Astronauts come together in London for Sea & Space this Earth Day
Astronauts, coral scientists and a new generation of ocean voices convene at Piccadilly Circus on 22 April 2026
On Earth Day 2026, Wednesday 22 April, one of London’s most iconic landmarks will become the canvas for one of the most urgent stories of our time. The Piccadilly Lights screen will be taken over by Sea & Space 2026. This landmark cultural and scientific moment brings together NASA astronauts, coral scientists, conservation leaders and a new generation of ocean storytellers.
The event, produced by Space for a Better World, Ocean Culture Life and Space for Art Foundation, marks Earth Day with a powerful question: What happens when you look at our ocean planet from space?
L-R: Earth From Space; Earth Day 2025
The Earth Day Event
Taking place from 17:30 on 22 April at Piccadilly Circus and Kanaloa House, the evening brings together an invitation-only gathering of astronauts, coral scientists, conservationists, artists and youth leaders for a private convening on planetary stewardship.
Why This Matters
Coral reefs cover less than 1% of the ocean floor, yet they support more than 25% of all marine life, protect coastlines from erosion and storm surge, and sustain the livelihoods of over one billion people worldwide. They are also among the ecosystems most acutely threatened by climate change, approaching critical tipping points that, once crossed, cannot be reversed.
Sea & Space 2026 uses the unique perspective of space exploration to reframe how we understand and communicate this urgency. From orbit, astronauts describe a profound shift in consciousness: the ocean is not a separate system, it is our planet, and protecting it begins with seeing it clearly.
“The ocean and space are not separate frontiers. They are two windows onto the same truth. From orbit, you see a blue planet. From below the surface, you discover the world that made that blue possible. Sea & Space exists to hold both perspectives at once, and to remind us that understanding our ocean is the most urgent form of planetary care we have.””
About the Participants
Nicole Stott | NASA Astronaut, Aquanaut & Artist
Nicole Stott is a NASA astronaut with two spaceflights and 104 days living and working in space aboard both the Space Shuttle and the International Space Station. She is also a NASA Aquanaut, having lived for 18 days in the Aquarius undersea habitat, and is the first person to paint a watercolor in space. A founding director of the Space for Art Foundation and co-founder of Space for a Better World, Nicole uses her spaceflight experience to inspire action on planetary stewardship. Her book Back to Earth explores what life in orbit taught her about our home planet and our responsibility to protect it.
Christina Korp | Founder, Space for a Better World
Known as the “Astronaut Wrangler,” Christina Korp is a space advisor, producer and the founder of Space for a Better World, a non-profit that connects space exploration with real-world impact. She spent ten years managing Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin and has produced landmark space events at Kennedy Space Center, Times Square and Piccadilly Lights. Christina now works with NASA astronaut Nicole Stott and Apollo 16 moonwalker Charlie Duke, championing the ways space science can address climate change, ocean conservation and global equity.
Tamsin Raine | Co-Founder, Ocean Culture Life
Tamsin Raine is the co-founder of Ocean Culture Life, a storytelling-led ocean conservation platform that connects global audiences with the science, people and places working to protect our ocean. With a background spanning media, culture and environmental advocacy, Tamsin and her partners have built Sea & Space into one of the most distinctive ocean-meets-space cultural initiatives in the UK, bringing together astronauts, scientists, artists and youth voices to make the ocean visible, felt and valued.
Matt Porteous | Co-Founder, Ocean Culture Life & Royal Family Photographer
Matt Porteous is an award-winning photographer, co-founder of Ocean Culture Life, and one of the UK’s most distinctive visual storytellers. Jersey-born and self-taught, Matt built a world-class reputation for his intimate, documentary-style portraiture, becoming the personal photographer to the Prince and Princess of Wales. Matt also co-founded Ocean Culture Life to give a voice to the ocean through the power of storytelling, building a global network of photographers, filmmakers and conservationists united by the sea.
Dr. Jamie Craggs | Principal Aquarium Curator, Horniman Museum & Gardens
Dr. Jamie Craggs is the Principal Aquarium Curator at the Horniman Museum and lead scientist on Project Coral, a pioneering research programme that in 2013 achieved the world’s first predictable broadcast coral spawning in a closed system. A Fellow of the Linnean Society and Science Associate at the Natural History Museum London, Dr. Craggs is also Senior Marine Scientist at Mars Sustainable Solutions, applying coral reproduction techniques to reef restoration efforts globally. His work is widely regarded as one of the most significant advances in coral conservation science of the past decade.
Professor David Smith | Senior Director, Mars Sustainable Solutions & Director, Coral Reef Research Unit, University of Essex
Professor David Smith is a leading marine biologist specialising in coral reef systems and one of the world’s foremost authorities on reef conservation. He has led more than 30 scientific expeditions internationally, published over 100 peer-reviewed papers, and founded the Coral Reef Research Unit at the University of Essex. As Senior Director of Mars Sustainable Solutions, he oversees large-scale reef restoration programmes across Indonesia and beyond. Professor Smith has advised governments, the UN and global conservation bodies on the science and urgency of protecting coral ecosystems.
Francesca Page | Artist, Conservation Photojournalist & Ocean Explorer
Francesca Page is a British award-winning artist, photographer, illustrator and ocean explorer dedicated to saving the ocean through the power of storytelling and art. Her large-scale watercolour and mixed-media works have been recognised by National Geographic UK, Ocean Photographer of the Year, and the International Photography Awards. A freediver and open water dive instructor, Francesca has collaborated with PADI, Sea Shepherd, the Blue Marine Foundation, Piccadilly Lights and NASA astronauts to create art that bridges the gap between science and public imagination. Her ongoing Reef Stories series documents the life, bleaching and restoration of coral reefs in intimate, immersive detail.