in the lab. What about a
famous scientist from history? Sir Isaac Newton first described gravity in
Principia Mathematica, why not pay tribute with a long wig and an apple?
Dressing up ideas
Why not theme your outfit for launch night?
Star or Galaxy
Use black, silver and gold clothes, glitter and paper to recreate stars and
constellations - just look outside for inspiration!
Planet
Each of the planets in the Solar System have distinctive features from the red
rocks of Mars to the rings of Saturn.
Send us your pictures!
We’d really love to see what amazing costumes you’re wearing on the day of
Tim’s launch. Make sure to tweet us (@SpaceGovUK) or tag us in your instagram
photos! (@SpaceGovUK). Our favourites will be featured on our pages.
Quiz
Whilst waiting for Tim to dock, why not get everyone involved in a
space-themed quiz? Find out if you’re a whiz at space or if your head
is just filled with it!
1. The ISS travels around the Earth at
approximately:
a) 120 km/hr
b) 540 km/hr
c) 11000km/hr
d) 27700 km/hr
5. The asteroid belt is between which
planets?
a) Mars and Earth
b) Venus and Mercury
c) Earth and Venus
d) Mars and Jupiter
2. Which space craft is used to carry
astronauts to the ISS?
a) Shuttles
b) Soyuz
c) SpaceX
6. What colour are the hottest stars
in the list below?
a) Orange
b) Yellow
c) Red
d) White
3. How many orbits does the ISS
complete around the Earth in 1 day? 7. Which is not true about the moon?*
a) 1
Click here to learn all about our moon
b) 16
and discover the answer!
c) 160
a) The moon helps regulate our seasons
d) 400
and weather.
b) The moon creates the Earth’s tides.
4. The Sun is:
c) The moon orbits the Earth.
a) A galaxy
d) The moon has atmosphere like the
b) A star
Earth’s.
c) A hot planet
d) An asteroid
8. Which planet has visible rings
around it?
a) Saturn
b) Jupiter
c) Uranus
d) Neptune
9. What is not true about meteors?*
Visit this page to learn fun science
facts about comets, meteors and
asteroids and to discover what the
answer is!
a) Meteors travel through space and
occasionally are caught by a planet’s gravitational pull.
b) The meteors which land on Earth are
called asteroids.
c) Meteors enter the Earth’s
atmosphere every day.
10. How much time do sun rays take
to reach the earth?
a) 8 minutes
b) 3 minutes
c) 5 minutes
Answers
Did you get them all right?
1. The ISS travels around the Earth at
approximately?
(d. 27,700 km/hr)
6. What colour are the hottest stars
in the list below?
(d. White)
2. Which spacecraft is used to carry
astronauts to the ISS?
(a. Shuttles)
7. Which is not true about the moon?
(d. The moon has atmosphere like Earth’s)
8. Which planet has visible rings
3. How many orbits does the ISS
around it?
complete around the Earth in 1 day? (a. Saturn)
(b. 16)
9. What is not true about meteors?
4. The Sun is a
(a. The meteors which land on Earth are
(b. Star)
called asteroids)
5. The asteroid belt is between which
planets?
(d. Mars and Jupiter).
10. How much time do sun rays take
to reach the Earth?
(a. 8 minutes)
Fun Fact
Tim was born in Chichester, England, on 7 April 1972, Tim is married with two
sons. Among his leisure activities he enjoys skiing, scuba diving, cross-country
running, climbing, and mountaineering in his wife’s native Scotland.
Stargazing
The next page includes a paper planisphere available for you to cut out
and use on the night of Tim’s launch. Don’t forget, you will be able to
spot the ISS if you look hard enough! Click here to find out what time
it will be flying over head!
Firstly...
Download the planisphere from the
next page and follow instructions.
Align the date and time accordingly
and use your planisphere to find your
favourite constellations.
Next....
Learning the constellations before
going out is the best thing to do when
looking for them for the first time.
One of the best known constellations is
Ursa Major (or the Great Bear) of which
a famous asterism is called the ‘Plough’.
This can be seen in the northern
hemisphere for most of the year and is
easily recognisable because it looks like a
saucepan with a handle!
There are 88 official constellations
you can learn but don’t worry about
learning them all - choose a few easier
ones to get you started.
Thank you to the ESA, Royal Astronomical Society, Surrey Satellites Ltd,
Blue Peter, BBC, NASA
Don’t forget to sign up to spotthestation.nasa.gov to get regular updates on
when YOU can spot Tim orbiting Earth!
Stargazing
Click here to download your own planisphere
Alternatively, there are many apps available on your phone.
Make sure you go out on a clear
night and find a wide open outside
space away from tall buildings and
bright lights. This could be your back
garden, some green space near your
house or on the beach.
Lyra, Hercules, Draco,
Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Perseus,
Auriga, Ursa Major, Ursa Minor
Try and pick a night where there is a
new moon, unless it is the moon you
want to observe.
When you get outside just sit there
for a while allowing your eyes to
adapt to the dim light. This could
take up to 20 minutes.
Taurus, Perseus,
Cassiopeia, Andromeda,
Aries, Pegasus, Cygnus
You will need:
• A blanket to keep warm
• A mat to sit or lie down on so you don’t crane your neck
• Layers of clothes
• Planisphere
Stargazing
Click here to download your own planisphere.
Alternatively, there are many apps available on your phone.
Your first constellation!
Start by finding Ursa Major and the
Plough. From here, you will be able to
find Polaris (two stars in the Plough point
directly at it) Polaris is the tail of Ursa
Minor, the Little Bear.
If you look directly down from Polaris to
the horizon you have found due north.
If you face north, south is behind you,
east is to your right and west is to your
left. Constellations aren’t the only thing
to observe. Don’t forget how beautiful
and detailed a full moon can be with the
naked eye. There are also many annual
meteor showers that can be a sight to
behold. If you see a bright stationary
object that’s not on your planisphere,
it’s probably a planet!
Planisphere
The map used to find the constellations and stars. They’re a quick way to tell
which stars and constellations are above their horizon on any day and time of
year. It’s important to know that planispheres are designed for specific latitude
zones - so make sure you check the latitude zone before splashing out on an
expensive star map!
Asterism
A section of a constellation.
Constellation
A group of stars which create a pattern or resemble something well known.
Often names after mythological figures.
If you have printed our activity pack, please use
the links below to help out with your day.
www.twitter.com/astro_timpeake
www.facebook.com/ESATimPeake
www.twitter.com/spacegovuk
www.twitter.com/esa
spotthestation.nasa.gov
www.facebook.com/spacegovuk
Instagram | astro_timpeake | spacegovuk | europeanspaceagency
www.principia.org.uk
www.esa.int/esatv/Television
www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/structure/elements/soyuz/
timeline_prelaunch.html
@astro_timpeake @spacegovuk
@esa #Principia #BritInSpace
www.principia.org.uk
On the next pages you can find the instructions to create your own paper Soyuz!
Image credits:
Page 2: NASA/Bill Stafford
Page 3: NASA
Page 4: ESA/NASA
Page 6: ESA/Stephane Corvaja
Page 8: Max Alexander
“Portrait of Isaac Newton in 1689 (age 46)” by Godfrey Kneller
Page 9: ESA/Hubble & NASA, Acknowledgement: Claude Cornen
NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute
NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope
Page 11: ESA/NASA