With Norwich in the running to land a real-life spacecraft, here television astronomer Mark Thompson explains why everyone should back the bid.

Eastern Daily Press: BBC and Norfolk astronomer Mark Thompson. PHOTO: ANTONY KELLYBBC and Norfolk astronomer Mark Thompson. PHOTO: ANTONY KELLY (Image: Archant Norfolk)

Well, you could be in luck if The Forum and Norwich Science Festival win a national competition.

The Science Museum Group and Samsung are touring Tim Peake's Soyuz TMA-19M capsule around the UK, and Norwich is up against four other cities in a competition to host the spacecraft.

But why should it touch down in Norwich?

Norwich has a great science following and the local interest will be huge, but people will also come from far and wide to see the exhibit, from all across East Anglia and beyond.

Eastern Daily Press: Collecting data for science is a huge part of life on the International Space Station. Some of the studies that I found most interesting were ‘life-science’ experiments – whether taking blood samples, testing for airway inflammation or investigating muscle atrophy – the research was always fascinating. Picture: Ask an Astronaut by Tim Peake is published by Century and is out now.Collecting data for science is a huge part of life on the International Space Station. Some of the studies that I found most interesting were ‘life-science’ experiments – whether taking blood samples, testing for airway inflammation or investigating muscle atrophy – the research was always fascinating. Picture: Ask an Astronaut by Tim Peake is published by Century and is out now. (Image: Tim Peake/Century)

The city hosts the acclaimed Norwich Research Park, whose researchers are in the top 1pc most cited in the world. There are countless organisations and groups across the county who champion science and science events, such as Norwich Astronomical Society, Seething Observatory, and the British Science Association Norwich branch. Plus there's a definite appetite for space-related events, with huge crowds for recent events with astronauts Helen Sharman and Michael Foale.

2016 saw the first Norwich Science Festival. Last year saw an even bigger and better one with around 82,000 visitors to events across the city. The Astronomy Day at the Festival is one of the most popular days, with people of all ages exploring the wonders of science and space.

Big crowds came to see Museum of the Moon in The Forum for the Norfolk and Norwich Festival and enjoyed gazing up at the replica moon.

There is no doubt about it, the people of Norwich are going science-mad like never before.

Eastern Daily Press: Tim Peake's spacecraft. Picture: SCIENCE MUSEUM GROUPTim Peake's spacecraft. Picture: SCIENCE MUSEUM GROUP (Image: Lee Mawdsley LEE MAWDLEY)

If Norwich wins the competition, people will come to see the display and see an important part of space history, but more importantly it will capture the imagination of people who have probably never even heard of the Soyuz spacecraft.

The Forum has a fabulous atrium which has thousands of people through its doors every day from all walks of life and is ideally positioned to get even more people interested and enquiring – not just about science but about the UK Space Agency's crucial role and our civilisation's journey out into the universe.

I fully support the bid to bring the Soyuz capsule to Norwich and more specifically, to The Forum in the centre of the city.

Let's land Soyuz in Norwich!

Eastern Daily Press: Discover the planets with Mark Thompson. Picture: JMA PhotographyDiscover the planets with Mark Thompson. Picture: JMA Photography (Image: JMa Photography)

You can show your support on Twitter by asking the @sciencemuseum to bring the #SouyuzTour to @TheForumNorwich as part of @NorwichSciFest.