I can’t believe it's week 9 already! I feel like I first walked past the doors of the big blue building into the core lecture hall (CLH) a few days ago. Time flies in SSP. 

RVdEpfg5LJ2wC 6QgwJN79d8nCwar9Y5sKEADOBn3s5KDsqbneMgdhp1o2EOTrt2qevODEC8A7FfT4NAvOeZ6aAKedx8CuN8eDcgPV4h05kIF1Muv xA02F0ftDo08G9 X76W0IrThis week started off witnessing sleepless nights and empty coffee cups at the fellowship building. With the team project deliverables being submitted on time, the participants began rehearsing for the final presentations. This year, the presentations were dramatically engaging as each team took their story-telling to the next level with the use of props and theatrical performances. IWluAvJZPK1SjUNXNblSsh QKkDDpBmYLUqyflnd NohLf5tzkhLTZGYUDdvqAZRmFVw0WDADvHoiqDKicJbp gPA7iFvWnyVDtRRybIpIaWTFDzzQYktp4zLEX9S5Bq Ks6vCH

With applauds the participants stood in the CLH as a team answering every question that was hurled at them. The evening came to a close with a fabulous reception, where the participants engaged with the spectators of the presentations and explained to them their experiences.

The next day, the closing ceremony was held in Leiden. The proud 135 received their certificates from the Program Director Omar Hatamleh and ISU President Walter Peeters. The closing ceremony was also live casted on the internet. With friends and family watching from all over the world, the participants finally became part of the ISU (officially!). The participants also received their ISU pin on this day.

TFfTLr64Qcf7sDS7URwbwOqdXH XW7ZLxExyk w151USnntFChGg02qzlaC 2hmJLuF4zprwNbfFqqQtZNVbnaKtVweeEy7oGQn en3484K6vOochEJf6LPaIfr0fTJWBKMyiGTX Our very own Thomas Wijnen, received the SSP18 academic award of the year. This was a definite highlight!

To commemorate the participants achievements over the summer, the closing ceremony was followed by a lively evening of fun, laughter and dance. x7u0GohwycjNPCgcQVyNieaUc9tq6e 0z4g25pM3PcKLsGSHxzsP8JiZrWPEYBVZ27G0jIIidfCjs zubkftXw0H1bKD zkfhUmtG4otL7rlQ1Msyz3cj9HhsdT1DQCTNgEcxjs

The saddest part of the program was the day after the closing ceremony. The participants were homebound. Some left in tears, while others laughed it off saying they will meet again. With plans of trips to 35 countries, the participants left, hoping to meet their SSP family in this small world.

Here’s to the months that turned into years and to the friends that turned into family. Welcome to the Space mafia, SSP18!

 

 

 

 

Su-Yin Tan
Su-Yin Tan
Chair
 

Access to space can provide practical and valuable benefits to all humankind. The Space Applications Department examines the various applications on Earth that are offered by space technologies with a primary focus on Earth-orbiting satellite systems, ground systems, and end-user equipment hardware and software. Key areas of focus include:

  • Satellite communication systems and services
  • Remote sensing and Earth observation
  • Geographic information systems (GIS)
  • Satellite navigation systems


The Department explores enabling space technologies and their scientific benefits and societal applications. Themes range from telecommunication fundamentals to remote sensing image processing/interpretation, global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), GIS data management, and avionics. Workshops and demonstrations provide hands-on training with hardware and software for satellite payload development, image processing (optical, radar), global positioning systems (GPS), and data analysis. Professional visits to local facilities provide further insight into civilian and commercial space applications.

Participants will be able to:

  • Engage in a variety of workshops, demonstrations, and professional visits that explore enabling space technologies and their applications.
  • Develop proficiency in technological hardware and software for image processing, telecommunications, GIS, and GPS.
  • Design and complete a research project emphasizing the application of space technologies and present results in oral and written formats.
  • Participate in group activities in an interdisciplinary and intercultural environment.

