The first Cypriot space documentary film, which narrates the adventure of the Cypriot NASA international first prize winner, ArachnobeeA team, was presented this week for the first time in Nicosia.
The documentary film tells the story of ArachnoBeeA, who won the first international NASA Best Mission Concept Award for their project of the world`s first Zero G drone. The documentary follows the team to the Kennedy Space Center in the US, where they were invited by NASA to attend the launch of an AtlasV rocket of United Launch Alliance to the International Space Station.
ArachnoBeeA was selected by NASA’s evaluation committee as the global winner in the “Best Mission Concept” category, among over 950 participants from 135 cities. NASA Space Apps Challenge is the biggest event for the development of innovative and space oriented ideas.
“Today is a day of celebration” Cyprus Space Exploration Organisation (CSEO) President George Danos said at the premiere of the documentary which is entitled `The Incredible Story of ArachnobeeA”.
The team comprises Mihailo Kitanovic, Christos Antoniou, Charalambos Leventis, Adrian Carlan, Aleksandar Bozic, Iurii Fomenco, Visnja Durovic, Dragan Colovic, Ljubodrag Bozic και Nikola Gacic. They are from Cyprus, Ukraine, Romania and Serbia.
On behalf of the ArachnoBeeA team, Christos Antoniou spoke to CNA saying that the team is ready to take part to the next NASA Spaceapps Challenge next year, with ideas which are even better than their previous one.
ESA astronaut: Cypriot team`s drone would be of great use to ISS astronauts
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The event was addressed, through a televised message, by ESA astronaut Paolo Nespoli, who has already been to space twice and is making preparations for his third launch at the International Space Station in May, 2017.
He congratulated the ArachnoBeeA team on their `innovative and clever concept`, saying that their drone has many possibilities and one day it is sent to space, it would be of great use to the ISS astronauts.
`The project of the team, the drone, is a very interesting project` the Italian astronaut said, noting the many possibilities that the drone could give to astronauts in space.
He expressed the wish that the drone is actually built and sent on the ISS.
“I congratulate the Cypriot team on winning the first NASA Best Mission Concept prize` Nespoli said.
Referring to the CSEO, he praised its work, noting that “I would like to underline the significance of the CSEO for the development of the space programs and education programs in Cyprus”.
CSEO President: A day of celebration
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In his speech, CSEO President George Danos said that `today is a day of celebration. Today CSEO`s vision, accomplishments, and labor are evident and apparent`.
CSEO, he said, has a followership of 18,000 people from all over the globe, its posts reach 100,000+******* people, it has 369 registered researchers, educators and volunteers, while many schools throughout Cyprus run a CSEO space club.
In addition, CSEO has 26 companies as corporate members, a strong worldwide network encompassing leaders from the international space community, extending from Europe, to America to Asi, who participate in CSEO`s space projects.
Its vision, he added, is to see Cyprus as a prime player in the global space community.
He congratulated ArachnoBeeA, saying that the team has contributed and strengthened “our resolve for even more results in cooperation with the international space community.”
Concluding, he announced that CSEO will establish dedicated research and development prizes for next year`s competitions as a small part of its future projects and activities to stimulate and inspire space science and exploration in Cyprus.
Director of the documentary, Stavros Papageorgiou, talked about the challenges they faced in producing a space documentary with such a different subject.
The documentary, he said, “gives important messages to all of us, messages that with vision, team work, passion and confidence in our own capabilities we can achieve a lot.”
The documentary is a co-production of TETRAKTYS FILMS and CSEO. Strategic partners are CYTA, the Cyprus Youth Board and it is supported by the Cyprus University of Technology.
In the framework of the event, CSEO production director Christos Panayiotou presented the winning teams of the 2016 Space App Challenge that took place and Limassol, which received honorary diplomas by the CSEO President. First winner team was H.O.P.S. (Hydrogen-Oxygen Propulsion System), https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rb7mP6t4Y7I, second winner team was Space Dwarfs,https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=64to1GRvCqM, and Polyhedron which won the People’s Choice Award, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMiPvF0etNI.
The event was attended, inter alia, by Professor Malitikov, board member of the International Academy of Astronautics, President of the International Association of Knowledge and head of the intergovernmental committee with 37 ministers under his authority, Ambassadors or their representatives from six countries, representatives of the Ministers of Education and Transport, Vice – Mayor of Nicosia Eleni Loukaidou, University rectors, school directors, CYTA directors, the Cyprus Youth Board and media.
Trailer of the documentary:
