For several months now, I’ve been writing for ESA’s Education Office. This enterprise aims at developing a new generation of European space scientists and engineers, and making school children in general more comfortable with science.

Part of the programme is aimed at young children. Known as ESA Kids, these are the most popular pages on the whole of ESA’s website. An alien mascot is used on the pages but it has never been given a name. Until now, that is.

ESA asked me to write a little story to introduce the alien and launch a competition to name him/her/it. Having written the children’s story Little Moon with my wife Nicola, we both jumped at the chance. You can read it here.