Dr Simon Foster was invited by the Thomas Hardy School to present the first of this academic year’s community lectures. Other lectures in the programme include Simon Singh, Michael Fish and Iain Stewart.
Simon is the Outreach Officer in the Physics Department at Imperial College London. He is a qualified rocket scientist and his research focuses on Solar-terrestrial Physics, specialising in solar variability and climate change.
Through the talk Simon hoped to bring the audience into the world of the rocket scientist. His talk explored the first explosive attempts to launch humans into space. Simon went on to explain; “We have all heard the phrase ‘it’s not exactly rocket science’ and most people believe that being a rocket scientist is difficult and complex. However, the science behind building and launching rockets is easy to understand and even more importantly, enjoyable!”
During his talk, Simon answered questions such as, What is rocket fuel? How do we launch a rocket into space? How do humans live in space? Will humans ever reach other stars and planets? Simon used demonstrations to explain his points and encouraged the school pupils to take part.