A science broadcaster taking part in a celebrity charity challenge aims to inspire school children through a satellite-powered experiment.
Astronomer Mark Thompson is joining fellow Barnardo’s ambassadors Sam Thompson, James Dunmore and Lydia Bright, from TV shows Made in Chelsea and TOWIE, and presenter Helen Fospero to raise funds for the UK children’s charity.
The group will set out on 12 May for a week-long trek through Borneo’s jungle and ascent of its highest peak, Mt Kinabalu, sleeping under canvas and foraging for food.
Mark Thompson with his camera
Like Inmarsat, Mark is a keen promoter of STEM – science, technology, engineering and maths – education, and has devised a project so UK schools can get involved. Using a portable device specifically designed for the challenge, he will record location, temperature, atmospheric pressure, altitude and humidity, with the data transmitted from the mountain slopes using Inmarsat’s IsatHub connectivity service.
Schools will be able to view the data streamed live on his website or download it, along with lesson plans.
Mark will access the IsatHub service using his own smart device and a compact, lightweight Wideye iSavi terminal which will be easy to carry with the rest of his supplies.
He said: “As someone who has loved science ever since I was a young boy it is important to me to get kids involved as much as possible, and the trip to Borneo is a great opportunity to do this.
“It is crucial to have communications available not only to share our progress via social media but also to support my STEM outreach. IsatHub is critical to the success of this project and I am very grateful to the team at Inmarsat for their kind support in this expedition.”
