NASA astronaut Jessica Meir takes the stage at H22 City Expo

The first Swedish woman in space sets her sights on a new lunar mission. Swedish-American astronaut Jessica Meir is visiting H22 City Expo in Helsingborg, Sweden, on 21 June. She will be taking the stage during an open event to talk about her experience and research on the International Space Station, and her dream of becoming the first woman on the moon.

NASA astronaut and marine biologist Jessica Meir is coming to Helsingborg and the international H22 City Expo on 21 June to give a talk and meet with the public, researchers, and students.

Jessica Meir will arrive at Helsingborg City Hall at 12:50 to be greeted by Mayor Peter Danielsson and Head of H22, Soraya Axelsson. At 14.00, Jessica Meir will visit Space Street on Sundstorget square. She will also take a tour of RecoLab and Havoteket before making her way to the Concert Hall to hold her talk at 16:30. The talk is in English, open to the public, and free of charge. However, a ticket must be booked here:

https://www.h22cityexpo.com/programme/an-open-talk-with-jessica-meir

The visit to Helsingborg is part of the Swedish National Space Agency’s involvement in H22 City Expo. The goal is to shine a light on how important space research is for our life on Earth. In addition to Space Street on Sundstorget, the Agency is holding talks and presentations on topics such as how space data and research can benefit us here on Earth, for example, to prevent natural disasters and more efficiently use the planet’s resources.

Jessica Meir, who is both an American and Swedish citizen, made history when she became the first Swedish woman to go to space on 25 September 2019. She spent 205 days on board the International Space Station and completed 3,280 revolutions around the earth, which corresponds to a journey of 139,851,994 kilometres. During her time in space, Jessica Meir and fellow crew members performed hundreds of experiments within subjects such as biology and Earth science. One of these experiments studied how heart tissues behave in space compared to on Earth.

Now Jessica Meir once again has the opportunity to make history. She is one of 18 astronauts selected for the international lunar program Artemis, with the goal of putting the next person and the first woman on the moon. The last time an astronaut was on the moon was during the Apollo program in 1972.

It is not yet decided which of the 18 astronauts will go to the moon, or when this will be, but everyone in the group will have an important role within the program. In June, around the same time as Jessica Meir visits Sweden, NASA plans to resume preparations to launch the first unmanned spacecraft within the Artemis program.

For more information and media inquiries, please contact:
Johan Marcopoulos, Head of Communication, Swedish National Space Agency, +46 70-640 64 88, johan.marcopoulos@snsa.se
Karin Liliedahl, Press Officer, H22 City Expo, +46 73-151 85 11, karin.liliedahl@helsingborg.se