Australian Space Week 2026

After a career of polar expeditions and a mission to space in 2025, it is without question that Eric Philips has lived a life of exploration and adventure. Inspired by early polar explorers and the Apollo moon landings, Eric has skied to the North & South Poles over twenty times and pioneered four new ski routes to the South Pole.

Last year, he travelled to space as crew on board of the pioneering SpaceX Fram2 mission and became the first person to orbit the Earth under the Australian flag. This high-impact workshop draws on Eric's experiences as a polar explorer and astronaut, aiming to inspire and motivate individuals to dream big and pursue their passions with courage and self-belief.

Quality food & nutrition is crucial for both everyday performance and survival in extreme environments. To enable humans to survive and thrive in space, P4S is transforming plant performance and sustainability through the development of new plant forms, products, and uses.

Participants will have the opportunity to:

• Connect with experts in the fields of space, human performance, food science, nutrition and plant research.

• Understand and select suitable plants for space and extreme environments.

• Explore and create food solutions for space and extreme environments.

• Gain practical life sciences skills through working in a laboratory environment.