Applications now open for the 2024 edition of ESA Academy’s Clean Space Training Course

This is an outstanding opportunity for university students to complement their engineering studies with insight into a vital aspect of future space missions, providing a springboard to become the next generation of leading space engineers.

The space industry has been key in taking environmental research forward by allowing different perspectives on our fragile planet. This has helped to push the environmental crisis to the forefront of public and political awareness. However, more needs to be done to ensure that space industry decrease its impact on the environment, both on Earth and in Space. ESA’s Clean Space initiative was set up in 2012 to gain a better understanding of the environmental effects of the entire life cycle of space missions and to investigate more sustainable alternatives. Clean Space’s activities fall into three main areas:

1. EcoDesign: addressing environmental impacts and fostering green technologies;
2. End-of-life Management: minimising the production of space debris;
3. In-Orbit Servicing/Debris Removal: removing derelict spacecraft from orbit and demonstrating in-orbit servicing.

ESA is devoted to equip our future space engineers with the knowledge and skills required to achieve these objectifs. Devised in collaboration between ESA Education and the Clean Space Offices , the Clean Space Training Course offers students valuable insight into approaches to consider and reduce the environmental impact across the entire life cycle of a space mission. Lectures focus on how to design a satellite that will not generate debris; will remove defunct satellites and debris already in orbit; and will be environmentally friendly as much as possible. To apply the gained knowledge, students undertake in parallel group projects to learn how to design a “clean” satellite.

Students participating in the Clean Space Training Course 2024 will be evaluated based on their group work throughout the week and the final presentation. Upon completion of the training course students will receive a certificate of participation and a course transcript, allowing them to request ECTS credit(s) from their respective universities.

Preliminary schedule:

Day 1:	Welcome and Introduction Clean Space Overview Space Debris Mitigation requirements towards Zero Debris Life Cycle Assessment &EcoDesign Group Project 1: Baseline mission and Environmental impacts assessment
Day 2:	Re-entry Strategies Passivation: Propulsion & Power Legal Aspects Design for Demise & Zero debris -Group Project 2: Comply with Space Debris Mitigation requirements (part 1)
Day 3:	Visit of ESEC-Redu Group Project 2: Comply with Space Debris Mitigation requirements – Q&A (part 2) On-Orbit Servicing and Close Proximity Operations Active Debris Removal Guidance, Navigation and Control for Capturing ESA & ESA Education Programme Group Project 3: Remove your satellite from orb
Day 4:	Robotics for Capturing Design for Removal Group Project 4: Clean the mega constellations! (Part 1) Group Project 4: Q&A - Clean the mega constellations! (Part 2) Final Group Presentations Conclusion

Who can apply?

In order to participate, students must fulfil the following criteria at the time of application:

• be aged minimum 18 years old. ESA Academy and relevant partners will only appraise applications from students who have no or limited professional experience in relevant engineering or space-related topics;
• be a citizen of an ESA Member State, Canada, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia or Slovenia;
• be enrolled as a MSc (BSc completed) or PhD student in a university (not graduating before the training course);
• be studying for an engineering degree;
• have a basic knowledge of space system design.

Selected students will be requested to attend the entire 4 day training course at ESEC-Galaxia. They will be sponsored by ESA to cover accommodation and meals, as well as up to 300 Euros for travelling to Belgium.

How to apply:

• Fill in the application form ;
• Upload a motivation letter (PDF, maximum 1 page, no images);
• Upload a CV (Europass format, PDF, maximum 2 pages, no images);
• Upload a formal recommendation letter (PDF, maximum 1 page, including signature, no images) from a university professor or academic supervisor of current university;  (if it is not possible to receive the recommendation letter from your referee, please ask them to send a recommendation email to tlp@esa.int before the application deadline);
• Upload a copy of academic records (PDF);

All answers and documents should be in English (Transcript of Grades can be submitted in language of hosting university, if unavailable in English).

*Canadian students enrolled in a Canadian post-secondary institution may apply for additional support from the Canadian Space Agency through this Announcement of Opportunity (grant applications must be submitted at least 7 weeks before the course delivery and account creation 3 weeks before the deadline). This additional support is to cover costs that are not already covered by ESA for selected Canadian post-secondary students.

The deadline for applications is 2 January 2024 23:59 CET.

For more information, please contact tlp@esa.int.