Many dream of it - but what are the qualities required? The BBC2 series Astronauts gave tough challenges to a group of 12 contenders, as one of them, physicist Dr Jaclyn Bell from Liverpool, describes.
How will satellite launches in Sutherland develop? Could Shetland follow suit? Matjaž Vidmar of the Royal Observatory of Edinburgh reports on space industry development. Three students from Slovenia's Spacelink Institute - Nik Mohorko, Tjaš Cvek and Jošt Herman - describe their progress in building a rocket to reach 100 km, to become the first European amateur team to reach space. In association with the Slovenian Science Foundation and the Rotary Club of Orkney
Lack of good broadband in parts of the Highlands is stimulating communities and small businesses to come up with their own solutions – and generate business opportunities, as North, West and Central Sutherland councillor Kirsteen Currie describes.
Join experts from Scapa and Highland Park for special tours of both. Advance booking essential: over-18s only. Tickets £10. Organised by the IBD and sponsored by the two distilleries
Charles Tait takes to the road for the eastern part of the North Coast 500, with stories and photos of the rocks, the lochs, the brochs and the wildlife, and a song from Andy Munro. Sponsored by Pentland Ferries
Bridge manager Alan Hutchison tells the story of the road bridge, opened in 1966, and the Muir of Ord contractor who built it and who in order to fly down welders from the north started up the air operations that became Loganair. Organised by the Institution of Civil Engineers
Join vision scientist Dr Ben Craven for a brilliant show exploring the weird and wonderful world of colour. Through dramatic demonstrations you'll learn that black is white, how two lights can be the same and different at the same time, and why we are all colour blind. Supported by the Institute of Physics
Once there was Ferintosh and then Ben Wyvis, as Dr Tim Dolan describes. Now a new community-owned GlenWyvis distillery has produced its first spirit. Manager Duncan Tait tells the story. Tickets £6 (IBD members free). Over-18s only. Organised by the Institute of Brewing and Distilling
with Dave & Co, and Lewis Hou’s fiddle and dance steps, for would-be and why-not dancers of all ages. Tickets (with light supper) £10. Sponsored by Highland Park
A science festival has a radical role in developing a creative climate for a region. Here is the story of how it began, and how Orkney was involved from an early stage in the concept.
