Bernese liftoff for the Expo 2025 Osaka!

The University of Bern is part of the Swiss Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka with instruments built for the ESA/JAXA space missions Juice and Comet Interceptor !

Vacuum Chamber ESA Juice

13.04-10.06.2025 | Showcase in the Swiss Pavilion

© Uni Bern

The scent of space

The University of Bern has been a leader in space exploration since the NASA Apollo11 mission, continuously innovating with cutting-edge instruments. On display are models of Bernese mass spectrometers for two joint ESA-JAXA missions: JUICE to Jupiter’s icy moons and Comet Intercept or visiting a pristine comet. If a spacecraft’s camera is its eye, then the mass spectrometer is its nose. Mass spectrometers“sniff out” the atoms and molecules surrounding comets, moons, and planets in our Solar System. The ice-covered moons of Jupiter may harbor life-friendly oceans, while comets are like deep-frozen time capsules, offering a glimpse into the early Solar System.The visitors of the Swiss Pavilion will experience the ‘scent’ of a comet, recreated from the measurements of the Bernese mass spectrometer ROSINA that flew to comet Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

07.06.2025, 10:30 / 14:00 | Public event. Build a comet and moonwalk with space researchers

© ESA

From the moon to comets: Take a walk!

Ready to examine a comet up close, and explore the moon? Join researchers from ISAS/JAXA, the University of Tokyo, Kyoto Sangyo University and the University of Bern on a journey to these small worlds through talks (and your questions), workshop and demonstrations. With the Swiss and Japanese members of the Comet Interceptor mission, build a comet right in the Pavilion, and discover the similarities between comets and soy sauce! Then see the tiny SORA-Q lunar rover in action, and experience the moon in virtual reality. Find us at the Swiss Pavilion at EXPO 2025 Osaka on 7th of June 2025. 月から彗星へ、宇宙をおさんぽ！ ～彗星づくりと月面歩行を体験しよう！宇宙研究者と一緒に学ぼう～ 彗星を間近で観察し、月を探る準備をしよう！JAXA宇宙科学研究所、東京大学、京都産業大学、ベルン大学の研究者たちと一緒に、トーク（質問も受け付けます）、ワークショップ、デモンストレーションを通じて、これらの新たな世界を冒険しましょう。スイスと日本のコメット・インターセプターのメンバーと一緒に、パビリオン内で彗星を作り、彗星と醤油の共通点を発見しよう！変形型月面ロボットSORA-Qを操作したり、VRで月面を体験しましょう！2025年6月7日、EXPO 2025大阪・関西万博のスイスパビリオンでお待ちしています。

25.04.2025 | Event on invitation

© ESA

University of Bern Day at the Swiss Pavilion

Virginia Richter, Rector of the University of Bern, will welcome Japanese guests from academia with a long-term relationship with the University of Bern. Masaki Fujimoto, Director General of ISAS/JAXA and Swiss ESA astronaut Marco Sieber (remote) will participate in the panel discussion "Exploring Space, Advancing Human Health: How Space Research, Medicine and AI Shape Our Future".

15.04.2025, 11:00-12:00 | Public talk and Comet building workshop

© ESA

Visiting an ancient world: ESA/JAXA space mission Comet Interceptor

ESA planetary scientist Michael Küppers captivated visitors at the Swiss Pavilion with an engaging lecture about Comet Interceptor. This ESA/JAXA space mission will explore a comet visiting the inner solar system for the first time. Küppers, a former postdoc at the University of Bern, shared his career path and answered questions from space enthusiasts of all ages. He also led a popular comet-making demo with dry ice and soy sauce, translated into Japanese by a student ambassador, drawing around 250 curious visitors.

太古の世界を訪ねて： ESA/JAXA宇宙ミッション「コメット・インターセプタ

欧州宇宙機関（ESA）の惑星科学者であるミヒャエル・キュッパース氏が、一般の方々を彗星の世界へとご案内します。

ドライアイス、水、ほこり、そしてしょうゆを使って、彗星を作ってみませんか？
どなたでも参加できる体験型イベントです。

14時から16時の間、お好きな時間にスイス・パビリオンのイベントルームへお越しください。
予約は不要ですので、お気軽にご参加ください。
英語・日本語両方でサポートします。