FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA (April 14, 2017) – The Government of Luxembourg and executives of Asteroid Day have announced the selection of Luxembourg as the official headquarters for the Asteroid Day organization. The announcement was made during an official tour of Silicon Valley space organizations by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Guillaume of Luxembourg and a delegation led by Étienne Schneider, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Economy of Luxembourg.
Asteroid Day is a United Nations’ sanctioned event dedicated to the education and awareness of asteroids, and in particular the protection of Earth from dangerous impacts. Asteroid Day was launched in 2015, under the leadership of Dr. Brian May, astrophysicist and lead guitarist of QUEEN; Lord Martin Rees, UK Astronomer Royal; US Apollo 9 Astronaut Rusty Schweickart; Romanian Astronaut Dorin Prunariu, filmmaker Grig Richters; three-time US Astronaut and CEO, B612 Dr. Ed Lu; and Ms. Danica Remy, COO, B612. Activities for Asteroid Day are focused around the June 30 anniversary of the 1908 Tunguska asteroid impact, the largest in recorded history.
“The decision to locate and grow our Asteroid Day organization in Luxembourg is a result of the important leadership role the Luxembourg government is taking in furthering the investment in technologies and development of planetary science, and particularly asteroids R&D,” said Ms. Remy. “As a UN-sanctioned event with global reach, it was important for us to partner with leaders developing this important emerging field.”
“We are very pleased to be become the premier sponsor of Asteroid Day and welcome the organization to Luxembourg,“ stated Luxembourg Deputy Minister Étienne Schneider. “In addition to the excitement that our SpaceResources.lu initiative is generating across the world, hosting the Asteroid Day headquarters in Luxembourg offers the Grand Duchy an additional opportunity to set its course in the space sector where the country is becoming increasingly important.”
Remy also made the announcement that the Luxembourg Aeronautics and Space Group and the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce will be joining OHB SE and SES as Asteroid Day sponsors.
Earlier this year, Luxembourg announced they will be hosting Asteroid Day Live from Luxembourg, a 24-hour live broadcast of global Asteroid Day activities and educational programming on June 30. The broadcast is being made possible by Asteroid Day Sponsors SES, BCE and OHB SE, along with other Luxembourg and global companies. The live broadcast from Luxembourg will reach 99 percent of the world’s population with access to TV, and millions more via independent streaming platforms, including YouTube.
Asteroid Day 2017
In 2016, the United Nations General Assembly recognized Asteroid Day as an official UN event and declared it to be held internationally each year on June 30, the anniversary of the largest asteroid impact in recent history, the 1908 Tunguska impact. The UN resolution invites all United Nations Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, other international and regional organizations, as well as civil society, including non-governmental organizations and individuals to observe Asteroid Day.
In preparation for the 2017 Asteroid Day, 187 regional coordinators across 114 countries are organizing events which will involve close to 500,000 participants, with the goal of reaching millions of people through “live” broadcast and online activities. Key events will be held at Imperial College London where the first British astronaut, Helen Sharman, will chair a day of activities with asteroid experts; The National Science Center in South Korea, Copernicus Museum in Warsaw, and the University of Arizona, USA, among 16 premier events across the globe.
A full list of activities for 2017 are listed on the Asteroid Day website: asteroidday.org/event-guide.
New sponsors announced for Asteroid Day include: Luxembourg Aeronautics and Space Group (GLAE) and the Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce joining OHB SE, SES, B612, CISCO, ASE, ESA, Discovery Science, European Southern Observatory, International Space University, Secure World Foundation and the continued support of more than 30 partners joining for Asteroid Day 2017.
Sponsor Profiles
OHB System AG is one of the three leading space companies in Europe. It belongs to the listed high-tech group OHB SE (ISIN: DE0005936124, Prime Standard), where around 2,200 specialists and system engineers work on key European space programs. With two strong sites in Bremen and Oberpfaffenhofen near Munich and 35 years of experience, OHB System AG specializes in high-tech solutions for space. These include low-orbiting and geostationary satellites for Earth observation, navigation, telecommunications, science and space exploration as well as systems for human space flight, aerial reconnaissance and process control systems. Further information available at: www.ohb-system.de
SES is the world’s leading satellite operator and the first to deliver a differentiated and scalable GEO-MEO offering worldwide, with more than 50 satellites in Geostationary Earth Orbit (GEO) and 12 in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO). SES focuses on value-added, end-to-end solutions in four key market verticals (Video, Enterprise, Mobility and Government). It provides satellite communications services to broadcasters, content and internet service providers, mobile and fixed network operators, governments and institutions, and businesses worldwide. SES’s portfolio includes the ASTRA satellite system, which has the largest Direct-to-Home (DTH) television reach in Europe, and O3b Networks, a global managed data communications service provider. Another SES subsidiary, MX1, is a leading media service provider and offers a full suite of innovative digital video and media services. Further information available at: www.ses.com
(BCE) Broadcasting Center Europe is a European leader in technical services in the areas of television, radio, production and postproduction, telecommunication and IT. With its extensive experience on the media market, our team provides high-quality services and will always find the solution that matches your project and budget. With more than 200 highly qualified and motivated people, BCE serves about 400 clients in various sectors, such as TV channels, radio stations, film distributors, producers, advertising companies, telecommunications operators and public services.
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Government of Luxembourg: Paul Zenners Tel. +352 621 409 141
Asteroid Day Organization: USA: Diane Murphy Tel. +1.310.658.8756; Europe: Tel: +352 691 568 017