Toulouse Space Show

Space application experts will be gathering in Toulouse from 8 to 11 June 2010 and the general public is not to be left out.

 

More than 1,000 space application experts from the world over will be gathering in Toulouse until 11 June. 2010 sees the second edition of the Toulouse Space Show, now a world reference in its field. Credit: CNES

In the south of France, the Toulouse Space Centre is the operational and technical home base of the CNES. As, after having played host to the pioneers of aviation in the 1920’s (and now being the birthplace of the Airbus), the “pink city”, thus named due to the colour of the bricks used for its traditional constructions, has embarked on the astronautical adventure and is home not only to the aforementioned CNES Centre, but also renowned manufacturers, and even a park completely devoted to space, the Cité de l’Espace.

Experts and the general public
For 4 days, from 8 to 11 June, the Pierre Baudis Conference Centre will be uniting more than 1,000 space application experts and participants from the world over. This second edition of the Toulouse Space Show covers a major issue of the 21st century: how can space tangibly meet the needs of citizens, companies and municipalities? With such a theme, it is logical that, in addition to the conferences, professional exhibitions and round table discussions, there is also a section aimed at the general public.

A world deprived of satellites? The town crier is to recount in the streets what awaits us if one day we find ourselves without our orbital resources, thus demonstrating the importance of the space industry in our everyday life. Credit: CNES/Rachel Barranco

This is why the CNES and the Toulouse Town Council will be putting on a variety of shows and events that will bring the space industry right into the streets of the pink city. Thus, we will see the town crier, where two people will explain the importance of space in our everyday life by asking what would happen if we no longer had any satellites. Graffiti artists have already created an impressive 9x3 m fresco, reiterating the French Space Agency’s slogan: “De l’espace pour la Terre” (Space for the Earth).

The space industry encounters town frescoes with this creation from three well-known graffiti artists: Reso, Kozet-One and Gorg. Credit: CNES/Rachel Barranco

A parade is to pay tribute to the Guiana Space Centre, Europe’s space port, with its “Touloulous”. A “Touloulou” is a symbolic character from the Guiana Carnival, a sort of queen dressed in an extravagant manner like the elegant, middle-class ladies from the 18th and 19th centuries.

Homage to Guiana, Europe’s space port with an extravagant and joyful parade of “Touloulous”. Crédit : CNES/Rachel Barranco

And lastly, a sequence of conferences open to the general public will cover miscellaneous subjects such as space tourism, climate study, the danger from asteroids, etc. To consult the full list of planned events, click on the link “Programme of events for the general public” listed under “Find out more” below. The space industry will be putting on a great show in Toulouse!

Published on 8 June 2010