The Boundaries of Spaceflight – Technology, Cooperation, and Rules in Space

In this guided tour, students, accompanied by a presenter, are shown around the exhibition To Space and Back. We dive into the technological, scientific, and political aspects of space travel – asking questions such as: Why do we send satellites and astronauts into space? What can we learn about Earth, and what challenges and dilemmas come with it?

We begin with Danish astronaut Andreas Mogensen’s observations of giant lightning as an example of how astronauts provide data that help us better understand weather phenomena and climate. Then we look at different types of satellites – from small cubesats to the many thousands orbiting Earth. Students gain insight into what satellites can observe and how their data is used for research, technology, and everyday applications like GPS.

We also discuss the challenges posed by the growing number of satellites – for example, the risk of collisions, space debris, light pollution, and questions of ownership in space.

We briefly explore the role of astronauts and how international cooperation makes space travel possible – for example, the ISS, which is built from modules from different countries. We also examine international agreements, the so-called space treaties, and raise questions such as: Are there rules in space? Are they followed? And who should decide the future of space exploration?

Space travel is connected to students’ everyday lives through spin-off products – technologies developed for space that we all use today, from memory foam to cordless tools.

The tour encourages reflection, discussion, and academic engagement and is tailored for upper-secondary and high school students. Students gain an understanding that space travel encompasses science, technology, cooperation, and politics – and that the decisions we make about space today will impact the future on Earth.

The tour is combined with a film of your choice in the Planetarium Dome.