This article looks at how space can provide a context for the teaching of STEM subjects.
It explores how space fits with the new curriculum, and outlines what resources are available for teachers from the National STEM Centre eLibrary. In November 2015, the UK sends its first official astronaut into space, Tim Peake. His mission can provide a context for related educational activities - an approach that was successfully carried out in the Netherlands in 2011. We also explore the impact of using the context of space to enrich the teaching and learning of science.