Finding the sound of Earth’s winds

Our social media editor Peter Bickerton takes us behind the scenes of Life of Aeolus, a music project he supported on behalf of the European Space Agency.

What’s the perfect way to tell the story of the life of a wind satellite?

One that had so many intricate parts, orchestrated by expert teams across Europe, skilfully mastering instruments and data?

A music piece formed by a mixture of wind instruments seemed the perfect choice.

Much like Aeolus transformed our seemingly invisible winds into data that hugely improved weather forecasts, woodwind instruments turn breaths into beautiful sounds.

That idea became reality through the Life of Aeolus sonification. The result is beautiful.

Making the Life of Aeolus

Earlier in the year, we were introduced to composer Jamie Perera after a beautiful journal called Wild Alchemy featured ESA Aeolus Mission Manager Tommaso Parrinello in their Air Edition.

We initially teamed up to see how we might turn some Aeolus data into music. After linking him up with Daniel Santillan of EOX, Jamie produced an eerie soundtrack of the winds above Hunga Tonga’s dramatic eruption in 2022.

Who better to create the Life of Aeolus?

Again, Jamie and Daniel put their heads together to turn five years of a satellite mission into a half hour orchestral piece.

The task sounds monumental.

But bit by bit, it all came together.

Every day of Aeolus became a second of music.

Each layer of the winds Aeolus measured, in vertical profiles up to 30 km above Earth’s surface, were matched to the notes on a keyboard (imagine a keyboard on its side).

Ranges were then ascribed to musical instruments. Piccolos would play the tops of clouds, whilst the bassoon and bass clarinet would represent the layer closest to Earth’s surface.

In between, clarinets, flutes and oboes played Aeolus’s winds, and other data such as air temperature and pressure.

It’s much more complicated than this

Turning data into music – particularly five years’ worth of data – isn’t easy. In fact, it could quite easily sound like an unmelodious racket.

But sonification is an art as well as a science. There’s a balance to be struck between ultimate accuracy and musicality.

“It required some aesthetic decisions because having so many data playing at once could potentially sound quite cacophonous,” explains Jamie. “It’s a balancing act between having something that’s both accurate to the data and accessible to the audience.”

There were plenty of other considerations, and some quite ingenious ways to turn wind data into notes.

One nifty trick was choosing the right mode, a type of scale. Jamie went for the Lydian mode, which, he says “has an expansive, pioneering sort of feel to it, which was perfect for Aeolus.”

A beautiful end to a pioneering mission

As far as we know, this is the first time anyone has turned satellite data into an orchestral woodwind piece.

It’s fitting. Aeolus is a feat of European innovation and teamwork that put the first ever laser in space to measure global winds. After many trials and tribulations, it was a whopping success.

Weather forecasters used the data to fill gaps in weather data during Covid lockdowns, when planes (that would normally provide weather data) were grounded.

The same effect helped improve hurricane forecasts where it wasn’t possible to fly reconnaissance trips.

Now, ESA’s wind mission will return to Earth – in a pioneering attempt to improve space safety and sustainability for future generations.

Aeolus’s achievements are too many to list here. It’s best to enjoy them through the sounds of the wonderful mission that will see a follow-on launch within a decade.

All the best, Aeolus.

Find out more on ESA channels

Listen to the Life of Aeolus on SoundCloud

Watch the video on YouTubeRead the article on esa.int

MARE campaign shortlisted for Online Communication Award 2023

We are happy to be part of the Online Communication Awards 2023 in Berlin, Germany on 30 June. Together with the Social Media team of the German Aerospace Center (DLR), EJR-Quartz’s Sara Emily Kehrer presented the MARE communication campaign. The campaign involved a Twitter takeover by the two female mannequins on board the Orion spacecraft on the Artemis I mission forward to the Moon. Beginning of June, it was announced that the campaign was shortlisted for the award.

