2025/11/13 ©CSH/Alexander Schneeberger National Future Day 2025 — Experience Space Research Firsthand! On Thursday, November 13, 2025, we were excited to welcome 48 interested children to the CSH and WP for National Future Day. A mixed group in the morning and girls only in the afternoon, our young visitors were introduced to Bernese space research, took a tour of our laboratories and soldered their own project with the polymechanics apprentices. Read More
2025/11/05 ©CSH/Alexander Schneeberger Bern's Education Commission and UniBE Executive Board visit CSH + WP Last Wednesday, 05 November 2025, we were honored to welcome the Canton of Bern’s Education Commission (Bildungskommission) and present the University of Bern’s activities in space research and planetary sciences. Together with Rector Virginia Richter and members of the UniBE Executive Board, the commission also took part in a tour through our workshop and laboratories. Read More
2025/10/22 When Space Science Meets Medicine Symposium As humanity prepares for exploration beyond low Earth orbit, clear parallels emerge with the challenges of an ageing society: sustaining physical and cognitive function, and delivering health support in remote, resource-limited settings and extreme environments. This interfaculty symposium brings space science and medicine together to exchange expertise, explore collaborations, and discuss educational pathways that could carry innovations seamlessly from orbit to patients' home—and back again. Read More
2025/10/02 ©ESA Meet ESA! - European Space Agency Career Event ESA's mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability, leading peaceful exploration, and use of the space for the benefit of everyone on earth. It offers several entry-level programs targeting students, recent graduates, and young professionals. ESA career coordinator Andrew Kane met with the UniBE students and discussed ESA career opportunities. Read More
2025/09/06 ©University of Bern Nacht der Forschung 2025: From Solar Systems to Exoplanets This year, the Center for Space and Habitability and Space Research & Planetology presented activities and exhibitions on exoplanet research and the exploration of the solarsystem with participation from Bern. Read more and browse the picture gallery for an impression of this year's Nacht der Forschung. Read More
2025/07/03 Expo 2025 Osaka - From the Moon to comets: take a walk! At the Swiss Pavilion at the 2025 World Expo in Osaka, JAXA and the Center for Space and Habitability hosted a special event titled "From the Moon to comets: take a walk!". The World Expo 2025 took place from April 13 to June 10 in Osaka, Japan. Read More
2025/04/14 © FDFA, Presence Switzerland / Photo: Iwan Baan The University of Bern at Expo 2025 in Osaka The University of Bern is represented in the Swiss Pavilion at Expo 2025 in Osaka, which officially opened yesterday. As part of the “AUGMENTED HUMAN” exhibition, two Bernese space instruments that are flying on international missions into space can be seen in the Swiss Pavilion. And the public has the opportunity to learn what comets really smell like. UniBE Press Release (EN) UniBE Press Release (DE)
2025/02/05 International Space Event at the Spanish Residence Members of the CHEOPS team and Nicolas Thomas were invited to an international lunch at the Spanish Residence on 5 February 2025. Read More
2024/12/11 Unveiling the Birth of Planets On December 11, 2024, Dr. Yuhito Shibaike and Prof. Audrey Vorbuger gave a public talk attended by 150 people about Japanese-Bernese collaboration in space research. Read More
2024/11/01 (this image was created using AI) "Les Étoiles du Petit Prince": Astronomy Outreach Project in Morocco From November 7 to 17, 2024, a team of researchers and science communicators from the Center for Space and Habitability (CSH) at the University of Bern, the Semlalia Faculty of Science, and the Oukaimeden Observatory at Cadi Ayyad University in Marrakesh will be traveling around Morocco in two small aircraft. As part of the outreach project "Les Étoiles du Petit Prince," they will visit primary and secondary schools in remote areas of Morocco to teach astronomy. Among other things, they will bring telescopes and an inflatable planetarium with them. UniBE Press Release (DE)
