What's happening in space? A lot! Cosmic speakers will tell us about it at the meetings of the series titled Bielany Na Orbicie.
Everyone will find something for themselves here – we look at space with great ambition – from the northern lights and distant stars, through the construction of rockets, rovers, and satellites, to letting our imagination run wild and thinking 'what if?'.
👦👧 In this year's edition, we respond to the voices gathered among participants from previous years' meetings and divide the events into a part for the youngest and for the older ones. We start at 5:00 PM with a talk and animation for children, and at 6:00 PM, lectures for older participants will begin.
📍 ATTENTION, this year we are changing the location of the events to MAL Kasprowicza 14, at the same address as in the name, right by the exit from the Słodowiec metro station. Meetings will take place on: September 12, October 11, November 7, and December 12, 2024.
📅 What will we talk about on September 12? 📅
The topic of the first meeting in 2024 will be ROCKETS! We have invited students from the Warsaw University of Technology, who are constructing their own rockets, and an engineer from the Institute of Aviation, who is working on the Polish rocket Bursztyn, which flew into space in July 2024. This is the first documented time that a Polish rocket has crossed the boundary of space.
🚀 What does a shipping container have to do with rockets?
The Rocket Section of SKA has been operating since 2010. During this time, its members have designed and tested 8 sounding rocket constructions, including:
- the speed record-breaking amateur rocket H1
- the Grot rocket, breaking the altitude record of European amateur rockets
- one of the first student rockets controlled with a vision-guided navigation system FOK
- the first hybrid-powered rocket at the Warsaw University of Technology.
Since 2020, they have also been conducting a project different from all previous ones, in which a used shipping container plays a key role. In the presentation, we will present the projects of the Rocket Section, and we will also answer the question of how a shipping container can be used for testing propulsion systems and what challenges are associated with it.
🗣️ Eng. Michał Kret: In the section, I am responsible for coordinating the Hefajstos project and I work on the development of propulsion systems for our rockets. Professionally, I am also connected with rocket technologies - I work at the Space Technology Center in Łukasiewicz - Institute of Aviation. I am particularly interested in structural analyses, which are calculations verifying the strength of individual construction elements.
🗣️ Radosław Kamiński: I am the coordinator of the rocket section in the student astronautics club, where I oversee all projects. My responsibilities include organizing and planning flight tests, ensuring their smooth course and safety. I also deal with simulations of external and internal flows, which allows for the optimization of construction and performance. My work combines a passion for astronautics and engineering, and also develops skills in managing technical projects.
🚀 A day in the life at the Rocket Engine Test Stand.
The rocket engine test stand is a special laboratory where tests of rocket propulsion systems and space probes are conducted. Although the history of Polish projects and research on engines spans several decades, it is still little known. During the presentation, we will take a virtual tour of domestic research centers and learn about the challenges and surprises that await engineers during tests. We will also take on the role of a Test Engineer during a typical day of research at the Rocket Engine Test Stand at Łukasiewicz - Institute of Aviation.
🗣️ Bartek Źrebiec - For two years, he has been working in the Rocket Propulsion Testing Section of the Space Technology Center in Łukasiewicz - Institute of Aviation. On a daily basis, he prepares and video records rocket engine tests. He was also responsible for recording the launch of the ILR-33 Bursztyn 2K rocket during its historic flight to 101 km.
🎤 The meetings will traditionally be hosted by Radek Grabarek, the founder of the YouTube channel 'We Need More Space' and co-host of the live video podcast 'Space XYZ'. Organizer of events across Poland popularizing knowledge about space exploration among children and adults.
🎟️ Free admission.