There are 50 categories in total, ranging from Purpose Driven Communication to Internal Campaign Communications. DLR made the shortlist of the top five entries in the category of Science, Education & Culture for the impressive results achieved during the MARE communication campaign. This category honours online events that are unique in their scope of creative planning and implementation. The jury evaluates the projects based on their strategic approach, creativity, innovation, implementation and efficiency.

As part of our contract with DLR, we are involved in a variety of their English-language communications projects, including managing the main accounts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The story of the two mannequins, Helga and Zohar, unfolded on Twitter in dialogues between the crew on board the Orion spacecraft. This included NASA’s mannequin Commander Moonikin Campus, as well as ‘baahstronaut’ Shaun the Sheep. For an entire day, Helga ‘conversed’ with her crew via @DLR_en, Zohar via @ILSpaceAgency and Campos via @NASAArtemis. The ‘Luna Twins’ also interacted with accounts of other space agencies and industrial partners involved in the Artemis I mission, such as @esaspaceflight and @AirbusSpace.

Outside Earth’s protective magnetic field, radiation exposure is very high for humans. It poses a considerable health risk for future crews on long-term missions to the Moon and Mars. That is why it is crucial to determine this exposure more precisely and to develop measures to protect astronauts. The international Matroshka AstroRad Radiation Experiment (MARE) led by DLR was the first to measure the radiation exposure to the female body beyond the orbit of the International Space Station ISS. 

Through the Twitter takeover, Helga and Zohar shared insights into the experiment, its goal to help close the gender data gap and their historical journey to the Moon and beyond. Artemis I is the first in a series of increasingly complex missions that will enable human exploration to the Moon and Mars. The mission lasted around 25 days, in which the spacecraft broke the distance record held by Apollo 13 and sent back spectacular images of Earth’s satellite.

Later today, the team will attend the Award Gala. We are proud to be a part of the Artemis generation and to share the fascinating science with the world through the eyes of Helga and Zohar. We wish Sara and her DLR colleagues the best of luck tonight.

For more information, visit the website and check out #LunaTwins on Twitter!

Related links

Human and Robotic Exploration editor

***Applications Closed***

Do you have a flair for storytelling? Are you able to use your passion for science and languages to create engaging content for the general public? Then we are looking for you!

We have an immediate opening for a mother-tongue English writer/editor to join our communications team for ESA. Specifically, the position is full-time for EJR-Quartz under contract to the European Space Agency. The location will be on-site at ESA’s Technology Centre (ESTEC) in Noordwijk, The Netherlands or at ESA’s Astronaut Centre (EAC) in Cologne, Germany.

You will help to promote the activities of the Human Robotic and Exploration team using a range of platforms, from digital, social and traditional media to events. Together with the Communications Team in Cologne, Germany, you will form the core of ESA’s human spaceflight and robotic exploration communication.

Reporting to the HRE Communications Officer, you will write, edit and publish articles and other text specific to HRE activities in mother-tongue English for the ESA online channels. This may include script-writing and editorial support for video clips, animations and images/graphics for social media.

Tasks include:

  • Write and edit content in English
  • Ensure that all content published is compliant with ESA editorial guidelines and agreed approval processes
  • Ensure content publishing on the ESA online channels
  • Support social media campaigns and maintain the HRE social media accounts
  • Provide community management support as required, liaising with other ESA social media team members
  • Support the HRE Communications Officer in executing communications plans and campaigns, and provide input to communications plans as required
  • Liaise closely with the EAC (European Astronaut Centre) communications team in Cologne, as well as the digital publishing team to ensure coherence and maximum visibility of the activities

The successful candidate will have:

  • Mother-tongue English
  • An Honours degree in science, engineering or communications/journalism
  • Minimum of 3 years’ experience in writing and editing
  • Demonstrable experience in presenting scientific and technical subjects in a style accessible for general public
  • Hands-on experience of planning and running social media/digital campaigns
  • Familiarity with space topics is an advantage
  • Experience in scripting and producing video
  • Knowledge of German, French, Dutch or Italian would be an asset

Contractual matters

The successful candidate will be employed directly by EJR-Quartz B.V. This is a one year contract, with possibility of renewal. The optimal start date is 1 June 2023. Candidates must already have a valid residence/work permit for the European Union.

