“We are very excited! Aeroastral Consulting, in its commitment to social education, shares its love and fascination for Space with the students of CEIP San Ignacio del Viar (Alcalá del Río, Seville, Spain), guided by the passion for the Cosmos embodied by their teacher, Mr. D. Herminio Rodriguez del Rio. This collaboration has given rise to new proposals and partnerships, with the active involvement not only of Consultants Doris Conde and Violeta Gandullo but also the entire social education team of Aeroastral Consulting. This team includes the illustrator and graphic designer Alejandra Romero, the author and novelist Marta Cardoso, the expert in marketing and image, Alana María Silva, and collaboration in parallel activities with different training centers, with Astrid Duque representing Woman Aerosteam.
The students of CEIP San Ignacio del Viar (Alcalá del Río, Seville) had a magnificent experience at the Ríotinto Mines. It was an outdoor and underground master class where they learned that the color of the river is due to its high content of heavy metals: iron (the most abundant), copper, cadmium, manganese, etc. They also explored the human and economic history of mining exploitation in Riotinto.
The Río Tinto area presents significant analogies with the planet Mars, contributing to the search for life and liquid water beneath the surface of the red planet. During the visit, they encountered minerals such as jarosite, discovered on Mars, which played a crucial role in determining the past presence of water, as this mineral requires water for its formation.
The Ríotinto environment is an ideal setting for NASA/ESA missions, where astronaut spacesuits have been tested, and experiments with the Curiosity rover have taken place. A model of this explorer was also on display.
We can attest that the Ríotinto environment bears a striking resemblance to NASA images. For a day, we felt like astronauts and miners, and we even brought back a small water sample to observe the microorganisms that inhabit the area. We succeeded in this endeavor — a small step for science, always significant strides to inspire our students.”
