Interdisciplinary learning at ESA Academy in the fields of Product Assurance, CubeSats and Gravity-related research

One of the training courses from this quarter  was the fourth edition of the Product Assurance Awareness Training Course, which took place from 23rd to 26th May. 30 motivated university students learnt about the role of Product Assurance (PA) in space projects at ESA and in the space industry. They gained a multidisciplinary knowledge of quality assurance management, dependability, safety and how PA is carried out within different disciplines such as software, supply chain, materials, Radiation Hardness Assurance (RHA), and space business. The students applied this knowledge in a hands-on group exercise where they played the role of PA engineer to determined how to assure quality of space systems at different stages of the supply chain. 

“The experienced and motivated trainers captivated us with their stories and insights, leaving a profound and lasting impact on our academic and professional journeys.” mentioned a German student from Technical University of Braunschweig (TU Braunschweig) 

One week later, a new group of 29 enthusiastic students participated in the CubeSat Hands-On Training Week, which took place from the 5th to the 9th of June. During this week, the students performed experiments on Educational Satellites (ESAT) in “lab sessions” supervised by staff from Theia Space. Complementary lectures on the best practises in System Engineering and various fields of CubeSat subsystems, testing and operations were delivered by ESA experts. In the lab sessions, students had the opportunity to practise all the theoretical knowledge on programming the ESAT models to be receptive to their own customised telecommands, to broadcast telemetry packets defined by the students themselves, and to investigate different types of verification methodologies and testing. This acquired knowledge will be useful especially if they decide to continue their space exploration careers by applying to Fly Your Satellite! Programme with a CubeSat project in future. 

From 19th to  June, 30 university students took part in the  ESA/ELGRA Gravity-Related Research Summer School, organized by ESA Academy and European Low Gravity Research Association (ELGRA). During the first week, participants followed lectures covering the current gravity-related research in Human Physiology, Life and Physical Sciences at ESEC-Galaxia. Guided by experts, students transformed their innovative ideas into designs of experiments in altered-gravity, which they developed online in the second week. At the end of the summer school, each group presented their final experiment to experts, being further encouraged to participate in ESA Academy Experiments programme. 

“The process of designing an experiment in altered gravity in a team greatly developed my confidence as a scientist. Encouraged to be independent and think creatively, whilst collaborating in a team within which we pulled on each other’s strengths, we were able to design an exciting and feasible experiment that could be carried out in the future.” as summarized by a British student from University College London 

In all three training sessions, the experts observed a steep learning curve from the students and were deeply impressed by their work. We believe that these trainings will remain in memories and bring a valuable experience to all the participants. 

Apart from the three above-mentioned activities, during the busy second quarter, ESA Academy’s Training and Learning Programme delivered as well the pilot editions of the Space Weather Training Course as well as the Navigation Training Course!

To find more details visit our ESA Academy page. 

To find more information on upcoming ESA Academy training sessions and opportunities, visit our Current Opportunities page.  

For inquiries contact tlp@esa.int.