The Seeds Initiative: Space Space Exploration And Development Systems. Preparing European Experts For The Future Space Exploration
- Paper number
IAC-07-E1.2.07
- Author
Prof. Ernesto Vallerani, Space Exploration and Develoment Systems Master, Italy
- Coauthor
Mrs. Benedicte Escudier, France
- Coauthor
Dr. Stephan Theil, Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity, Germany
- Coauthor
Prof. Gianfranco Chiocchia, Politecnico di Torino, Italy
- Year
2007
- Abstract
The SEEDS Initiative has entered its second year of life. Its first aim has been the establishment of an International Master Course focussed on Space Exploration and Development Systems, to offer an opportunity for young engineers to get prepared for the next future of Europe in Space. The SEEDS Project, originated from the Politecnico di Torino with the support of Alcatel Alenia Space, has been shared with SUPAERO Toulouse in France and with Universität Bremen in Germany by signing a common agreement and also by involving local space centres and industries (EADS ST, OHB, CNES ..) and the European Space Agency ESA. The three European Towns (namely Torino, Toulouse and Bremen) have a long common tradition of Space Activities at industrial and academic level and constitute three poles of the European cooperation in space, representing the three Leading Nations involved in the European Space Programmes. A key distinguishing feature of the SEEDS Master is the Joint Project Work, which develops over a period of about eight months. All the students have been engaged, during three successive stages in Toulouse – Bremen – Torino, in the study and preliminary design of a Preliminary Lunar Outpost Architecture, covering the Robotic, the Transportation and the Human aspects respectively. The resulting report has been presented in the ERASMUS Centre, Noordwijk, with the support of the Human Space-Flight Microgravity and Exploration Directorate of ESA. Two months after the conclusion of the first year of the SEEDS Master, several of the former students are already employed in space activities. The Project Work of second SEEDS edition, started in November 2006, foresees the study of a Permanent Human Moon Basis Architecture and therefore provides the ideal follow-on of the first year’s activity. Apart from outlining the structure and the organization of the SEEDS Master course, this paper aims to discuss the experience of the first two years and to draw some conclusions for the future developments. The objectives, the r are described in some detail, providing information on the Technical Courses, to take place in parallel at the three locations, covering the basic disciplines divided in two groups: Understating Space and Learning about Space Systems.
- Abstract document