From Neil Armstrong's first steps on to the moon, to the Mir Space station - space has been capturing the imagination of youngsters for decades.

Now Bradford schoolchildren are to have the opportunity to meet a genuine astronaut.

And all they have to do is enter a competition to design an alien.

Organised by Bradford business incubator Velocity, the Space City competition will use space to get children interested in subjects such as maths, engineering, technology and science, which youngsters have elected to study less and less in recent years.

The idea came from the SetPoint organisation, which is responsible for setting the space-based curriculum for schools in West Yorkshire.

One of the astronauts confirmed for the event is American James Wetherbee, a veteran of six space flights and the man who has logged the most hours of space flight in history.

Mr Wetherbee will be joined by another astronaut from the European Space Agency who has yet to be confirmed.

The winners will be able to meet the astronauts at the National Museum of Film, Photography and Television in Bradford on Monday, November 13, as Space City is officially launched. They will have the opportunity to ask questions of the astronauts and listen first hand to their stories of having been into outer space.

Amanda Lennon, managing the Space City project, said: "Children today might think of careers involving space as being an astronaut but the reality is there is just so much you can do.

"From satellite communications to aerodynamics - there is a whole variety of career options out there involving space.

"For the competition children should try to be as original as possible and try to come up with something interesting."

The competition is open to three age groups, those in primary, junior and senior schools in the Bradford area.

Pupils have been asked to draw an alien on a piece of A4 paper and include some details about their creation, including details such as how it breathes, eats and communicates.

Each entry must include details of their name, age and school. The closing date for the competition is Thursday, October 19.

Details of how to enter are available at www.velocitybradford.com/spacecity.

e-mail: mark.casci@bradford.newsquest.co.uk