Lecture by Thomas Pesquet and Daniel Kunth

Thursday, April 5, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Amphitheater of the Institute of Biology at the University of Montpellier (Tram 1 stop “Albert 1er”)
The Van Allen Foundation from the University of Montpellier, which is sponsoring the 1st University Space Center will host Thomas Pesquet, an astronaut with the European Space Agency (ESA), and astrophysicist Daniel Kunth for a unique space conference titled “Perspectives from Earth and Space”—free and open to the public—on Thursday, April 5, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the lecture hall of the Institute of Biology at the University of Montpellier (Tram 1 stop “Albert 1er”).
Thomas Pesquet is the space star of the moment. Now back from space, he will discuss his six-month Proxima mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS): preparations, life on board, scientific experiments, spacewalks… you’ll get the inside scoop on a space mission! And it’s no coincidence that Thomas chose to come to Montpellier: last May, from the ISS, he congratulated the students at the University of Montpellier’s Space Center on Facebook for helping France get selected by the ESA as one of the top six university nanosatellite projects in Europe! His visit is thus an opportunity to share his passion and his vision of Earth with future generations of space enthusiasts.
In addition, astrophysicist Daniel Kunth, Ambassador of the Van Allen Foundation and Director of Research CNRS (who created “La Nuit des Etoiles” with Hubert Reeves), will offer a view from Earth. Specializing in space observation using the world’s largest telescopes (from the European observatory in Chile, or with the Hubble Space Telescope…), Daniel Kunth studies galaxies to understand their formation and evolution. Highly active in his field, he has also published various popular science books.
With the 1st University Space Center the French government and the Van Allen Foundation, the launch of its ROBUSTA1B nanosatellite Last June, following recognition of its excellence by space agencies… the University of Montpellier has become a national leader in academic nanosatellites and a hub for prestigious players in the space sector.