Dr Chris Welch is Principal at space-ist, the interdisciplinary aero/space consultancy he established in 2022 after a career as a Professor in Astronautics and Space Engineering.

A Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society, the Royal Aeronautical Society, and the British Interplanetary Society, Chris considers himself a ‘spaceist’. During his career, he has developed his expertise across many areas of the space field - for example, making parabolic flights, sending experiments to the International Space Station, authoring what he believes to be the first-ever paper on the design of extraterrestrial gardens, and writing a poem which orbited the Earth more than 10000 times, etc.

Chris is enthusiastic about sharing his knowledge in an open and accessible manner and has a collection of space-related artefacts which he uses to illustrate his presentations. He has extensive media experience and has been recognised for his space education and outreach activities, receiving the Sir Arthur Clarke Award for Space Education.

1. Why Space?
Discover the benefits of space exploration and how it improves our lives.

2. NASA: A Journey Through Space and Time
Discover the incredible history of NASA, from its groundbreaking missions to its future ambitions in space exploration.

3. The Only Way Is Up
Uncover the science and engineering behind rockets, the vehicles that propel our space missions.

4. Black Sky Thinking
Learn about the innovative ways entrepreneurs use space to create new businesses and products.

5. Beyond Earth Orbit
Delve into the challenges and possibilities of human space exploration beyond Earth orbit.

6. Beauty in The Void
Discover the unique ways that artists are using space to inspire their work.

7. Everyone can be an Astronaut
Discover the history and rise of space private spaceflight and space tourism

8. What goes around, comes around
Unravel the mysteries and applications of space orbits

9. The Stars My Destination
Imagine the possibilities of travelling to other stars and explore the challenges that lie ahead.

10. Wayfinding – the science and history of navigation
Navigate through time, from human journeys guided by stars to the use of satellites to find our way.

11. The Taste of Ambrosia – Food in Exploration
Trace the evolution of explorers' meals from meat jerky to freeze-dried rations to astronaut meals.

12. Gazing at the Stars – The History and Development of Astronomy
Chart Humanity's skyward gaze from the ancients to space satellites.

13. Looking Outwards
Explore the Universe and find out how space telescopes reveal cosmic mysteries and future quests.

14. Treasures of the Northern Skies
Explore the Northern Skies, unveiling constellations, auroras, and meteor showers.

15. The Life and Death of Stars
Discover the secrets of stars, the building blocks of our galaxy and universe.

16. The Sun
Explore the Sun, the energy source for life on Earth, and learn about the impact of space weather.

17. Dark Side of the Moon
Discover the Moon, our closest celestial neighbour, and learn about its impact on our world and culture.

18. Volcanoes in Space
Explore the different types of volcanoes - past and present - on the Moon, Mars and beyond.

19. From Myth to Mars - the Story of India's Space Achievements
Discover India's journey from early astronomy to becoming a key player in global space exploration.

20. From Stars to Satellites: Arab Contributions to Astronomy and Space
Discover the legacy of Arab astronomers and the cutting-edge space programs of the UAE and Saudi Arabia.

21. Ancient Skies: Greek Astronomy and the Antikythera Mystery
Discover the secrets of Greek astronomy and the ingenious Antikythera Mechanism, the world's first known astronomical computer.

22. Galileo’s Legacy: Revolutionizing the Heavens
Delve into Galileo Galilei's groundbreaking contributions to astronomy and how they forever changed our understanding of the universe.

23. The Playboy Astronomer
Discover the world of Tycho Brahe, the flamboyant 16th-century Danish astronomer whose accurate star maps and innovative instruments transformed our understanding of space.

24. Heavens Above: The UK’s Contributions to Astronomy and Space
Discover the significant contributions of British scientists to astronomy and space exploration over the centuries and into the future.

25. Stargazers of the Emerald Isle: Ireland’s Astronomical Journey
Explore Ireland’s rich astronomical legacy, from ancient megalithic sites to modern observatories and space missions.

26. Eastern Horizons: The Contribution of the Eastern USA to Space and Astronomy
Discover the rich history of astronomical and space achievements by eastern universities and observatories, NASA centers and the US Naval Academy.

27. Astronauts and Robots: The Canadian Space Agency’s Unique Journey
Celebrate the CSA’s contributions to space exploration, focusing on its advancements in robotics and future missions to the Moon and beyond.

Viking Resident Astronomer
2024 Viking Jupiter (five weeks)
2023 Viking Orion (three weeks);
2022 Viking Orion (six weeks)
2019 Viking Jupiter (two weeks)
Viking Guest Lecturer
2023 Viking Sky (two weeks)
Fred Olsen Guest Lecturer
2024 Borealis (eleven days)

The following recent Cruise History has been recorded for this candidate.