Voyage - Space for Young Explorers                                           
                                                          
Issue 6 August 2008                                                                    

Your questions about space will be answered by our space experts
 
This issue is Astrium: 'Orbits and Satellites'.

In 2004 the BIS trialled a new magazine aimed at younger readers with the title of Voyage. The idea was to introduce a new generation to the excitement and vision of Space, while providing an educational resource. With a serious decline in the number of students choosing to take science, technology, engineering or mathematics subjects, it is becoming recognised that Space is an important source of inspiration to youngsters deciding on their future studies. Members of the BIS, of course, also believe that Space is important in its own right and would like to transmit this to the next generation.

Unfortunately, while the new magazine was well received, take up on the publication was poor and so the Society had to terminate it after five issues. This was never seen as the demise of an idea, however. When Team 28 reviewed the Society’s activities last year, it was felt that Voyage was an idea worth revisiting. The idea was then put forward that it could be produced as a four-page ‘pull-out supplement’ in Spaceflight.

Done this way it would not add to the Society’s costs, all members would receive a copy which they could pass on to sons/daughters/nephews/nieces or any other youngsters showing an interest in astronautics - and others might be interested to take and receive the resurrected Voyage as a means of reaching a new audience.

This issue of Spaceflight carries the first edition of the new Voyage. It is largely the work of Team 28 member Vicki Hodges, from Astrium, and BIS HQ staff member Melanie David-Feveck. But the intention is not to have the same team produce the magazine all the time.

Voyage will appear, in the first instance, every third month with Spaceflight. Each issue will be devoted to a different topic about astronautics, following a common, simple format aimed at a readership in the 10 - 14 year old range. Our intention is to get different organisations to produce one issue on a particular topic relevant to them. As an example, we have asked Arianespace to produce us an issue on launch vehicles.

This way no one person will have to work on producing issue after issue of the magazine, and we can draw on the varied expertise of our members to produce something that is not only interesting but of educational value.
We do, however, need editorial guidance. In the first instance we would like to hear from teachers or educators who already deal with this audience, and who could suggest a programme of topics that we can deal with in subsequent issues of Voyage.

We would also encourage feedback from members about the value of this exercise, and feedback from the young audience that Voyage is aimed at. What are the frequently asked questions? The BIS has the experts who can answer those questions, but first we need to know what they are. Let us know what you think.

 Bob Parkinson