2024/03/13 © ESA/NASA First Swiss Conference on Planetary Habitability and the Origin of Life On Tuesday and Wednesday, March 19 and 20, 2024, the Center for Space and Habitability (CSH) at the University of Bern will host the first SHOL (Swiss Habitability and Origin of Life Days) conference on planetary habitability and the origin of life. The aim of the event is to promote exchange and better networking among researchers in Switzerland who are working on these issues in various disciplines. UniBE Press Release (DE)
2023/12/14 © University of Bern CSH at Physics Olympiad Camp In November, the Physics Olympiad camp received a visit from the National Center of Competence in Research PlanetS and the Center for Space and Habitability at the University of Bern. Now you can read what the participants experienced and learn some fascinating facts about planets yourself. In part one, Thibaut Roger explains how astrophysicists use instruments to observe space. Physics Olympiad Post (EN)
2023/04/14 © ESA/M. Pédoussaut The Journey to Jupiter begins It worked: On Friday, April 14, 2023, at 2:14 p.m., the Ariane 5 rocket carrying the Juice space probe lifted off from the spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. Now begins the more than eight-year journey to the Jupiter system, where the space mission, using technology from the University of Bern, will search for signs of life on three icy moons, among other things. There was great relief at the successful launch at the public viewing event at the University of Bern. UniAKTUELL Article (DE)
2023/03/03 © University of Bern, Image: Franziska Rothenbühler "Innovation means creating something from nothing" Thomas Zurbuchen's latest visit to the University of Bern was all about innovation. On February 28 , the former NASA Head of Science and UniBE alumnus spoke about how innovative thinking and entrepreneurial action can be promoted and why one must never stand still. UniAKTUELL Article (EN) UniAKTUELL Article (DE)
2022/12/13 © University of Bern, Image: Nina Jacobshagen The History of the Exoplanet Revolution His discovery changed our view of the universe: in 1995, Didier Queloz and his doctoral supervisor Michel Mayor discovered the first planet outside our solar system orbiting a sun-like star. At the first of this year's Einstein Lectures, the Nobel Prize winner talked about what had previously been discovered about our solar system. UniAKTUELL Article (DE)
2021/11/15 © Sylviane Blum Looking into Space and Medical Robotics At this year's Future Day, girls and boys at the University of Bern had the opportunity to take a look into space, solder an instrument themselves, or operate a medical robot, among other things. For the first time, there was also a scavenger hunt through Länggasse and the old town to help them choose a career or course of study. UniAKTUELL Article (DE)
2019/12/18 © ESA/S. Corvaja CHEOPS Space Telescope successfully launched There was great relief when the Soyuz-Fregat rocket carrying CHEOPS lifted off shortly before 10 a.m. on Wednesday, December 18, 2019. Spectators at the University of Bern watched the ESA livestream from Kourou, French Guiana, with loud applause. UniAKTUELL Article (DE)
2019/12/17 © University of Bern, Image: Vera Knöpfel Exciting Space Talks despite postponed rocket launch This morning, the CHEOPS satellite was supposed to begin its journey into space. Just under an hour and a half before lift-off, the launch system was halted. Despite this, the event was celebrated at a well-attended gathering, with short presentations providing insights into current exoplanet research. “uniaktuell” shares impressions from the event. UniAKTUELL Article (DE)
2019/12/11 © ESA/M. Pédoussaut Invitation to the CHEOPS Launch Event at the University of Bern The CHEOPS space telescope is scheduled to begin its journey into space on Tuesday, December 17, 2019, aboard a Soyuz rocket from the European spaceport in Kourou, French Guiana. The University of Bern invites you to the CHEOPS launch event with a live stream from Kourou and space talks. UniBE Press Release (DE)
2019/07/01 © University of Bern, Image: Ramon Lehmann "All our expectations were exceeded" It was a science festival for everyone: “Bern in Space” was very well received by the public. Events took place on the Bundesplatz, in the Kursaal, and at the University of Bern in midsummer temperatures. And the major space agencies joined in the celebrations. UniBE Press Release (DE) Review with Image Gallery
