bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Space education in Europe: status and prospects
Authors: Dalledonne Sara , Prest Maria Vittoria , Hermes Michelle , Pohl Lina
Published: July 2022

The space education landscape in Europe continues to evolve as the demand for a skilled workforce with interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary backgrounds, grows. This study aims to map the higher education landscape in Europe and understand trends and patterns among the higher education programmes within the European space sector. Indeed, the space sector is changing constantly as new technologies, challenges, and actors emerge, and the educational background must meet this demand for highly specialised and competent professionals. This analysis stems from the consolidation of a database of all higher educational space study programmes across all ESA and EU Member States within Europe, as well as a comprehensive view from students and young professionals entering the space sector. Further analysis groups the study programmes across Europe into so-called “macro-areas”, which support an in-depth analysis of the fields of study available for students in Europe, as well as their distribution across the continent. Overall, the study demonstrates key trends at the national level, both in terms of study programmes available and government strategies and initiatives influencing the space education landscape per country. European-wide trends are also identified. The study contributes to a better understanding of the space sector overall and allows for the identification of key trends among European higher education in space-related study fields. Additional key messages can be gleaned from an increased understanding of how the space sector is perceived by students and young professionals, complementing the analysis conducted of the space education landscape at the university level
Experiences in firmware development for a CubeSat instrument payload
Authors: Mangan Joseph , Murphy David , Dunwoody Rachel , Doyle Maeve , Ulyanov Alexey , Hibbett Mike , Akarapu Sai Krishna Reddy , Erkal Jessica , Finneran Gabriel , Marshall Fergal , Reilly Jack , Salmon Lána , Somers Eoghan , Thompson Joseph , Walsh Sarah , Hanlon Lorraine , McKeown David , O'Connor William , Shortt Brian , Wall Ronan , McBreen Sheila
Published: July 2022

Recent advancements in gamma-ray detector technology have brought new opportunities to study gamma-ray bursts and other high-energy phenomena. However, there is a lack of dissemination on the development methods, tools and techniques used in the production of instrument flight firmware. This is understandable as firmware for spacecraft payloads may be proprietary or exceptionally hardware specific and so is not always published. However, this leaves a gap in the knowledge for CubeSat teams, especially those consisting of university students who may be building a custom spacecraft payload with limited initial experience. The Gamma-Ray Module (GMOD) on-board EIRSAT-1, a 2U CubeSat in the 2nd European Space Agency Fly Your Satellite! programme, is one such instrument. GMOD features a 25x25x40mm Scionix CeBr3 scintillator, coupled to an array of 16 (4x4) JSeries OnSemiconductor MicroFJ-60035-TSV silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) with readout provided by the SIPHRA IDE3380 application specific integrated circuit. The instrument is supported by the Gamma-Ray Module motherboard which controls and configures the instrument, providing regulated voltage and current sources as well as generating time tagged event packets and a temporary on-board flash storage. At the core of this system is the Texas Instruments MSP430FR5994 microcontroller. A custom firmware was produced for the instrument by the EIRSAT-1 team over numerous cycles of testing and development to reliably perform the long duration tasks of readout, storage and transfer of time tagged event data to the EIRSAT-1 on-board computer. Recognising the value of sharing our experiences and pitfalls on firmware development with the wider CubeSat community, this paper will provide an introduction to GMOD, with focus primarily on the development approach of the firmware. The development, testing, version control, essential tools and an overview of how the resources provided by the device manufacturer were used will be examined, such that the lessons learned may be extended to other payloads from student-led missions
Development of a concurrent engineering tutorial as part of the “ESA_Lab@” initiative
Authors: Hoffmann Jennifer , Deutsch Marlon , Bertrand Reinhold
Published: July 2022

