Is space research for you? │ Sending Worms to Space with Colleen Deane

Do you want to be involved in space science? Have you enjoyed watching this series? Would you like to get involved in space science research? If so, then watch our final episode in which we'll explain how you can follow up your interest, or even start a career in space research.

You can also subscribe to the full series on Worms in Space for Health on Earth and watch all of the episodes on how research in space is helping humans on Earth enjoy better health and live longer lives.

The good news is there are several ways for non-scientists and scientists to become involved with space science in many, many, many different ways. For scientists interested in developing technologies for use in space or for conducting space-related educational outreach activities, funding is available, and you can go to the UK Space Agency for this.

If you want to fly your biological experiment, you can either apply to the European Space Agency or to NASA when those calls are open. For either of these, you should be aware that you will need a letter of support for your application from the UK Space Agency, which also provides the opportunity to discuss potential funders for the experiment. In the UK, a potentially faster and easier way to fly biological experiment is to purchase commercially available space on board the International Space Station or other platforms, and you can cost this into your grant application to traditional funding sources, such as the research councils or charities.

Examples of companies currently providing this service include Nanoracks, Kayser Italia and Kiwi, which is part of Airbus. While commercial access to astronauts as subjects for human studies is not currently available, it is something that is being discussed, especially as commercial use of the European Space Agency bedrest facilities currently occurs.

For students, if you want to fly an experiment, you can use commercial providers or participate in various educational programmes. For example, the United States Student Spaceflight Experiment Program. If you want to learn more about space, you can participate in various European Space Agency summer schools or space camps. You can even take an undergraduate course in Astrobiology at the University of Edinburgh, which is home to the UK Centre for Astrobiology.

For postgraduates, King College London offers a Master's course in Space Physiology and Health, and at the University of Nottingham, there is now a PhD programme in Astrobiology and Astromedicine. A number of organisations and websites exist to support students and young professionals wanting to improve their knowledge, experience and space-related skill sets. These include UK Space Life and Biomedical Sciences Association, and also the UK Students for the Exploration and Development of Space.

In addition, information on the diverse career paths into the space sector and job opportunities can also be found at www.spacecareers.co.uk.

Thank you for following our series to the end, but maybe you missed some episodes. Don't worry, just subscribe to the full series on Worms in Space for Health on Earth and watch all of the episodes on this fascinating and amazing subject. Or perhaps, if you've seen them once, why not watch them again.

To your good health, and thanks to the worms for helping us out.