Closing date: 30 April 2023

Salary range: 3900-4200 EUR gross per month, based on full-time position (40 hrs per week) 

Learn more about our company and meet the team at: www.ejr-quartz.com

If you think this is for you, tell us why you’d like to join our team. Please send your cover letter, CV and references to: vacancy@ejr-quartz.com

EJR-Quartz is an equal opportunity employer. We are proud of our diverse team with a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills. The more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

Science and technology editor at ESA in the Netherlands

***Applications Closed***

Do you have a flair for storytelling and a passion for space?  Are you able to present scientific and technical topics in a style that is accessible for all? EJR-Quartz has an immediate opening for a science and technology editor with mother-tongue English to support our Communications Service Team for the European Space Agency. The position is full-time for EJR-Quartz , and you will be based on site at ESA’s ESTEC technical centre, in the Netherlands.

The successful candidate will have:

  • Mother-tongue English
  • An Honours degree in science, engineering, science communication or journalism
  • Minimum of 3 years’ experience in writing and editing on science or space topics
  • Demonstrable experience in presenting scientific and technical subjects in a style accessible for general public
  • Hands-on experience of planning and running social media/digital campaigns
  • Familiarity with space topics is an advantage
  • Fluent in French, knowledge of Dutch would be an asset

Tasks include:

  • Edit, write and publish articles and updates for the ESA Portal and other channels
  •  Ensure that all content is compliant with ESA editorial guidelines and agreed approval processes
  • Manage an editorial calendar, contributing to the consolidated publishing agenda
  • Contribute to the drafting and implementing of communication plans
  • Support for launch and mission events, including live coverage
  • Conception and implementation of social media campaigns
  • Managing social media accounts and community engagement
  • Conception of storyboards for videos, animations and social media assets

Contractual matters

The successful candidate will be employed directly by EJR-Quartz BV, as part of our Communications Service Provision team for ESA and must have a residence and work permit for the Netherlands. This is a one-year contract, with possibility of renewal. The start date is 1 June 2023.

Closing date: 20 April 2023

Learn more about our company and meet the team at: www.ejr-quartz.com

If you think this is for you, tell us why you’d like to join our team. Please send your cover letter, CV and references to: vacancy@ejr-quartz.com or contact us on social media.

Our company

EJR-Quartz is an international company specialised in science communication, particularly related to space. Our multinational team of digital content specialists is spread across five European countries, serving a number of clients, mainly in the aerospace sector.

Like every good company, EJR-Quartz is all about people. We are very proud of our employees and the fact that we have such a diverse team of highly dedicated staff. As an equal opportunity employer our team brings together a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills and we firmly believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

EJR-Quartz for the German Aerospace Center (DLR)

We are delighted to announce that we have once again been awarded the contract with the Department of Corporate Communications at the German Aerospace Center (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt; DLR) for cross media English-language editorial support. We will be supporting DLR for the next four years.

EJR-Quartz has been providing English-language support to DLR’s Corporate Communications Department since 2005. Our work with DLR involves the production, translation, editing, and publication of web articles, press releases and the DLRmagazine, and the maintenance of the English-language web portal. In addition, we are also responsible for managing their corporate English-language social media channels, providing live event coverage and providing support for the German corporate social media platforms.

The German Aerospace Center (DLR) is the national aeronautics and space research centre of the Federal Republic of Germany. Its extensive research and development work in aeronautics, space, energy, transport, digitalisation, and security is integrated into national and international cooperative ventures. In addition to its own research, as Germany’s space agency, DLR has been given responsibility by the federal government for the planning and implementation of the German space programme. DLR is also the umbrella organisation for one of Germany’s largest project management agencies.

