Vision for a new educational strategy for space flight.
- Paper number
IAC-06-E1.P.5.01
- Author
Mr. Jesper Jørgensen, SpaceArch, Denmark
- Year
2006
- Abstract
Despite the large amount of funds allocated to producing space and science educational materials for schools, and events creating public awareness of space flight, the outcome can be discussed. A large decline in interests in space flight in Western Europe can be observed, both in the educational system and in the public. Reducing the interests in spaceflight to situations where disaster strikes as the crash of Colombia or solely linked to a limited part of a mission, as ex. the Huygens landing hours at Titan. Situations which are intensively covered for a very limited time, but not kept in a continuous framework of space information. A trend which have a self-perpetuating effect in reducing effects of space information and interests in spaceflight over time. One of the reasons for this situation is probably, that the basic knowledge about the history and actual status of both unmanned and manned spaceflight is absent, at present in the European populations, both in children and adults. Another reason could be the information and educational strategy developed in the agencies, where information and education often are laid as “layers” on the “outside” of the space project, after it have been constructed and are put into operation. The information activities are therefore much focused on a single mission or elements of a mission as ex. Microgravity or Ham contact, giving the impression that space activities are fancy, elitist and temporary. This paper advocates for a new and different approach to education and public awareness which will be possible in the new planned long-term interplanetary missions. A much more integrative educational and informative strategy can be developed due to the long time span and complex problems which must be solved before a manned mission to Moon/Mars can be launched. This situation gives the possibility for integration of educational activities from the beginning in the mission design. Ex. schoolchildren in primary schools can now be educated in the mission design process of the coming mission, where it stands at present. Of course in projects and materials, which relate to grade and age. By participating in the process over the years in both primary and secondary school, a larger integration in space flight problems in the individual child’s consciousness must be foreseen. A spin-off effect to larger general interest in science and science education and profession could be the result. When the child reaches adulthood, an integrated knowledge of space flight will be present, probably at the time where the launch will take place. The information and educational strategy will therefore, instead of being layer on the project, be integrated in the core of space flight project from the beginning.
- Abstract document