Virtual Space Academy

Paper number

IAC-08.E1.2.14

Author

Prof. Eberhard Gill, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands

Coauthor

Dr. Marco Lisi, Telespazio S.p.A., Italy

Coauthor

Mr. Michel Bousquet, SUPAERO, France

Coauthor

Dr. Wiley Larson, Stevens Institute of Technology, United States

Year

2008

Abstract

The need of space industry, space agencies and other space-related institutions to increase their performance drives human resources management to a growing effort in training and education of staff in a continuous learning process. To meet this demand, there a growth in post-graduate educational programs on space-related subjects, particularly in Europe. The offered programs differ substantially in scope and characteristics, coverage and focus, quality and organization, and up until now there has been no coordination of these activities. To remedy this, it has been proposed to set up a “Virtual Space Academy” that will allow coordination of this post-graduate space education and to realize cross-fertilization between the programs to enhance and stimulate space education.

The Delft University of Technology was the first European university to offer a Master’s degree in Space Systems Engineering as part of its post-graduate program SpaceTech, established in 1995. Universities in Germany, United Kingdom and Italy have developed further space post-graduate programs often in close cooperation with space industry. At the International Space University more than 2500 students have graduated since 1987 with the degree of either a Master in Space Studies or a Master in Space Management. The typical focus of these programs is in classical space areas such as telecommunications, navigation, Earth observation and space exploration. Some include broadening modules for space law, management, systems engineering, business engineering and personal skills development.

The Virtual Space Academy will harmonize these programs and activities. To that extent, a minimum standardization of the courses and their contents is targeted without reducing their diversity. In that process, the feedback of the needs of industry and organizations, such as ESA and national space agencies are important to increase the quality and value of the education. Cooperation within the Virtual Space Academy will allow mutual access to academic resources, experiences, laboratories and tools that would otherwise not be available to individual initiatives. In a later stage, the curricula can even be complemented with courses offered by partner organizations. 

The paper addresses the process of setting up the Virtual Space Academy from a European nucleus and details its objectives. Emphasis is given to the roles which academia, industry, agencies and other space-related entities play within the academy. The opportunities that the academy offers in providing a continuity of highly qualified space engineers and managers, maintaining a knowledge-base inline with current technology standards and trends, realizing cost savings through harmonization and cooperation within a virtual setting of the academy are also addressed.

Abstract document

IAC-08.E1.2.14.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-08.E1.2.14.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

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