Training Future opportunities
Space Debris Training Course 2024
Date: 09 – 13 September 2024
Description: Participating University students will be provided with an introduction to the concept of space debris, why it is necessary to address this problem, and how the mitigation policies set by ESA apply to missions. Participants will not only learn about the space debris environment and mitigation technologies and future challenges such as large satellite constellations, but also about how it impacts spacecraft operations and potential future solutions. Current topics such as large satellite constellations and new space traffic management developments will be discussed. 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.
Concurrent Engineering Workshop 2024
Date: 16 – 20 September 2024
Description: Concurrent engineering is a method of designing and developing products in the space sector where all subsystems are designed simultaneously making the process more efficient. During this workshop, university students learn about concurrent engineering and its benefits, taking advantage of the use of the ESA Academy’s Concurrent Design Facility (CDF). Guided by ESA experts, the students first learn to use the Open Concurrent Design Tool (OCDT) and identify design drivers. They are then divided into groups of 2 or 3 to cover the several subsystems and, together with their groups, they create a subsystem concept in order to later achieve an already identified mission concept using concurrent engineering.
Ladybird Guide to Spacecraft Operations Training Course 2024
Date: 14 – 18 October 2024
Description: Taught by experienced engineers who work for the Operations Department of ESOC, the European Space Operations Centre in Darmstadt, Germany, the course will be delivered through formal lectures but with a heavy emphasis placed on the interaction with the students. The way specific subsystems of a spacecraft like Attitude, Determination and Control Subsystem (ADCS), Orbit Control System (OCS), Power, On Board Data Handling (OBDH), Telemetry, Telecommunication & Control (TT&C), Thermal and On Board Software (OBS), have been designed has a bearing on the way operations are carried out, and this will be highlighted and discussed.
The four first days of the course will be delivered at ESA Education Training Centre in Belgium. The students will visit ESA’s European Space Security and Education Centre (ESEC) and learn about its on-site activities, including Galileo and PROBA spacecraft’s operations.
Product Assurance Awareness Training Course
Date: 21 – 25 October 2024
Description: This course was developed in collaboration with ESA’s Product Assurance and Safety Department and will equip 30 University students with knowledge in Product Assurance (PA). Experts will teach how this knowledge is implemented in a space project not only in ESA but also in the Space Industry. Run by ESA’s current PA managers and discipline experts, it allows the students to discover, through interactive lectures, how PA is an integral part of engineering activities, playing a role in the development, design, test philosophy, building, and operation of systems. The trainers also instil in students the unique ethos at the heart of every successful PA engineer. Participants will also be exposed to the PA perspectives and experiences from the Space Industry.
Robotics Workshop
Date: 29 October – 01 November 2024
Description: Inspired by the current and future missions of Mars exploration, the Robotics Workshop will immerse participating students in the design and operation of an ExoMy rover. This 3D-printed robot is modelled after the European rover that will explore the Martian surface. Over four days, students will focus on software, particularly the ROS2 (Robot Operating System) framework, studying the locomotion system and developing algorithms to enable the robot’s movement. Additionally, they will apply Machine Learning techniques to equip the robot with the ability to recognize specific objects on Mars.
Satellite Communication Systems Training Course 2024
Date: 18 – 22 November 2024
Description: In today's world, space-based telecommunication is a crucial enabler of global connectivity and secure communications, underpinning a wide array of groundbreaking applications. These include essential functions such as satellite broadcasting, high-speed internet provision, and seamless mobile network coverage. Furthermore, it supports the advancement of global navigation, scientific research, remote sensing, telemedicine, transportation efficiency, educational access and more. This technology empowers us to drive innovation and societal progress across multiple dimensions. The course will be taught by experienced ESA experts. It will feature formal lectures complemented by short exercises and a group project. In the group project, participants will collaboratively design a satellite communications mission to meet current user needs, applying the insights gained from lectures and hands-on sessions throughout the week. The practical exercise will help consolidate the participants' understanding of the dynamic field of satellite communications, bridging theory with real-world application.
Post-Alpbach Summer School Event
Date: 25– 29 November 2024
Description: During Post-Alpbach Summer School, students from Summer School Alpbach design further one of the missions developed during the Summer School using the Concurrent Engineering approach. The mission is selected at the end of the Summer School by the Alpbach Summer School Jury, and all the students who participated in the Summer School are invited to apply for the Post Alpbach Summer School Event.
For more information, please subscribe to our Newsletter or check the TLP Current Opportunities to learn more about upcoming ESA Academy training sessions and to apply.