‘The End is Nigh’

As the Space Studies Program heads into its penultimate week, emotions were high and creativity sky-rocketing! All the Team Projects had their work cut out for them – collating their work into a spectacular Executive Summary report deliverable. These reports would go on to serve as the testament of the research and hard-work undertaken by each Team Project (TP) group for the space industry and their sponsors to look at. download 20180823 195908

IMG 4565TP Debris continued their concept design into Week 8, spending days stationed in the Concurrent Design Facility (CDF) kindly made available by ESA-ESTEC in Noordwijk. The concurrent engineering exercise meant that the entire group was working hands-on on all aspects of their ‘On-Orbit Servicing’ spacecraft design – All Systems Go! While the system engineers made sure that all subsystem teams would build their concepts up in coherence with the others, the folks in the business, management and policy side of things made sure that the spacecraft had a solid business case to support it. The fluidity and flexibility of such a system, that might seem too chaotic to some, was in reality a beautiful ballet of ideas. The last of the CDF sessions culminated on Thursday, with a final concept presentation to a jury of ESA experts, and some very valuable feedback that would surely be fruitful in writing the final TP report.

The other three TP groups worked tirelessly towards their project report draft submissions as well, making sure to dot all their ‘i‘s and cross all their ‘t’s. However, as it goes with all SSP endeavors, all work and no play is strictly out of order. Introducing Mati the Moon, the extremely adorable TP Lunar mascot, and guess what it even has its Instagram page! 

Monday saw Andrea Gini conduct his Personal and Corporate Brand Identity workshop which focused on introducing the major elements of brand identity, showing how they work at a personal and corporate level.
IMG 4567
Written and Directed by our very own participant from Australia, Scott Millwood, “Wildness” was screened for all SSP participants and staff, telling an epic story of two men whose passion for nature became a crusade to save an environment under threat.

Though on paper, Week 8 seemed somewhat blasé, there was a lot of goodness brewing under the hood. Watch out for Week 9, as it blossoms into the perfect ending to SSP18 in the Netherlands!

 

 

Joseph Pellegrino
Joseph Pellegrino
Chair
Cory Newman
Cory Newman
Associate Chair

The Engineering Department will provide lectures and interactive workshops that provide insight into the entire life cycle of space missions.  The participants will design, build and launch model rockets. The participants will perform an analog Mars exploration mission by remotely controlling a rover at the Canadian Space Agency Mars Yard. All aspects of the mission will be performed from configuring the rovers, performing mission operations and meeting scientific mission goals.  The participants will be instructed on how to use System Tool Kit (STK). This is a system engineering tool that is used to perform mission architecture simulations. The mission manager for the latest NASA Mars Exploration Rover Mission will provide a workshop on designing an interplanetary exploration mission. The participants will design a satellite servicing mission in the ESA European Space Research and Technology Center (ESTEC) Concurrent Engineer Center.  An interactive workshop on spacesuit design and astronaut training will be provided during a field trip to ESA European Space Operations Center (ESOC) in Cologne, Germany. A tour of the ESA ESTEC satellite production and testing facility will be provided. The participants will perform an individual department project on a topic of their choosing. 

 

Astron

Week 7 began with blank spaces on the calendar! Nearly everyone from the program was in either Bremen or Luxembourg making professional visits to SES, Astron, Airbus and OHB. The trips also served as a well earned break after the department phase. Free time in Luxembourg was spent around the pool and this was followed by a tour of SES and presentations from their suppliers, partners and even competitors. The Bremen group was able to see the production facility of the Ariane first stage at Airbus and a full-size practice mockup of the ISS Columbus module. Amazing!

EAC1On Tuesday, the TP Lunar group conducted a simulated moon mission at the European Astronaut Centre in Cologne. The scenario featured a ground station on Earth, a proximity team on the Deep Space Gateway and an Astronaut team on the Moon. Communication between Earth and the Gateway was via text and then from the Gateway to the Moon via voice. The teams had to negotiate a power outage on the Moon base which affected oxygen production, rover usage, life support systems and communications. The group was assisted by a number of the EAC staff and was able to use the virtual reality room to simulate being on the Lunar surface.  

EAC2

 

On the academic front, the TP’s have begun full time with many breakout meetings and sub-committees occurring at all times of the day in the Fellowship building. It is interesting to see the four different TP’s coming together with their own unique styles and strategies. TP workshops were conducted during the week by the expert editorial and design teams. The workshops covered the executive summary, editing, graphic design and how to effectively communicate ideas. The academic week will finish with TP internal reviews where each team is expected to present their Mission Statement, detailed content of the final report, and the status of their team management.

