From 400 km above the surface of Earth, ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano talked with high-school students during the finals of the Volare Space Robotics Challenge.<br /><br />Seven teams entered remote-controlled robots that battled on a mock-up of the International Space Station. Their mission: to unload cargo from ESA's Automated Transfer Vehicle as quickly as possible while avoiding objects.<br /><br />Students at 'ground control' gave instructions wirelessly from the control centre next door. Multipliers added more strategy to the competition.<br /><br />The two-day event was the culmination of lots of hard work from the seven teams of high-school students. The highlight for many students was visiting ESA's laboratories and of course a live call with ESA astronaut Luca Parmitano straight from the International Space Station.