Our new four-year service contract, the fourth with DLR, has been extended until the end of February 2027. We’re excited to see what the future with DLR will bring!

Science editor with print experience, ESA ESRIN, Italy

ESA ESRIN

***Applications Closed*** Join our editorial team for ESA ESRIN in Italy. We have an opening for a mother-tongue English editor experienced in writing for print and able to present scientific and technical topics in a style accessible for general public. The position is full-time for EJR-Quartz, as part of our Communications service team for the European Space Agency, onsite at ESA ESRIN in Frascati, Italy.

We are looking for

We are looking for a mother-tongue English editor, with a minimum of 3 years’ demonstrable experience in writing and editing for print and managing print productions. Candidates must have experience in presenting scientific and technical subjects in a style accessible for the general public and meticulous editing skills.

The successful candidates will have:

  • Mother-tongue level of English, with a minimum of 3 years’ writing/editing experience
  • Excellent writing, editing and proof-reading skills
  • Honours degree in journalism/communications, science or engineering
  • Demonstrable skill in presenting scientific and technical subjects in a style accessible for general public
  • Experience in following print products throughout the entire publishing cycle
  • Experience with InDesign and similar tools
  • Italian residence and work permit

The fine print

ESA’s Print Media and Merchandising Office is responsible for a catalogue of print and non-digital media to reach the general public, as well as a range of merchandise. Reporting to the Head of the Print Media and Merchandising, the Print Editor is responsible for writing and editing all material for the products produced by the Office, in mother-tongue English and in a style accessible to a general public audience. Tasks include:

  • Writing and editing of all material required for ESA’s printed productions, in mother-tongue English
  • Supporting the Head of Office in producing the catalogue of print publications to be produced by ESA
  • Overseeing creation and production of print publications from conception to distribution: managing the schedule and approvals, interfacing with authors and customers, editing/rewriting content, working closely with designers
  • Researching images, fact-checking and writing accurate captions for all printed products
  • Ensuring that all material is in accordance with ESA editorial house style and approved according to agreed processes
  • Editorial support for merchandise development and marketing
  • Editorial support for in-house presentations and reports

Contract matters

Our new team member will be employed directly by EJR-Quartz srl, as part of our Communications Service contract for ESA, working onsite at ESA ESRIN in Frascati, Italy. An Italian residence and work permit is obligatory. This is a one-year contract, with possibility of renewal. The start date is 15 April 2023.

Closing date: 6 March 2023

If you think this is for you, tell us why you’d like to work with us. Please send your cover letter, CV and references to: vacancy@ejr-quartz.com

Our company

EJR-Quartz is an international company specialised in science communication, particularly related to space. Our multinational team of digital content specialists is spread across five European countries, serving a number of clients, mainly in the aerospace sector.

Like every good company, EJR-Quartz is all about people. We are very proud of our employees and the fact that we have such a diverse team of highly dedicated staff. As an equal opportunity employer our team brings together a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills and we firmly believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

Learn more about our company and meet the team at: www.ejr-quartz.com

Finance administrator

***Applications Closed***

Have you just graduated and are now the proud owner of a business or finance degree? Are you looking to hone your skills and want to work in an international environment? We have an exciting opportunity for a self-motivated, confident and organised finance administrator to support our team.

The successful candidate will have:

  • An MBO or HBO degree in finance administration or business.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills in Dutch and English.
  • Confident and fully competent with IT/use of MS Office applications (including MS Word, Excel, Outlook).
  • Excellent organisational and administrative skills.

Other desired qualities include:

  • Proactive and positive approach with a can-do attitude.
  • Solution-oriented and initiative-taking.
  • Strong time management and prioritisation skills required to support a busy team at different levels of seniority.
  • Ability to operate in a friendly, client focused, professional and discrete manner at all times.
  • Ability to engage and work effectively with people at all levels within the organisation, under pressure when required.
  • Attention to detail, always striving for high quality and continuous improvements.
  • Flexibility and adaptability, ability to multitask.

