From the console to spacecraft: ESA returns to Gamescom

Visitors of ESA’s corner of the Gamescom exhibition hall were able to browse space objects, chat to our representatives about ESA and its missions and, exceptionally, walk in the footsteps of astronauts! Queues went around the block to try out ESA’s virtual-reality headsets that are used in our astronauts’ training, helping to familiarise them with the environments they will encounter on missions, such as on the International Space Station or on the Moon.

Virtual reality is not the only link between the world of gaming and the work of ESA. Haptic feedback, a technology through which feedback is provided through touch, is another innovation that has inspired major developments in both contexts. It is thanks to this technology that ESA is able to control rovers and robotic arms during space missions.

Outside of the technology crossover, ESA is also working with developers and publishers on bringing the wonder and excitement of space exploration to gaming. Through brand partnerships, ESA has provided both expertise and authenticity to the creation of space-themed games such as Kerbal Space Program, Mars Horizon and Juno.

"Going beyond to see what’s out there, is part of the DNA within ESA. Games creators are imagining future technologies and developments that are only on the drawing board at ESA. Playing in this future universe inspires the next generation of scientists and engineers to make these technologies as reality," says Emmet Fletcher, Head of ESA’s Branding and Partnerships Office.

Just as these links between gaming and space exploration were at first unknown to many visiting the ESA stand, the various ways to begin a career in space with ESA were also a revelation. It was especially rewarding for our representatives to exchange with younger members of the crowd for whom initiatives such as ESA Academy or ESA’s entry-level programmes can open up their universe.

One member of the careers team was Andrew Kane, ESA’s Entry-Level Programmes Coordinator, who said, "With over 320,000 visitors in total at Gamescom over the course of the week, it was a fantastic experience to promote the important work that is done across ESA to the general public, with the help of colleagues from all over ESA. For example, I and my colleagues came from the Netherlands or Paris while the virtual reality demos were run by the XR Lab team from our European Astronaut Centre in Cologne. It was a real team effort!"

This was the perfect year for ESA to expand its presence at Gamescom, because now more than ever we want to spread the word about the Agency as far and wide as possible! This is because we are in the middle of a huge recruitment campaign that is seeing over 300 new positions published over the course of 2023 alone. With such a large and diverse audience who share our interest in world exploration and the ever-evolving possibilities of technology, we couldn’t have asked for a better crowd to exchange with about our missions – and how to get involved in them!

Reflecting on ESA’s participation in Gamescom 2023, Lucy van der Tas, Head of Talent Acquisition at ESA, concluded, "This is the second time that ESA participated at Gamescom and I would say that it was an even bigger success than last year, both in terms of spreading awareness of the Agency as a whole, but also in communicating the career opportunities and the entry-level programmes to the enthusiastic visitors to the ESA booth. The gaming community is very diverse and it was an ideal opportunity to reach out to people from a wide range of professional backgrounds who might otherwise never have come across ESA."