As part of the “ESA_Lab@" initiative, a Concurrent Engineering facility has been constructed at the Mechanical Engineering department of Technical University Darmstadt. Concurrent Engineering is a well-proven concept for designing complex space systems and missions in the pre-phase 0/A mission phase. The Concurrent Engineering methodology and processes are enabled by a multidisciplinary team and specific infrastructure in terms of both hardware and software, which generate an effective and time efficient design management system. The university’s “Concurrent Engineering Lab” provides an environment for both researchers and students to explore and apply the Concurrent Engineering approach in areas such as (model-based) systems engineering, Industry 4.0/ Space 4.0, and space traffic management. Furthermore, collaboration with the European Space Operations Centre – also located in Darmstadt – regarding the application of Concurrent Engineering for Ground Segment & Operations has been started. The first addition to the university’s curriculum centered around the Concurrent Engineering Lab will be a “Concurrent Engineering Tutorial”, an opportunity to introduce the Concurrent Engineering methods and tools via hands-on experience to students of the newly established master’s degree program “Aerospace Engineering”. “Tutorials” are elective block courses of the degree program which offer practical learning experiences in many different fields, awarding 4 credit points upon successful completion. Building on the lectures "Fundamentals of Space Systems" and "Space Systems and Space Operations", the week-long “Concurrent Engineering Tutorial” will challenge students to use their acquired knowledge to develop a preliminary design for a predefined CubeSat mission. This Tutorial will not only provide a closer understanding of the individual subsystems of the space segment of a mission, the Concurrent Engineering process and the relevant software “COMET” by RHEA Group but will also create a synergy with a student association of the university, as one of their projects is the development of a CubeSat. This paper describes the background and approach to the development of the Tutorial, in particular the structure of the re-usable model architecture in “COMET”, which was specifically derived and implemented for this purpose and validated via a pilot study
SAR² - An augmented-reality App for exploration of principles of synthetic aperture radar
Authors: Stefko Marcel , Shiyi Li , Luck Manuel , Hajnsek Irena
Published: July 2022

SAR² is a prototype educational simulation software for the Microsoft Hololens, developed by students as part of a geoinformatics course. The aim of this software is to provide a tool to introduce and explain the concept of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) to students, as well as the general public, by visualizing and interactively exploring the process of a SAR acquisition in a 3D virtual environment. A distinctive feature of SAR² is that the SAR acquisition procedure is simulated in real time within a Unity Engine environment, using a set of algorithms which replicate the real-life SAR processing algorithms. While this provides a challenge due to the limited computational power available on the Microsoft HoloLens 1 device, it allows maximal freedom to the user in setting whatever configuration they would like to see. This would not have been possible if an approach using a pre-selected set of scenarios was chosen. The augmented-reality (AR) app works in 3 phases: - In the first step, the user is shown a terrain model, and a satellite model inspired by the TerraSAR-X. The user can adjust selected parameters of the acquisition by manipulating the satellite and model using intuitive AR controls (e.g. by physically grabbing and rotating the objects with their hands). - After configuring the parameters, the user launches the acquisition and observes it in real time. The satellite model flies over the terrain, and the "flow" of the data into the storage is immediately visualized. - After the acquisition is finished, the user can explore the focusing procedures that need to be applied to the data - namely the range and azimuth compression. Different geometrical effects (shadowing, layover) can also be explored at this stage. The SAR² app used in concert with conventional educational approaches can reinforce the learned material, clarify misconceptions, and provide intuition for the complicated concepts of synthetic aperture radar
Progress of the development of a two-stage supersonic rocket within a student’s association
Authors: Tortosa Masbernat Ernest , Rubio Juan Vicente , Grau Rifà Jordi , Soler Rodríguez Albert , Llansó y Pérez Ignacio , Campo Moyà Joel , Gallart Martinez Jordi
Published: July 2022

The Ares mission is part of a student-led project with the aim of developing a two-stage supersonic amateur rocket. This paper discusses the progress since its foundation in 2016 and how it is planned to continue progressing to achieve this objective. Currently, 4 rockets have been built and launched, evolving different aspects of the design and construction process in each one. From the Ares I, a two-stage rocket intended to test the electronics and the structure, the mission has evolved into designing the Phobos, a rocket whose aim is to compete in European Rocketry Challenges for universities. The final objective of the Ares Mission is to launch a two-stage supersonic rocket, the Ares III
Moon Rover Challenge. An educational space robotics resource to teach programming and promote space careers at secondary education levels
Authors: Álvarez Castro Elena , Rubio Escudero Miguel Ángel , Escutia Muñoz Domingo
Published: July 2022