Tasks include:

  • Invoicing of clients and paying of contractors
  • Managing contractual financial matters
  • Managing queries on financial matters, taking full account of urgency and actions to be taken.
  • Liaising with staff and external stakeholders.
  • Managing financial databases and filing systems.
  • Typing, compiling and preparing reports, presentations and correspondence.
  • Other tasks as directed by the managers.

Reporting to our finance manager you will be working with our EJR-Quartz project managers, as well as liaise with clients and subcontractors to ensure proper procedures are followed.

Does this sound like you? Tell us why you think you’re the right fit for one of these exciting roles by sending your CV and cover letter to: vacancy@ejr-quartz.com or reach out via social media to @ejrquartz

You’ll find us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Contractual matters

The successful candidate will be employed by EJR-Quartz BV in the Netherlands. Your place of work will be our Leiden office. Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the Netherlands. This is a 6-month contract, with a strong possibility of renewal, starting on 1 April 2023. We are looking to fill a part-time position for 0.5-0.6 fte. 

Salary range: 1600-1850 EUR gross per month based on 0.6 fte.

Closing date: 15 May 2023 at 12:00 CET

Our company

EJR-Quartz is an international company specialised in science communication, particularly related to space. Our multinational team of digital content specialists is spread across five European countries, serving a number of clients, mainly in the aerospace sector.

Like every good company, EJR-Quartz is all about people. We are very proud of our employees and the fact that we have such a diverse team of highly dedicated staff. As an equal opportunity employer our team brings together a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills and we firmly believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

Learn more about our company and meet the team at: www.ejr-quartz.com

Internal Communications and Space Community Engagement, ESA HQ, Paris

***Applications Closed*** Are you looking for your next challenge in internal communications? Do you have editorial and organisational skills and the ability to engage with a community, as well as to create engaging content for an internal audience? We have an exciting opportunity for a self-motivated, confident and organised editor/community engagement expert to foster space community engagement and create high-quality content for our client.

The successful candidate will have:

  • A Masters degree in communications/journalism/marketing.
  • Minimum of three years’ professional experience in writing and editing, preferably for an internal communications team of a large international organisation
  • The ability to present ideas and recommendations persuasively in writing and verbally, geared towards an internal audience
  • A positive ‘can-do attitude’ with a proactive approach to managing projects
  • Exceptional organisational skills
  • Experience in planning and managing events (physical and online)
  • The capacity to conduct interviews in written, audio or video format
  • Experience of working in compliance with corporate tone-of-voice guidelines to create accurate, compelling copy
  • Great communication and networking skills and an excellent grasp of the English language (native or equivalent), including exceptional detail for spelling, grammar and punctuation.
  • The ability to produce content for a variety of channels and platforms including web articles, newsletters, print material and video scripts.
  • Familiarity with online publishing and content management systems
  • The ability to work under pressure and with tight deadlines
  • The ability to plan and implement communication strategies
  • Knowledge of planning and analytics tools is an asset
  • Fluent French is essential and knowledge of another European language is an asset
  • Knowledge of European space programmes is an advantage

Working as part of the EJR-Quartz communications service team for ESA, tasks will include to:

  • Support ESA’s Internal Communication Office presence and activities during live, in-person and/or online events
  • Support the Head of Internal Communications in setting up a new space community engagement project and in running related events and campaigns
  • Create/edit material to support campaigns (articles, storyboards, videos)
  • Coordinate the overall publication agenda related to Space Community Engagement
  • Support the development of new communications tools to reach out to the space community
  • Maintain the Space Community engagement editorial calendar
  • Ensure that all content published is compliant with ESA editorial standards and agreed approval processes, while respecting data privacy requirements
  • Manage part of the engaged community (e.g. ESA Champions)
  • Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the campaigns according to set KPIs
  • Participate in internal communication and other meetings

Serve as point of contact for matters of workforce engagement and as such interface for Internal Communication matters at the centre of activity

Does this sound like you? Tell us why you think you’re the right fit for this exciting role by sending your CV and cover letter to: vacancy@ejr-quartz.com or reach out via social media to @ejrquartz

You’ll find us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Contractual matters

The successful candidate will be employed by EJR-Quartz BV in the Netherlands. Candidates must be eligible to live and work in France. This is a one-year contract, with a strong possibility of renewal, starting on 1 April 2023. Part-time work may be negotiable. 

Salary: 3500-3800 EUR gross for a full-time position, depending on experience

Closing date: 22 February 2023 at 12:00 CET

Our company

EJR-Quartz is an international company specialised in science communication, particularly related to space. Our multinational team of digital content specialists is spread across five European countries, serving a number of clients, mainly in the aerospace sector.

Like every good company, EJR-Quartz is all about people. We are very proud of our employees and the fact that we have such a diverse team of highly dedicated staff. As an equal opportunity employer our team brings together a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills and we firmly believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

Learn more about our company and meet the team at: www.ejr-quartz.com

Internal Communications Editor, ESA ESTEC, the Netherlands

***Applications Closed*** Are you looking for your next challenge in internal communications? Do you have excellent writing skills and the ability to translate corporate messages into engaging content for an internal audience? We have an exciting opportunity for a self-motivated, confident and organised writer/editor to support the commissioning, creation and dissemination of high-quality content for our client. There is the possibility of a half-time position, working remotely.

The successful candidate will have:

  • A degree in communications/journalism/marketing.
  • Minimum of two years’ professional experience in writing and editing, preferably for an internal communications team of a large international organisation.
  • The ability to present ideas and recommendations persuasively in writing and verbally, geared towards an internal audience
  • The capacity to conduct interviews in written, audio or video format.
  • Experience of working in compliance with corporate tone-of-voice guidelines to create accurate, compelling copy.
  • A proactive approach to managing projects and the ability to work under pressure and with tight deadlines
  • Great communication and networking skills and an excellent grasp of the English language (native or equivalent), including exceptional detail for spelling, grammar and punctuation.
  • The ability to write and edit independently and produce content for a variety of channels and platforms including web articles, newsletters, print material and video scripts.
  • Experience in managing physical, online and hybrid events
  • Familiarity with online publishing and content management systems.
  • The ability to plan and implement communication strategies
  • Knowledge of analytics and planning tools is an asset.
  • Knowledge of another European language is an asset.
  • Knowledge of European space programmes is an advantage.

The fine print

You will be working together with a ESA managers, an EJR-Quartz project manager and other editors on Internal Communications activities, across ESA establishments.

As part of the EJR-Quartz communications service team for ESA, your tasks will include to:

  • Seek out topics of interest to the local internal audience
  • Write and edit articles and background content for different sections of the intranet
  • Disseminate corporate messages to an internal audience
  • Support communications campaigns and local events as needed to help increase workforce engagement in order to foster a collaborative, transparent and engaging work environment
  • Conduct interviews in written or video format
  • Research images and ensuring accurate captions
  • Ensure that all content published on the intranet is compliant with ESA editorial standards and agreed approval processes
  • Ensure the update of internal display screens at the different ESA establishments, liaising with Facility Management as appropriate
  • Participate in internal communication and other meetings
  • Contribute to the monitoring and evaluation of the implemented activities, reporting on performance requirements (PRs)

Does this sound like you? Tell us why you think you’re the right fit for this exciting role by sending your CV and cover letter to: vacancy@ejr-quartz.com or reach out via social media to @ejrquartz

You’ll find us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn.

Contractual matters

The successful candidate will be employed by EJR-Quartz BV in the Netherlands. Candidates must be eligible to live and work in the Netherlands. This is a one-year contract, with a strong possibility of renewal, starting on 1 April 2023. Part-time work may be negotiable. 

