Space Debris Training Course 2024 open for applications

Participating university students will learn about the space debris environment, specific mitigation technologies, future challenges such as large satellite constellations, how debris impacts spacecraft operations as well as potential future solutions. Taught by ESA experts as well as external experts in the sector, the course will be delivered through formal technical lectures complemented by hands-on exercises based on a real-life case study. 

This training course is a collaboration between ESA’s Education Office and ESA’s Space Debris Office, which coordinates ESA's research activities in all major space debris disciplines. These include measurements, modelling, protection, and mitigation strategies. It also operates ESA’s collision avoidance system for a fleet of 20 spacecraft, implements space debris aspects in the Agency’s Space Safety programme (S2P) and represents ESA on space debris matters at international bodies such as the IADC (Inter-Agency Debris Coordination Committee) or UNCOPUOS (United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space). Students will be introduced to the following topics: 

Day 1	- Forces acting on a space object - The space debris environment and the zero debris approach - Mitigation principles and guidelines - Group project session 1
Day 2	- Space debris: legal & regulatory aspects  - Deorbiting & passivation technologies - Space debris mitigation context - The future of the environment - Group project session 2
Day 3	- Space surveillance - Operating in the space debris environment  - Collision avoidance - Protection & shielding   - Group project session 3
Day 4	- Aerothermodynamic during re-entry - Simulation of spacecraft destruction during atmospheric re-entry - On-ground risk estimation - Group project session 4
Day 5	- Design for demise  - Active debris removal - Group project session 5 - Group project presentation - Conclusion

Who can apply?

To participate, students must fulfil the following eligibility criteria at the time of application: 

• Enrolled as a university student for the year 2023-2024 in a Bachelor (i.e., BSc or equivalent), Master (i.e., MSc or equivalent), or a Doctoral (i.e., Ph.D. or equivalent) degree programme with a background in engineering, science, or business.
• 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 scientific or other space-related topics.
• Citizen of an ESA Member State, an ESA Associate Member (Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia or Slovenia) or Canada*.

ESA is committed to achieving diversity and creating an inclusive professional environment. To this end, we welcome proposals and applications from all eligible candidates irrespective of gender, sexual orientation, ethnicity, beliefs, age, disability, or other characteristics. The ESA Academy strongly encourages inclusiveness within its programmes and within participating teams, which contributes to the enrichment of our programme.  

 Whenever possible, we seek to accommodate individuals with disabilities by providing the necessary support, either digitally or at the location of the training. In case of any questions or specific needs, please reach out to esa.academy@esa.int to get assistance or advice during the application process.

Attendance to the entire 5-day training course on-site at ESEC is mandatory. Accommodation, meals, as well as up to 300 EUR for travelling to Belgium will be covered by ESA Education.

To enhance the learning experience, students will actively engage in a group project work throughout the week to apply their newly acquired knowledge. Upon successful completion, participants will be awarded a certificate of participation and a course transcript, enabling them to request ECTS credit(s) from their respective universities

How to apply?

To apply you need to fill in the application form using English for all responses. Additionally, please include the name and institutional e-mail of a university professor or academic supervisor from your current university who can provide your recommendation. Once provided, the professor or an academic supervisor will receive a link to a form, allowing them to generate your recommendation in approximately 2 minutes. The deadline for both the application and recommendation submissions is 24 June 2024, 23:59 CEST.

*Canadian students enrolled in a Canadian post-secondary institution may apply for additional support from the Canadian Space Agency through this Announcement of Opportunity. This additional support is to cover costs that are not already covered by ESA for selected Canadian post-secondary students.

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