 

 

 

Heather.Allaway Heather Allaway1465336800
Heather Allaway
Chair
 

In the Human Performance in Space Department, we ask what factors of the space environment impact the performance of individuals and teams, whether the factors being influenced are biological, physiological, psychological, or medical. Departmental hands-on activities will enable participants to evaluate the unique challenges related to human spaceflight, for both short and long-duration/long-distance missions.

During the departmental activities, participants will have the opportunity to learn and practice skill from sciences such as biology, physiology, medicine, and biomedical engineering.

 

garcia
Daniel Garcia Yarnoz
Co-Chair
Erik.Laan
Erik Laan
Co-Chair
Irina Thaler
Irina Thaler
Associate Chair

According to current predictions, sea levels will rise on average 3 mm/year in the course of this century and the quality of the air we breathe will worsen, taking its toll on our health. These and other adverse effects are exacerbated by the increase in frequency of floods, droughts, wildfires and other disasters due to the changing climate.

Space technologies are essential tools to tackle any global implicating events. Institutional Space based observations of the Earth have provided fundamental insights in the monitoring and modelling of the health of our planet and will continue to do so. The New Space paradigm has now entered the Earth Observation domain and will lead to new business opportunities, specifically with respect to flooding and air-quality. This team project will produce a reference and influential report on the role that space plays in the adaptation and resilience of humanity to the effects of climate change.

 

ISSP18 2018 07 31 0048 

Final run before the end of the department activities, week 6 is here, full of exciting events! ISSP18 2018 08 02 0059

Four departments went to Cologne (Germany) to visit the European Astronaut Center. They could see the various equipment for astronaut training and go around the facilities. They even where given the unexpected occasion to discuss with Samantha Cristoforetti, an Italian European Space Agency astronaut present that day. In the meantime, two other departments went to visit the Netherlands Aerospace Center (NLR), the Dwingeloo radio telescope and Satellite ground stations in Rotterdam 

 

6650295013140342098

 
Tuesday was the very busy ESTEC day where the participants  had an overview of the future technologies developed there. The highlight of the day was the unveiling of two new tiles on the "Walk of Space" of Noordwijk followed by an excellent barbecue on the beach, facing the beautiful sunset. ISSP18 2018 08 01 0021

 Department activities are coming to an end but people were able to test cubesats in clean rooms, to perform analog rescue missions on Mars and many other fascinating exercises

 

TP weeks are at the door and and it is time for the participants to brace themselves for the impact ;)

 

 

Ruth McAvinia
Ruth McAvinia
Co-Chair
Niamh Shaw1490310000
Niamh Shaw
Co-Chair

Just as astronauts think differently when they break free from Earth’s surface, so we invite you to break free from everything you’ve learned in the past. When you come to the Humanities department, you have the opportunity to think differently.
 
We will explore the meaning and significance of humankind’s expansion into space in a supportive and creative environment past, present and future.
 
In the Humanities department, we ask what factors motivated people to go to space, what we brought with us from Earth to space, and how space has influenced culture and society back on the ground.
These investigations will bring us to many meeting points with the other departments, as participants have the chance to approach technical subjects with a new perspective.

During the departmental activities, participants will have the opportunity to learn and practice skills from humanities subjects such as history, archaeology, art, design, philosophy, drama, and the social sciences. The activities range from guidance on communications and outreach to broader skills for creative thinking and problem solving, and will be practical as well as enjoyable.

 

Olga.Zhdanovich Olga Zhdanovich1370383200
Olga Zhdanovich
Co-Chair
Ruediger Jehn1495490400
Ruediger Jehn
Co-Chair

Number of space debris in space orbit are constantly growing. 40000 space debris objects have been catalogued already in 2014 from that 17000 were in orbit. Facing the constant growth of debris in space, several technological solutions have been proposed by space agencies and industry that include deorbiting of debris (so-called “pulling technologies“ by attaching debris to a tether, “pushing technologies” to push debris into an ocean), moving it to safer orbits or salvaging it for reuse on other satellites or spacecraft. At the same time eco-friendly technologies are explored for spacecraft manufacturing to keep space as clean as possible.

 

Full of tension and excitement, hard work and fun, and the fusion of the old and the new, the Week 5 of the #SSP18 might be the most memorable so far. What am I talking about? Well, let’s get down to it.This week the participants enjoyed Department activities in Delft and other places (the APPs department ventured all the way to Wadden islands!).  They also experienced a full day of elective workshops together in Leiden with a great dinner under the stars after all the hard work. All well and good on that front, but that was not all that happened. By far. Not while you’re at the SSP 😉 

37743856 10216301664643792 6156097236628406272 o

37828469 10216293454678548 2530599313533304832 oThe Team Projects are finally taking form, with the Literature Review having been submitted by the different teams on Monday 23rd, and the Team Project Plan on Sunday 29th July.  Everything is now set for the teams to dig deeper and work hard in making the best Team Project they can! Sleepless nights and long days await… let the games begin! So, tension and excitement, hard work and fun are now all covered but… what about the fusion of the old and the new? Well, that can be answered in two words: Alumni Weekend!!! 

Close to 200(!) alumni were present during this weekend, adding to the 135 participants. Many old friends reuniting, and new friendships being made. The participants got to meet the community they are now a part of, exchange experiences and… compete! The Space Masquerade is a tradition at ISU’s alumni weekend, as is the costume competition, where a fight to the death on a field of fire and blood happens … well, it’s more like a dance-off in the Aula building between people in space-themed costumes but almost as epic!

ISSP18 2018 07 28 4132

 IMG 3770

 

 

Although not nearly as epic as the Alumni vs Participants football match! That is where the true death-battle happens! OK, again a bit of an exaggeration. But not by much. The participants crushed the alumni this year with a final score count of 7-1 (that hurts my alumnus’ heart 😞). Congratulations to the victors, and welcome to the International Space University or ISU family! 

 

 

Adil Jafry
Adil Jafry
Chair
 

Space industry is fast moving from its traditional government (and public sector) roots to a commercial everyday industry. This transformation is enabling space companies to build and market products and services on a laissez faire basis to businesses and consumers, spurring entirely new economic interactions that did not
previously exist, and may be worth a few trillion dollars in the coming decades.
Hence, the opportunity in commercial space is unprecedented.
Starting, managing, and growing a space initiative requires identifying unmet demand that can be fulfilled using space/space technologies. It additionally requires sourcing quality capital, rallying a competent team, mobilizing resources, and building a solution that is priced right and effectively solves the customer’s problem.

In addition to demonstrating that a company’s activities are financially viable, a firm needs to build a relationship of trust with government oversight organizations, put in place strong governance to help resolve conflicts of interest among the various stakeholders, and build enduring partnerships that can both help the company market its products/services and develop a reliable supply chain.
Foremost, the SSP’18 Management & Business department will enable participants to get comfortable with the concepts, tools and methodologies that can help them describe (in economic terms) their vision and the commercial market opportunity.

The department faculty will comprise professionals from across the global space and finance sectors, and will focus on case studies, in-class activities (including mock negotiations), and company visits to build a body of knowledge that serve as stepping stones for participants in their future work.
An important focus throughout the fifteen department activities will be to foster enduring ties among the participants and the visiting faculty members which can serve both in their future professional and career activities.

 

Matthew.Sorgenfrei12729180138962
Matthew Sorgenfrei
Associate Chair
Rob.Postema 2106 4ba8a1da2f2e7
Rob Postema
Co-Chair

We are going back to the Moon! After landing twelve humans on the Moon between 1969 and 1972, today the international space community is developing advanced plans to return to the Moon with human and robotic presence and activities towards the end of the next decade. This time, humans will stay longer, with robotic support, and increase the level of sustainability of the presence along the way.
 
Both habitation of humans on the Moon as well as the activities themselves will need enabling facilities and services, such as accommodation and life support, communications and, perhaps most importantly, generation and supply/distribution of power.
 
The aim of the ISU SSP 2018 Team Project “Lunar Night Survival” is to specify a solution for the generation and provision of power in support of the range of activities which are planned to be deployed on the Moon in the near future. The scope of work of the Team Project does not only include the design of the power generation solution, it will also address the deployment and maintenance of the solution, as well as estimation of the costs and the exploitation of the power supply to the different users.