Salary: 3300-3600 EUR gross for a full-time position, depending on experience

Closing date: 22 February 2023 at 12:00 CET

Our company

EJR-Quartz is an international company specialised in science communication, particularly related to space. Our multinational team of digital content specialists is spread across five European countries, serving a number of clients, mainly in the aerospace sector.

Like every good company, EJR-Quartz is all about people. We are very proud of our employees and the fact that we have such a diverse team of highly dedicated staff. As an equal opportunity employer our team brings together a variety of backgrounds, perspectives and skills and we firmly believe that the more inclusive we are, the better our work will be.

Learn more about our company and meet the team at: www.ejr-quartz.com

Internal communications editors, EJR-Quartz for ESA

***Applications Closed*** Are you looking for your next challenge in internal communications? Do you have excellent writing skills and the ability to translate corporate messages into engaging content for an internal audience?

We have two exciting opportunities for self-motivated, confident and organised editors to communicate on ESA in-house activities and support space community engagement.

We are recruiting for two different positions, one in the Netherlands and one at ESA Headquarters in Paris, read the full descriptions for more details.

Internal Communications Editor, based at ESA-ESTEC in the Netherlands

Internal Communications and Space Community Engagement, based at ESA HQ in Paris

Helping ESA to tell its story – episode 2

We’re delighted to announce that our contract to provide 360-degree communications services to the European Space Agency (ESA) has been extended for a further two years, to end 2024.

Back in 2019 ESA was looking for a single communications service for all its channels, across three main pillars: editorial, video/image and graphics. Early in 2020 a fourth pillar was added, for outreach and media relations support. We teamed up with graphics experts Publicis Sapient, TV and video veterans World Wide Group and ATG Europe to form a consortium dedicated to providing integrated communications solutions to ensure the Agency speaks with one voice, on message, every time.

As the Prime contractor, EJR-Quartz provides all editorial, social media and publishing services; Worldwide Group is responsible for the video and related distribution services, including ESA TV and ESA Web TV; Publicis Sapient provides graphics services, including CVI and environmental branding; while ATG Europe provides media relations and outreach services.

Our three-year service contract has been extended until the end of 2024 and we’re proud to continue to help ESA to tell the next chapter in its story, from the Moon to Mars and beyond!

EJR-Quartz goes weightless: a parabolic flight experience with Laylan

ESA Education’s manifesto is learning by doing, and as editor and content producer for the department our colleague Laylan Saadaldin got to experience this first-hand. She joined researchers, including two university student teams, for the 79th ESA Parabolic Flight Campaign, a mission she will remember for the rest of her life.

Laylan, take us through this amazing day at work.

We flew to Novespace in Bordeaux to board the Air Zero G, an aircraft that flies in parabolas providing researchers 20-second bursts of weightlessness to test their experiments. ESA Academy’s PETRI programme offers university student teams access to this (and more!) gravity platforms. I tagged along to film the student experience of this programme, which included the mind-blowing sensation of floating, sure, but also stress, disappointment, trouble shooting and even some failure. Science is hard and you have to be able to adapt and respond quickly. As it happens, filming science requires similar skills – when you’re a fly on the wall, you have to be ready to move out of the way but still get what you need. But it’s fair to say that for both science and communication, the effort is worth it. And because I’m never one to let an opportunity pass me by, we also shot some content for ESA Kids on the complicated wonder that is gravity. Look out for both episodes on ESA Education!

Fun fact: a campaign is made up of three flights, and each flight has a ‘media’ seat reserved for journalists, content creators and influencers to promote the science and experience of a zero-G flight. Joining this campaign was Jamie from Cosmic Kids Yoga, whom adults with kids might know from lockdown experience as a life saver! Cosmic Kids collaborated with ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti during her Minerva mission to create a yoga plan for her aboard the ISS. You can do this at home, by the way. Find this cool bonus activity on the Mission X: Train like an Astronaut. Jamie got to try out her yoga sequence in weightlessness, and I can’t wait to see how that turned out.

But Laylan, tell us how you really feel about going weightless.

I’ll do one better, I’ll show you!