Nowadays, space educational activities are essential in schools, in order to show the importance of space research and exploration in our daily and future life. Space related activities provides teachers tools and a fascinating context to get students involved in different disciplines which are ‘difficult’ for them. In addition, programming is one of the most important skills in technological areas. Space technology is full of programming, algorithms, and code. However, students’ perception is different because they think coding is difficult and they will not be able to program a satellite or a rover, so they are not very interested and motivated to learn to program. A widely useful tool to motivate students to learn programming is educational robotics, which uses physical robots and block-based programming interfaces to attract their attention. However, these robots are not accessible for all schools, and it is difficult to use robots in the online environment created by COVID-19. Therefore, online tools are becoming more and more important in education, because they make activities more flexible and accessible for schools and students. In this paper, we show an educational resource that used space robotics as a context achieving two main objectives: to promote space careers and teach and motivate high school students to learn how to program. We also show our conclusions and lessons learned, after implementing this project in two different situations. The students’ challenge is to control a Moon rover, which is on the Moon surface in order to fulfil a space mission. The activities can be performed completely online using an online simulation tool and block-based programming language. We tested the educational material in an online event with many high school pupils and also in a face-to-face lesson with pupils studying a technical module. The experiences and feedbacks were positive and allowed us to improve the initial activities. Moreover, the results show students are more interested in space careers after completing the challenge. Space robotics give us a perfect opportunity to introduce subjects such as programming, robotics, and technology to students. These areas will be essential in the future and we have to change perception of the space industry because it is fundamental for the development of space exploration and our society
Further evidence of the long-term thermospheric density variation using 1U CubeSats
Authors: Martínez Adrián , Lledó Ardila Carlos , Gutiérrez Cabello Jordi , Gil Pons Pilar
Published: July 2022

Faculty members, undergraduate and graduate students of the School of Communication and Aerospace Engineering (Polytechnical University of Catalonia) are participating in a series of studies to determine the thermospheric density. These studies involve planning a space mission, designing and constructing small satellites, and performing related data analysis. This article presents a method for determining the thermospheric density and summarises the academic context in which we develop our work. Several studies have reported the existence of a downtrend in thermospheric density, with relative values ranging from –2% to –7% per decade. Although it is well known that solar and geomagnetic activity are the main drivers of the variations of the thermospheric density, this downtrend was reported to be caused by the rise of greenhouse gases. We present an update of this progression, considering the last solar cycle (2009-2021) and using Two-Line Elements sets (TLE) of 1U CubeSats and the spherical satellites ANDE-2. TLEs were used to propagate the orbits numerically using SGP4 (Simplified General Perturbations), and then compute the average density between two consecutive TLEs by integrating the appropriate differential equation. Then, using the NRLMSISE-00 (Picone 2002) and JB2008 (Bowman 2008) atmospheric models, we calculated an average density deviation per year. We built a comprehensive time series of the thermospheric density values, ranging from 1967 to the present. We merged Emmert (2015) thermospheric density data and our results computed both with NRLMSISE-00 and with JB2008. A linear regression on the combined dataset yields a decreasing trend of –5.1% per decade. We also studied the geomagnetic and solar activity to isolate the possible greenhouse gasses effect during the considered period. Our results show a strong correlation between geomagnetic activity and density deviation near the solar minima, and we propose that the cause of the previously reported long-term density deviation could be a poor adjustment of the effects of geomagnetic activity. Finally, we proved that orbital information from small satellites could be efficiently used to assess the evolution of thermospheric density variations. Additional data obtained from future missions (as the one proposed by our group) will eventually allow a better characterisation of the atmospheric density and help disentangle the possible greenhouse gasses effects on its variations
A model-based systems engineering approach to space mission education of a geographically disperse student workforce
Authors: Halvorson Michael , Fuchs Jared , Kung Patrick , Thomas Dale
Published: July 2022

The Alabama Burst Energetics eXplorer (ABEX) is a 12U CubeSat commissioned by the Alabama Space Grant Consortium; its astrophysics mission is to study the low energy, prompt emission of Gamma-ray Bursts in both gamma and X-ray spectra. The ABEX program is unique in that its workforce is comprised of individuals at seven colleges and universities around the state of Alabama. ABEX management releases Requests for Proposals (RFP) for Senior Design (SD) projects or university research groups to design and build spacecraft subsystems; university faculty with experience and facilities for the development of that subsystem respond to the RFPs to create a team. ABEX supports undergraduate SD students, graduate student mentors, and faculty technical advisors for all spacecraft subsystems in both ground and flight mission segments. Each team has between 5-15 undergraduate students, meaning ABEX teaches spacecraft design to ~85 undergraduate students at any given time; ABEX may be the largest collegiate CubeSat program in the world. The undergraduate labor force turns over, or cycles to new students, every 4-8 months, so ABEX can teach hands-on spacecraft design to over 100 students every year and has taught over 200 to date. Two features of ABEX create a difficult Systems Engineering (SE) environment: the undergraduate labor force turnover rate and the geographically disperse workforce. Most subsystem teams exist within two-semester SD courses, but some teams, like Flight Software, only exist for one semester before the undergraduate team turns over. This means the student onboarding process must be efficient and the material hand-off process effective if any substantive contribution to the spacecraft is to be made in their brief course period. A Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) Integrated System Model (ISM) was created using SysML as a full-program organization of mission requirements, subsystem architectures, verification and validation procedures, and team interaction tracking methodologies for workforce turnover effect mitigation with ISM-exported artifacts as central objects of stage-gate reviews. An ABEX website was created with processes for first-time student onboarding, ISM artifact dissemination, and intercollegiate document transfer in addition to being a public relations arm for the program. With education at the forefront of ABEX, educational requirements and performance measures detailing onboarding efficiency, workforce preparedness, and alumni vocation results are defined within the ISM and used to evaluate program education proficiency. Program organization, ISM structure, and spacecraft design is presented with an emphasis on quantifying student education as a result of program involvement
Space communication system for education
Authors: Atanasov Anton , Danchev Viktor
Published: July 2022

This article describes EnduroSat’s Space Educational modules which are used to physically simulate radio wave communication in space applications for small satellite missions. The educational modules generate physical ultra high frequency radio waves and recreate the conditions of the environment. They can also simulate the effects of S-band and X-band frequencies by changing the losses accordingly while the physical simulation remains at ultra high frequencies. They are intended for practical hands-on exercises of students in the space communications sector. The modules utilize the same equipment currently used in space and are used to experimentally analyze the link budget, noises and error rate of signal. Simulating a given configuration of a satellite and ground station’s parameters with them exposes the system’s vulnerabilities and its reliability when transmitting signals. The system consists of two identical transceiver modules that can emit and receive information in the form of radio waves, and a free space propagation simulator module. Each of the modules connects via Universal Serial Bus to a host computer with the simulation software. In this paper we present the modules and some of their uses for education
ESA Academy’s Orbit Your Thesis! programme
Authors: Vanreusel Joost , Savage Nigel , Gorissen Jeffrey
Published: July 2022

ESA Academy is the European Space Agency’s overarching educational programme for university students. It takes them through a learning path that complements their academic education by offering a tailored transfer of space knowledge and interaction with space professionals. As a result, students can enhance their skills, boost their motivation and ambitions, and become acquainted with the standard professional practices in the space sector. This happens through the two pillars of ESA Academy, the Training and Learning Programme and the Hands-on Programmes. The latter enables university students to gain first-hand, end-to-end experience of space-related projects. One of the latest additions to the portfolio of opportunities for university students is “Orbit Your Thesis!”. It offers bachelor, master, and PhD students the opportunity to design, build, test, and operate their experiment onboard the International Space Station. The experiment operates within the ICE Cubes Facility in ESA’s Columbus module, where it can operate for up to four months in microgravity. Throughout the programme students develop essential scientific, academic, and professional skills that will help them build their future careers. These skills include project management, risk identification and mitigation, problem-solving, and working within a diverse workplace. Participating teams will experience first-hand the project management process for space missions and participate in multiple reviews of their experiment and design throughout the programme. Participating students are supported and guided through the process by engineers and scientists from ESA, Space Applications Services, and members of the European Low Gravity Research Association. The programme schedule follows a similar path to many space-faring projects. The design, development, testing, launch preparation and operations are structured in a series of project phases and technical reviews. Participating teams are guided towards the subsequent milestones to pass the necessary safety reviews and achieve launch readiness. The first team that successfully sent up their ICE Cube is OSCAR-QUBE, a multidisciplinary team from the University of Hasselt in Belgium. Their experiment is the first diamond-based quantum magnetometer that ever operated in space. Thanks to the unique characteristics of their sensor, they have been mapping the Earth’s magnetic field from inside the Columbus module aboard the ISS without the need to be housed on the exterior. This paper will describe the various phases and technical aspects of the programme in more detail
Establishing thriving university-level space education
Authors: Cappelletti Chantal , Robson Daniel , Jabbal Mark , Voisey Katy
Published: July 2022

Recent analyses of the UK National Space Strategy [1], Space Sector Skills Survey [2] and The 2020 Space Census [3], have investigated and highlighted many of the established strengths and weaknesses of the current UK Space Sector and the role of training and educational programs supporting it. Furthermore, there is additional research into what self-reported roadblocks early career students and workers (and employers) consider important in this journey [4]. Academia, employers, schools, colleges, and museums all have considerable roles to play in shaping the future science capital of our populace and establishing people on the tech workforce pipeline. Rising to meet this challenge, The University of Nottingham wants to develop the UK's space workforce and is proud to have begun its first dedicated aerospace undergraduate course in 2016. In addition to the core lecture modules, added project experience is available in the form of group and individual supervised projects. These practical activities are a rare opportunity to learn unique space skills and work hands-on with spacecraft technology, something in short supply in the UK at the undergraduate level [2]. The practical, hands-on components are an important part of the space education programme and involve different platforms and projects going from simple electronics workshops to CanSats, FlatSats and experimental Rockets. These activities culminate in the CubeSat Program: a student-led group of projects to develop, build and fly CubeSat missions with a variety of payloads. The students have the possibility to present their own mission idea or join existing ones of interest to the research community. To support these high-fidelity opportunities for students and early career workers, a permanent on-site COTS Ground Station will serve as a control center for all these student-built satellite missions. To help with the establishment of this facility, The University of Nottingham has been cooperating with the local amateur radio community to train and license the student team. This paper deals with the description of the different projects and presents the University’s point of view about the strengths and weaknesses of our Space educational programme
UPC NanoSat-Lab - Past, present and future activities
Authors: Camps Carmona Adriano José
Published: July 2022

The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya UPC NanoSat Lab is part of the CommSensLab-UPC Specific Research Center of the Department of Signal Theory and Communications, and counts with the support of the School of Telecommunications Engineering (Telecom Barcelona, ETSETB). It is located in the UPC Campus Nord. The lab was originally created in 2007 to promote the testing of novel remote sensors and techniques in space, taking advantage of CubeSats. Over time, the lab has also started the study of Earth-to-space IoT and RF intersatellite link communications, as key enabling technologies for the next revolution of Earth Observation. At the time of writing this abstract, the UPC NanoSat Lab has developed and launched four CubeSats, and is working in three new missions that will be launched in Q4 2022 - Q1 2023. At present, the Lab is developing an "Open PocketQube Kit" for IEEE as a low-cost educational platform on space-related technologies. The lab has also a Class 8 clean room equipped with a shaker and thermal vacuum chamber, and Helmholtz coils, air bearing system, and Sun simulator for attitude determination and control system testing to conduct the environmental tests. Finally, in the MontSec Astronomical Observatory (OAdM),which is managed and operated by IEEC, hosts the UPCNanoSat Lab VHF/UHF and S-band ground station [3], where the data from the 3Cat-5/A satellite where downloaded. Since its inception in 2007, about 300 students have been trained in the lab, either as undergraduate students in the "Advanced Engineering Project" of the ETSETB, as Final Degree or Master Thesis projects, as graduate students, or just for an internship. This paper presents a quick overview of the past, present and future activities of the UPC NanoSat Lab
Space education: challenges and strategies in teaching space policy to technical university students
Authors: Langston Sara
Published: July 2022

Law and policy provide the foundation for space actors engaging in space activities. Likewise, various levels of policy and regulation apply internationally, domestically, and even institutionally to both governmental and nongovernmental entities. Consequently, teaching the policy frameworks for space regulations and best practices is essential for a comprehensive university curriculum in space education. Challenges arise, however, when instructing technical and non-policy university students in humanities-centered topics. Reading comprehension, writing ability, critical thinking, and communication skills are critical elements of policy education, yet many technically oriented students struggle with these requirements. Given these are fundamental skillsets necessary for success in both academia and a dynamic space work force, adapting traditional teaching methodologies may be required to optimize desired learning outcomes for technical student audiences. Customizable strategies exist that can combine and scale these fundamental skillsets with substantive content and materials, providing a range of teaching and learning modalities for study, assessment, and experience. This presentation will highlight potential learning approaches tried at one aeronautical university to address these challenges. For instance, overarching strategies may include commencing with a visual of the student journey (much like a user journey in an investment pitch) delineating the value-added experience for students engaging in course content, and building substantive skill-based learning components which are introduced sequentially and with increasing level of difficulty. Examples of learning methodologies include applying Bloom’s Taxonomy in assignment creation. Most importantly: 1) Knowledge: involves identifying, understanding and remembering core content (e.g. pop quizzes, reading quizzes, cumulative review quizzes, question bank assessments); 2) Analysis: involves reading comprehension, interpretation, evaluation, analysis (e.g. essays, summaries, case studies); 3) Application: involves investigation, research and designing research projects (e.g. research articles, posters, digital presentations, short videos). Scaffolding assignments and artifacts into manageable pieces throughout the semester is key to guiding students towards success and reducing potential for ‘expert blind spots.’ Lastly, an end-of-course review and self-reflection of the student journey is helpful in underlining the critical thinking process and provide a visual review of the student journey in acquiring substantive knowledge, skills, and experience throughout the term
A selection of lessons learned from phase C/D of CubeSat projects of the Fly Your Satellite! programme
Authors: Kinnaird Alexander , Del Castillo Cristina , Hansen Hasse , Palma David , Grassi Gilberto
Published: July 2022

Fly Your Satellite!” (FYS) is a recurring programme part of ESA Academy’s portfolio of “hands-on” activities. The programme was established to support University student teams in the development of their own CubeSat missions and aims at transferring knowledge and experience from ESA specialists to students. Selected teams are guided through project reviews and supervised through design consolidation and verification activities, conducted according to ESA professional practice and standards, tailored to fit the scope of university CubeSat projects. As part of the educational goal of the programme, a systematic effort of capturing, discussing and contextualising difficulties, mistakes, and anomalies in general, is carried out. From this effort, the participating students benefit from a unique framework where lessons learned from one project can be transferred to other ones. This exercise is blended with the “regular” transfer of knowledge from the ESA professionals that support the programme and occurs both concurrently (lessons learned from current cycles) and from previous projects (lessons learned from previous cycles). This paper reports a revised and updated collection of lessons learned during phase C/D of the FYS CubeSat projects, in particular the projects now participating in the 2nd cycle (FYS2). At the same time potential changes and mitigating approaches are discussed. Particular focus is given to lessons learned from issues which arose in hardware development activities, as well as from planning and execution of system-level assembly, integration, and verification (AIV) activities. This approach is taken since first-time developers tend to underestimate the number of issues arising when their design is translated from documentation and models into real hardware. In general, it has been observed that many of these issues typically arise from lack of (space) project management experience of the student teams, or from the lack of resources which prevent the application of standard/established methodologies to small satellite/educational projects
The role of the key educational paths for ESA new member states as a risk reduction index for the newcomers
Authors: Malinowska Katarzyna , Szwajewski Michał
Published: July 2022

The new ESA member states are an important factor in the development of European sustainability and independence in space. Cooperation between European countries in the field of space, gives a strong conviction that we operate without borders in space. It is therefore necessary to create not so much international links, but rather supranational ones. This also applies to space education. One of the primary missions of ESA is to create a community of highly specialized engineers, managers, as well as scientists who will focus on developing the space economy and allowing societies to understand our role and interactions with space. Based on the experience gained in the period after Poland's accession to ESA, the authors would like to emphasize the role of key educational pathways that can guide ESA officers in new member countries and in any country that has already entered ESA structures or plans to enter in the near future. The authors would like to emphasize that there are several ways to share and improve knowledge and would like to present the main insights of the study conducted in this respect. Drawing on the Polish space industry and using it as a reference basis, but also applying some observations from the Czech Republic and now Latvia, the authors identified the following main learning paths: • The activity of students within student associations, who implement space projects through dedicated programs; • The role of YGTs who, after a period of training at ESA, return with a set of knowledge to their countries; • The importance of the know-how of the international space market, in particular global companies setting up subsidiaries in new ESA member countries and bringing their experience and knowledge there; • Dedicated educational programs for people who do not have a formal space education (engineering) but want to develop in various areas of the space industry; The sequence of the presented educational pathways is not accidental. The authors want to present the role of each pathway and show how it can be applied in practice. The authors recognize some deficiencies in the presented pathways, as well as note a trend towards strengthening interest in dedicated educational programs at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Based on their own educational experience and taking into account the status quo of space education (at least) in central Europe, the authors would like to present ideas for structuring professional education in the space industry, taking into account its recent changes, where the demanding factor of business competition should be added to the technological factor. So, where an interdisciplinary approach should be adopted. Each educational pathway has been analysed from the point of view of risks and opportunities. This analysis can be applied by new participants in the commercial space market (understood as new companies or scientific groups), but also by new ESA member states at the institutional level.
Implementation of space clubs in Kenya
Authors: Mwangi Charles , Kelelue Malkia
Published: July 2022

