Children were recently invited to take part in an exciting competition to have their very own artwork blast off into space.
The team behind the MicroAge project - which studies muscle ageing in microgravity by sending experiments to the International Space Station (ISS) - invited children aged 6-16 to design their next 'mission patch'.
After an overwhelming response of more than 850 creative and inspiring entries from as far away as Germany, a winner has been chosen. Luke, a 15-year-old student from Birkdale High School in Southport, was selected by a panel of academics as the standout submission, encapsulating the spirit and ambition of the project.
Luke 'exterminated' the competition with his space themed designg
His mission patch design will be used on all of the MicroAge Team clothing and documentation for the upcoming MicroAge II preparations and launch, taking place at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, USA.
11 more designs were selected and will also be sent to the International Space Station. These intricate designs showcase thoughtful motifs, including astronauts, the Liver Bird, muscle cells, and planets-each reflecting the project's excitement and energy.
Astronauts can lose up to 40 per cent of their muscle after 6 months in space. These changes are regarded as an excellent model for the ageing process in the body, and the MicroAge Team use the knowledge gained from studying changes in astronauts to better understand why we lose muscle as we get older. Their first mission, Microage I, used lab-grown human muscles to observe the effects of microgravity. The team's next mission, Microage II, will blast off later this year and will also use lab-grown human muscles to test treatments to counteract the effects of microgravity, and so ageing.
MicroAge's Professor Anne McArdle said: "The MicroAge project is not just about cutting-edge space research-it's about inspiring the next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers. Encouraging young people to take part in competitions like this helps them see how their creativity and curiosity can play a role in real-world space missions. It has been fantastic to witness their enthusiasm, and we hope this experience ignites a lifelong passion for science and discovery."
The finalists and Luke were honoured at an award ceremony recently held at the Museum of Liverpool, where they received certificates in recognition of their achievements. One of the judges praised the high standard of entries, saying: "There were some brilliant designs, and it was really tough to pick the winner. We were thrilled with the quantity, quality and creativity of all the entries and thank you Luke for his contribution to the next phase of our project, we are excited to see the final product".
MicroAge is a collaboration with the UK Space Agency and Kayser Space Ltd. More info about the project can be found here.
