Students successfully complete Space Systems Engineering Training Course 2021
From 12 to 20 July 2021, ESA Academy’s Training and Learning Programme teamed up with ESA experts in the field of Space Systems Engineering to run the second edition of the Space Systems Engineering Training Course . The goal was to offer university students an overview of the different aspects of Space Systems Engineering while also affording them the opportunity to gain hands-on experience through group exercises. Held fully online due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, in (virtual) attendance were 30 university students from 11 different ESA Member States and Canada.
’The course was well organised, even in an online setting,” explained an Italian student from the Delft University of Technology. “The alternation between theoretical lessons and practical exercises was well balanced and allowed me to better learn the concepts of Systems Engineering, which is now a career path that I want to pursue.’’
The course began with an introduction to Space Systems Engineering, along with discovering the duties and responsibilities of a System Engineer. Following on from this strong start were a fascinating series of lectures on Space System Requirements and Specifications, the Design of a Space Mission, and the Development and Verification Approach. Students also got to grips with Quality Management, Risk Assessments, and Commissioning & Operations - all crucial in the later phases of a space project, including after launch.
“In my opinion, it was a priceless experience to learn from and talk to ESA experts who are themselves working in Systems Engineering,” said an Austrian student from the University of Applied Sciences Wiener Neustadt. “I got excellent insights into this specialised and complex job, learned about its tasks and tools, and am sure that this course will help me in my future career.”
ESA Academy training sessions are not restricted to traditional lecture-style lessons, but actively embrace a wider range of educational experiences. Attendees of this course had the chance to participate in three large group exercises challenging the students to use documents and data from real missions.
The first focussed on the specifications and requirements of a complex Space Projects system. The second was centred on mission architecture, beginning with the design phase and progressing all the way through to budget finalisation through multiple iterations. The third exercise was about project management from a Systems Engineer’s point of view. This took the form of a board game that allowed the students to tackle issues relating to project scheduling and resource management
During the course’s second week, participants were delighted to attend a live session seeing the final preparations of Fly Your Satellite! student project LEDSAT. Working in a clean room prior to their satellite being packed and sent to the Centre Spatial Guyanais in French Guiana, the LEDSAT team gave a short presentation to the Space Systems Engineering students. They provided eye-opening insight into how they are undertaking the final steps before their satellite is launched into orbit!
Upon completion of the course, the students have now a much greater appreciation of Space Systems Engineering, and this knowledge should serve them well in their future endeavours within the space sector ‘’Participating in ESA Academy’s Space Systems Engineering training course with fellow young engineers and scientists from around Europe was a truly unique experience,” enthused a Greek student from the National Technical University of Athens. “Thanks to the practical aspect of the course and the guidance of the experts I was able to grasp the essence of Space Systems Engineering and acquire valuable knowledge for my studies and future career.’’
- For more information about future ESA Academy training opportunities, please check: https://www.esa.int/Education/ESA_Academy/Portfolio_of_ESA_Academy_training_sessions
- Contact: tlp@esa.int