The Kenya Space Agency Strategic Plan 2020-2025 identified the need for capacity building in infrastructure and human resource as a priority focus area to enable Kenya to tap into the potential of the space industry. With this in mind, several initiatives were put forth to encourage innovation, education and awareness on space related matters. The concept of Space Clubs in Kenya was mooted in 2020 as an education and outreach program that comprises of interactive scientific activities, competitions, events and learning sessions with students from schools around Kenya. The Space Club initiative is aimed at creating awareness and interest on Geography, Science, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics by educating the next generation of learners on the significance of these subjects in supporting the space industry. It seeks to broaden and enhance the quality of education for Kenyan students and allow them to understand and actively pursue the opportunities that Space related disciplines portend for them. With the support of teachers in primary school (our current target audience) in Kenya, KSA has created an all-rounded program that encompasses a variety of aspects pertaining to space. The initiative has identified and prioritized four disciplines that are critical for the advancement and growth of Kenya’s space sector. These include; Space Systems Engineering, Information Technology and Robotics, Space Science and Astronomy and Earth Observation. The development of the initial learning and training content on these focus areas was concluded in November 2021. The first phase of the project has seen the development of 12 topical student’s books and 4 comic books. These materials, which are under review, will be free for use and will be hosted on the Kenya Space Agency website. Since July 2021, the Space Club team has been hosting a mentorship and training program aligned with these focus disciplines. The Space Club team use of tools such as Cubesat models, water rockets, robotics kits, telescopes and portable planetariums to engage students in hands-on activities.These events have elicited a lot of interest and curiosity amongst students with many expressing interest in Space related careers. The team has noted the significance of student mentorship for the space industry and would recommend that programs of a similar nature be developed, more especially in developing countries, to build a strong foundation for the growth of a vibrant and indigenous Space industry.
Thermal characterization testing of a robust and reliable thermal knife HDRM (Hold Down and Release Mechanism) for CubeSat deployables
Authors: Thompson Joseph , Murphy David , Reilly Jack , Salmon Lána , Dunwoody Rachel , Doyle Maeve , Walsh Sarah , Reddy Akarapu Sai Krishna , Erkal Jessica , Finneran Gabriel , Mangan Joseph , Marshall Fergal , Franchi Loris , Ha Lily , Palma David , Ulyanov Alexey , Martin-Carrillo Antonio , McBreen Sheila , O'Connor William , Wall Ronan , Hanlon Lorraine , McKeown David
Published: July 2022

Thermal knife HDRMs (Hold Down and Release Mechanisms) are commonly used in CubeSats and other small satellites. However, detailed information on proven designs is difficult to find. Design of a robust and reliable mechanism can present technical challenges which may only become apparent during testing, and often only when tested in a space representative environment. A custom thermal knife HDRM was designed and built for the antenna deployment module of EIRSAT-1 to deploy four coil spring antenna elements, but the same or a similar design could be repurposed quite easily to release a wide range of CubeSat deployables. In this design resistors are used to cut dyneema lines. For robustness and reliability, the thermal response of the mechanism must be well understood. To reach the melting point of the dyneema (150C) the power dissipated in the resistors must often exceed the maximum rated value. Therefore, choosing the operating current and the burn time is a careful trade-off between ensuring that the resistor reliably cuts the dyneema line and ensuring that the resistor, solder joints, PCB and nearby components are not damaged by the high temperatures. These choices are further complicated by the requirement that the mechanism operates over a range of temperatures. A thermal vacuum test campaign was carried out to better understand and characterise the thermal behaviour of the EIRSAT-1 mechanism. For the test a model of the mechanism was built with several temperature sensors installed. Two of these sensors were installed directly on the body of the resistors using a thermally conductive epoxy. Burn tests were performed in vacuum at temperatures between -37C and +56C. The test shows many interesting results including the effect of the dyneema lines on the thermal response, the possibility of desoldering the burn resistors and a comparison between the performance at ambient and vacuum conditions. Finally, a summary is given of the key technical challenges associated with this type of mechanism along with some recommendations to help make future designs more robust and reliable.
From Soyuz-docking manoeuvres to microalgae cultivation: hands-on training for Master's students
Authors: Detrell Gisela , Wenzel Sebastian , Bosch Bruguera Miquel , Maheswaran Tharshan , Grass Markus , Martin Johannes , Vogel Moritz
Published: July 2022

A strong connection between research and teaching at a university is crucial to offer students a unique opportunity to put in practice the concepts taught in theoretical lectures. At the University of Stuttgart, several hands-on training courses have been offered for eight years within the module “Selected hands-on training for space”. Those are adapted to the current research at the Institute of Space Systems. During one semester, students participate in two of the offered courses and are evaluated through an exam or a report. Three ECTS for the space specialization in the aerospace engineering Master are granted after successful completion. The limited places offered are usually filled up in matter of hours and the students’ feedback has been very positive every year. The module includes up to five different courses, depending on the semester. The Life Support Systems seminar is focused on the cultivation of microalgae, linked to the institute’s ISS Experiment photobioreactor PBR@LSR. After

