Santa Prepares for Space Mission as National Space Centre in Leicester Unveils Christmas Programme

Santa Claus is preparing for an unusual Christmas assignment as the National Space Centre in Leicester gets ready to welcome visitors to a festive spaceport, where families will be recruited for a special mission to save Christmas.

Santa's Spaceport missions launch on 28 November and will run across four weekends from 28 November to 20 December.

This year - as a response to all Santa Sunday sessions selling out last Christmas - the National Space Centre has doubled the number of available missions meaning twice as many children can meet Santa, Mrs Claus and their NOEL elves in a bid to save Christmas.

Santa's Spaceport will transform the Centre's Tetrastar Spaceport into a Christmas attraction, where families join Mrs Claus and the Space Elves on an imaginary journey over the North Pole.

Visitors will take part in a mission to save Christmas before meeting Santa, taking photographs and visiting the gift workshop, where children can choose a treat to take home, including some rather fabulous, friendly fluffy planets or a new astronaut friend.

Designed to be fully accessible, each mission experience welcomes families of all ages, with small, timed group visits of a maximum of 12 people at a time - ideal for those who struggle in large crowds. Each mission lasts approximately 30 minutes and there are Makaton-trained elves for those with additional needs. The space is wheelchair accessible, as is the ride to the North Pole with Mrs Claus. Tickets include a FREE carer where needed.

For older audiences, the Centre will host a special festive Film Club on Saturday 12 December, screening Richard Curtis's Christmas favourite Love Actually inside the UK's largest planetarium.

This follows on from the sell-out, adults-only screening of Mean Girls for Galentines in February and has been specially chosen by the National Space Centre's advisory group (a group of visitors who help inform decisions).

Visitors can enjoy a complimentary glass of festive fizz on arrival, explore the galleries after hours, pick up a drink from the bar, take part in festive activities, and dance along to seasonal tunes before settling in to enjoy one of the most beloved Christmas films ever made.

Written by Richard Curtis - writer of Four Weddings And a Funeral, Bridget Jone's Diary and Notting Hill - featuring an all-star cast including Hugh Grant, Emma Thompson, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Alan Rickman, Bill Nighy and Keira Knightley, Love Actually has become a festive tradition for millions - so is expected to sell out in advance.

Whether you're planning a Christmas date night, catching up with friends, or kicking off an evening in Leicester, this is the perfect start to the festive season.

Two screenings will take place during the evening (6.30pm and 9.30pm) is open to visitors aged 15 and over - note, under-18s are required to attend with an adult.

Malika Andress, Head of Marketing for the National Space Centre said:

"Christmas gives us a chance to show a different side of the National Space Centre. From taking families on a mission to save Christmas to watching a festive film beneath our planetarium dome, we're bringing a little of the magic of space to the celebrations.

"We want visitors of different ages to feel welcome, whether they're visiting Santa with their children or enjoying an evening out with friends."

Santa's Spaceport missions take place each Saturday and Sunday from 28th November to 20th December. The Love Actually Film Club takes place on 12th December. Tickets are on sale now.

Find out more at www.spacecentre.co.uk

EDITOR'S NOTES

About the National Space Centre

The National Space Centre is the UK's largest visitor attraction dedicated to space. It opened to the public in June 2001 and has welcomed almost six million visitors, including more than 1.5 million schoolchildren.

The National Space Centre is the Millennium Commission landmark project for the East Midlands. It was co-founded by the University of Leicester and Leicester City Council.

Its other founding partners are BT and East Midlands Development Agency.

In 2025, the National Space Centre was awarded the national Silver Award by VisitEngland for Large Visitor Attraction of the Year.