 

 

SSP18 428What is Future Studies? What is the difference between predicting, forecasting, and inventing the futures? Jim Dator responded to these questions and more by using his 50 years of work in Future Space. Mr. Dator is a professor and director of Hawaii Research Center for Futures Studies, and he is a legend among the ISU community. He even has his own brand and T-shirt that participants placed orders for!  

One of the highlights of the space program is the International Astronaut panel where participants and other members have the opportunity to learn from astronauts and discuss their experience and to meet and greet the space explorers. This year our astronaut panel was held at Space Expo in Noordwijk, on July 2nd of 2018. It was formed by Italian Astronaut Paolo Nespoli, Dutch Astronaut André Kuipers. Where Korean Astronaut Soyeon Yi and NASA Astronaut Nicole Stott joined us through videos.  5.RGM2. Astronaut panelThe week continued with an exciting and fun workshop in team building by participants building the Rube Goldberg machine, challenging the members to solve simple problems by using complex designs and devices. This activity was introduced to all participants in Week-1 by Astronaut Soyeon Yi. The participants created 12 different teams and assigned very creative names such as Space Sheep, Hubble Trouble, The Flying Dutchmen, Boom Boom, etc. Four judges were assigned to evaluate each team based on functionality, complexity, creativity, and innovation. The first place was given to Boom Boom, second to Interstellar, and third to Hubble Trouble. 


Furthermore, SSP members learned about some unique initiatives to find answers to questions of life in our universe. For this purpose, Breakthrough Initiatives was founded by 4. Yuri and Julia Milner with collaboration of Mark Zuckerberg and Stephen Hawking.  Pete Worden, former NASA Ames Director  joined us the night of July 4th, 2018 at the University of Leiden to present about these initiatives and his new addition to the foundation called Breakthrough Starships. The idea is to send hundreds of single mission nano-scale chips into space and to use light beaming technology to sail through the stars.  

What an amazing fun and knowledge filled week this was! 

 

 

 

Christopher.Johnson
Christopher Johnson
Chair
Andrea.Harrington Andrea Harrington1454281200
Andrea Harrington
Associate Chair

The Space Policy, Economics, and Law Department concentrates on the “why” and “how” of international
space activities.

Participants joining the Policy, Economics, and Law (PEL) department will be involved in a range of discussions, debates, and interactions designed to provide an in-depth understanding of what shapes current and future space activities around the world, along with their societal impacts, justifications, benefits, and the international and national legal frameworks within which space activities are conducted. A range of international political, economic, and legal experts will work with participants on topics that include:

• What are the geopolitical context and pressures of activities in space?
• What are the political and economic drivers that persuade governments to invest in national space programs?
• How do we measure the success of national and international space programs?
• How well are nations cooperating in international space projects?
• How and why are laws regulating national space activities enacted and what are the differences?
• How effectively do space agencies deliver national benefits and how are they measured?
• Do the space treaties adequately address the current and future needs of the international space
community?
• What are the obstacles to change in international space law?

Participants joining the department will have a diversity of professional backgrounds. All participants will take advantage of the PEL Department’s expertise and insights to broaden their knowledge and understanding of the political and legal foundations of international space activities.

 

Jan Walter Schroeder1496095200
Jan Walter Schroeder
Chair
Energy providers are very dependent on accurate weather forecasting. Mid-term trends can be estimated quite accurately using prediction models and allow good scheduling (e.g. in case of expected high temperatures and the associated use of airconditioning units and power consumption). A major problem are peak loads which have not been predicted. They force energy providers to procure capacity from other sources whereby the cost has a quasi-exponential function with time. In other words, the earlier such peak load can be known, the lower the cost of procuring energy from third sources to compensate this peak load. A typical example is the prediction of clouds around 17.00, when a considerable number of people come daily back from work. At certain periods in time during the year heavy clouds can lead to rather simultaneous switching on of lights, which causes a considerable peak load.
Power companies need to provide the right amount of electricity each day, each hour. This means they have to predict power consumption. Any miss-prediction
means they have to buy more electricity on the spot market at high prices, or sell surplus electricity at low prices. The overall cost they incur here is called “variance charge”. There is therefore considerable interest from energy providers to have more accurate prediction models on weather conditions, with a very high granularity such as hourly updated predictions.
94% of weather forecasting relevant data comes from satellites. However, it is still highly limited due to the small number of satellites. Weather is a classic application where a large number of satellites have a sustained competitive advantage in describing the starting condition of the atmosphere more accurately than fewer satellites. The better the starting conditions are known, the better the forecast. Especially GNSS-RO is a highly promising modality of earth observation which can - when created in large quantities - dramatically increase the accuracy of weather forecasts.