learning the basic life support system concepts, the students build and conduct their own microalgae photobioreactor experiment. In the Missions Analysis practical seminar, based on the work of several PhD candidates, the participants learn and put in practice aspects of mission planning with the help of the Astos Solutions software as well as the SPICE toolkit. During the Rendezvous and Docking practical training, students learn about the operation and handling of a spacecraft. Besides theoretical lectures, guided sessions in the simulator allow to put into practice the handling of common complex procedures, audio-visual perception and motor skills. This seminar is linked to the research carried out in the SIMSKILL experiment. In the Earth Remote Sensing seminar, students learn how to handle payload data for Earth observation and their scientific evaluation. The Flying Laptop, a satellite fully built at the institute and launched in 2017, is used for this course. Finally, the research carried out in the field of electrolysers and fuel cells for space applications at the institute prompted the establishment of a training course. After deepening their knowledge on both electrolysers and fuel cells, the students prepare, carry out and evaluate various experiments. This paper presents the different training courses from our institute and their link to the current research.
ERMES: Design and preliminary simulations for an autonomous docking manoeuvre
Authors: Bortotto Alessandro , Agli Giuliano degli , Favotto Federico , Mattiazzi Fabio , Mihailovic Miroljub , Pozzato Nicola , Branz Francesco , Olivieri Lorenzo , Caon Alex , Francesconi Alessandro
Published: July 2022

In the last decades, small satellites have played an important role in space missions. Due to their reduced dimension and costs, they became affordable to smaller companies and research laboratories to conduct scientific experiments and technological demonstrations in space. In addition, the number of these satellites has considerably increased due to their wide use in technological, scientific and commercial domains. In this scenario, autonomous architectures, as well as miniaturized mechanical subsystems for small satellites, are continuously investigated.

Experimental Rendezvous in Microgravity Environment Study (ERMES) is a student project that focuses on the simulation of an autonomous docking manoeuvres between two CubeSats mock-ups equipped with miniaturized Guidance Navigation and Control systems and mechanical docking interfaces. ERMES aims to integrate different subsystems for autonomous docking, to increase the Technology Readiness Level and to study possible applications for in-orbit servicing. This paper deals with the design and development of the tests for autonomous docking manoeuvres between two CubeSats mock-ups to be performed in a reduced-gravity environment during a parabolic flight. A Target-Chaser configuration has been selected, where the Chaser is fully active and the Target is cooperative. The Chaser is equipped with a miniaturized cold gas propulsion system with eight thrusters to control its attitude and position; in contrast, the Target has a set of three reaction wheels to control only its attitude. The tested miniaturized mechanical docking interfaces employs a probe-drogue configuration. The most demanding aspect of the development phase will be the dedicated software for the proximity navigation. The reduced-gravity conditions will be achieved during a campaign of parabolic flights thanks to the participation to the European Space Agency “Fly Your Thesis!” programme 2022.
Development of a multi-payload 2U CubeSat: the Alba project
Authors: Basana Federico , Avram Alexandru Andrei , Fontanot Francesco , Lion Luca , Francesconi Alessandro
Published: July 2022

Alba CubeSat UniPD is a student team of University of Padova with the aim to participate to the ESA Fly Your Satellite! (FYS!) programme and to launch for the first time at University of Padova a CubeSat made by students.

The proposed mission has three independent objectives: (1) to collect in-situ measurements of the sub-mm space debris environment in LEO, (2) to study the micro-vibration environment on the satellite throughout different mission phases, (3) to do precise orbit determination through laser ranging and evaluate procedures for fast satellite Pointing, Acquisition and Tracking (PAT) from ground. The proposed technological experiments aim to obtain data that will enrich the current knowledge of the space environment and will provide precious information useful for the further development of some research projects currently performed at University of Padova.

In order to reach the objectives, in these years the activities of the teams aimed to develop a 2U CubeSat equipped with three payloads. The first payload is an impact sensor that will be placed on one of the outer faces of the satellite and will be able to count the number of debris impacting the spacecraft thus being able to measure the energy/momentum transferred to the satellite. The second one is a Commercial Off The Shelf (COTS) sensor that measures the micro-vibrations experienced by payloads in a CubeSat in different mission phases. The third one consists in a number of COTS Corner Cube Retroreflectors that will be placed onboard the satellite. Thanks to this, Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR) will be done to collect data on the satellite range and range rate using a facility currently under development at University.

This paper presents the mission objectives and motivations. In addition, the mission phases and the preliminary design of the CubeSat reached during the activities of the project are shown. Particular attention is given to the payloads which are the most challenging aspect of this project.