Year 6 Coders Achieve Flight Status on the International Space Station
Seven talented Year 6 girls have quite literally reached for the stars this year by taking part in the prestigious European Astro Pi Challenge (Mission Zero).
Having already demonstrated their exceptional problem-solving abilities by achieving Gold Awards in the Bebras Computational Thinking Challenge earlier in the year, the girls built on this success by applying their skills to a truly out-of-this-world project.
As part of the challenge, pupils were tasked with designing and writing their own computer programs using Python, a text-based coding language. Their mission was to create personalised images for astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS) to enjoy while carrying out their daily work.
Adding an extra layer of innovation, the girls programmed their projects to use real-time readings from the Astro Pi computer’s colour and luminosity sensor. This data automatically adjusted the background colours of their images to match the lighting conditions inside the space station at that moment, or even complement the colours of the astronauts’ clothing.
In an extraordinary achievement, every one of the girls’ programs was selected to run in outer space for at least 30 seconds during May. This means that their code was executed on board the International Space Station itself – an experience that very few people can claim.
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| To commemorate their success, the girls have each received a personalised certificate signed by European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut Sophie Adenot. These certificates record the exact start and end times of their program’s execution, as well as the precise location of the ISS at that moment, providing each pupil with a unique and lasting piece of space history. Many congratulations to Ellin, Isla, Anya, Anna, Layla, Heidi and Emo for achieving ‘Flight Status’ with their Python programs and for entertaining astronauts aboard the International Space Station with their creative designs. |
This remarkable accomplishment showcases not only the girls’ coding skills and creativity, but also their curiosity, perseverance and willingness to embrace exciting new challenges. We are incredibly proud of their achievement and look forward to seeing where their passion for technology and innovation takes them next.
June 2026