2019/06/28 © University of Bern Press Conference "Bern in Space" The press conference featured speakers Christian Leumann (Rector University of Bern), Christoph Pappa (Overall Project Manager, Secretary General University of Bern), Willy Benz (Director NCCR PlanetS, University of Bern), Thomas Zurbuchen (Scientific Director at NASA), Günther Hasinger (Scientific Director at ESA), and Pascale Ehrenfreud (Chair of the Executive Board of DLR). YouTube Video (DE)
2019/06/25 © University of Bern, Image: Vera Knöpfel Bern in Space: The rocket is ready for launch Lift-off for the Bern in Space science festival: the rocket cube on Bundesplatz is ready and will be inaugurated on Friday, June 28, at 5:30 p.m. to mark the start of the anniversary celebrations. For three days, Bern will be celebrating the moon landing and Bernese space research – and high-profile representatives from space agencies, science, and politics will be joining in the celebrations. UniBE Press Release (DE)
2019/06/24 © University of Bern, Image: Ramon Lehmann Bronze sculpture for Johannes Geiss unveiled To mark the 50th anniversary of the moon landing, a bronze solar wind sail was unveiled yesterday at the University of Bern in honor of Johannes Geiss. Under Geiss's leadership, the University of Bern developed the famous solar wind sail, which was used in the first moon landing in 1969 and laid the foundation for the international success of Bernese space research. Astronaut Charles “Charlie” Duke was also present at the ceremony. UniAKTUELL Article (DE)
2019/05/02 © University of Bern, Image: Ramon Lehmann The University of Bern travels through space at the BEA What comes from Bern and has been to the moon? The solar wind sail from the University of Bern, of course! Anyone who doesn't know about the sail yet will soon find out. This summer, the University of Bern is celebrating 50 years since the moon landing – and at the heart of the celebrations is the Bernese experiment that flew to the moon with Apollo 11 in 1969. To kick off the celebrations, the University of Bern is currently a guest at the BEA. UniAKTUELL Article (DE)
2018/12/20 © University of Bern, Image: Ramon Lehmann NASA Science Director visits the University of Bern Yesterday, Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA Science Director, visited the University of Bern. He was awarded the 2018 Greinacher Prize by the Heinrich Greinacher Foundation. “uniaktuell” shows impressions from the event. UniAKTUELL Article (DE)
2018/11/23 © University of Bern, Image: Sylviane Blum Making Comets with the CSH Getting young people excited about technology and science – that was the goal of TecDay at the Kantonsschule Frauenfeld. The Center for Space and Habitability CSH at the University of Bern was also there, and even made comets with the high school students. UniAKTUELL Article (DE)
2018/10/25 © Nicolas Thomas Rum, heat, and a rocket launch BepiColombo blasted off to investigate Mercury. Nicolas Thomas, Co-Principal Investigator of the instrument BELA and Director of the Physics Institute of the University of Bern, experienced the launch first hand. Here are his impressions. UniAKTUELL Article (EN) UniAKTUELL Article (DE)
2018/08/27 © University of Bern, Image: Adrian Moser Bern's CHEOPS is flying into space soon Bern's CHEOPS space telescope was recently assembled on its carrier platform in Spain. The finished satellite was now for tests in Switzerland. Swiss Federal Councillor Johann N. Schneider-Ammann unveiled two plaques with 2,748 children's drawings on the research satellite today in an official ceremony. UniAKTUELL Article (EN) UniAKTUELL Article (DE)
2018/05/31 © University of Bern, Image: Manu Friederich Key Handover at the Zimmerwald Observatory With two new domes and a renovated dome, the Zimmerwald Observatory now has a total of six fully automated telescopes for monitoring the sky – in particular for detecting and cataloging space debris. At the official inauguration ceremony of the Astronomical Institute of the University of Bern (AIUB), congratulations were even received from NASA Science Director Thomas Zurbuchen. On Saturday, June 2, 2018, the doors and domes in Zimmerwald will be open to everyone for an open house. UniAKTUELL Article (DE)
2017/01/31 © University of Bern, Image: Manu Friederich "The University of Bern has given me a lot" As a research director of NASA, Bern-based Thomas Zurbuchen is one of the world’s most influential scientists. On Friday January 27, he visited the University of Bern, where he studied and gained his PhD in physics. He talked about his work in a public lecture. UniAKTUELL Article (EN) UniAKTUELL Article (DE)
