13.08 Accelerated Training for the Emerging Global Space Community

This paper presents and compares three different approaches to educating and training a culturally-diverse set of newcomers to space industry practices. As the global community continues to grow to explore space, the demand for knowledge and hands-on skills in the science and technology economic sector will only increase to meet this growing global need for knowledge and know-how. Described herein are three scenarios where each gives participants a solid grounding in the basics of space science and technology, with the goal of fostering imagination and critical thinking.Common to each of the three programs are three-stages of training in the categories of academic, experiential and mentoring. In the first stage participants are exposed to the basic academic considerations of designing for space. Subsystem design considerations, including the effects of the space environment, are presented in an academic form. Stage two involves immersion in a team-based, hands-on experiential program where participants receive training in soft skills like problem solving, teamwork, and adaptability. These are balanced with immersive teaching strategies where students are exposed to simulated versions of real-world success and failure scenarios designed to replicate the challenges of space missions. In phase three participants enter an accelerated flight program experience mentored by space specialists where they develop and design a small spacecraft.Experiences applying this three-stage strategy for educating and training were piloted at: 1) The University of Colorado using UC/Boulder’s Aerospace curriculum in conjunction with apprenticing within the LASP space organization; 2) LASP’s INSPIRE program developed within a global cooperative of universities; and 3) the recent Space Workshop run in the United Arab Emirates by the UAE Space Agency. These pilots are described in detail along with lessons learned from each.