 

The working week started off with a quiz on Monday morning, the first for SSP18. The participants had the chance to test their knowledge on what they had learned about space from multiple disciplines. Topics included space management and business, space engineering, human performance in space, space science, humanities and space policy and law. For the second part of the day, some participants and staff visited the UN’s International Court of Justice. Judge Peter Tomka gave a presentation on the court and its history after which ISU members were provided with a guided tour of the stunning building and a catered reception. This was the first time ISU was invited to visit a UN court.
ISSP18 2018 07 09 0018   ISSP18 2018 07 09 0025 ISSP18 2018 07 09 0067 ISSP18 2018 07 09 0069

The improvisation classes have been continuing weekly, with high participant engagement allowing participants to develop their confidence and on-the-spot thinking kills. This activity is always light-hearted and full of laughs and indeed a good way to unwind. The participants play out unlikely and humorous scenarios whilst others try and depict what exactly they are trying to demonstrate.

Wednesday evening consisted of a trip to Airbus where the CEO of Airbus Defense and Space, Dirk Hoke, gave a presentation. He provided insight on how Airbus is tackling the emergence of new space sectors and about their plan to manufacture components for the Ariane 6 launcher using their own facilities. The participants were also provided with a special tour of the facility. 

IMG 4055

On Thursday night, the film Orphans of Apollo was screened at the Lumen cinema in Delft. Making this event even more special, Michael Potter, the director of the film, and an SSP88 alumnus, was in attendance and gave an introduction to the screening. 

SSP18 CultureNight3 20180713 049As with the previous weeks, the working week finished off with a Culture Night! On Friday, participants from Greece, Ireland, United Kingdom, Norway, Spain and Sweden presented on their culture and delighted everyone with different types of food from their countries. Later in the night, the staff band and participant band performed, showcasing further the diversity of skills within this ISU family.

 

 

 

 

Eric Dalhstrom
Eric Dahlstrom
Chair

Space sciences introduces the principles, concepts, tools, and techniques necessary to investigate and understand the space environment. Department activities provide hands-on opportunities to learn about space sciences from experts in the field. They will learn how to remotely operate a rover to conduct science missions. They will participate in the development and test of a cubesat. Other activities will concern advances space sensors for astronomy and Earth remote sensing and experiments in microgravity. Through these activities they will build an overall understanding of space sciences with support of department faculty and lecturers. Participants will prepare and present on a subject of particular interest, agreed upon with the departmental team. Entering the exciting world of space sciences does not require a degree in science or engineering; participants from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.

 

It’s week 4, the lectures are over, the elective workshops are in full swing and the department activities have begun! This week was a busy one so it's hard to pick what to talk about because it's all so much fun; so here are a few of my personal highlights! Bowtie Tuesday (which is every Tuesday). This year’s first meeting of the international bowtie administration, an organisation that was established in Cork during SSP17, was held at TU Delft! Picture1

Picture2The humanities department also had an “out of this world” afternoon on Tuesday with former humanities TA and founding member of the international bowtie administration, Petter Skanke. In their activity they made films and taught us all valuable lessons about planetary protection. This week the Human Performance in Space department visited ESTEC to learn about issues that manned missions that go beyond Earth’s orbit face. To celebrate the end of the core lectures, the staff serenaded the participants and brought all the cake from the nearest shops. But the big celebrations had to be put on hold until the end of the exam, for the participants at least; the staff spent the evening at the beach in The Hague to celebrate Omar and Kavindi’s birthday!!! 

But for the participants it was study time, they had to wait until the exam (and Thursday's workshop) was over to celebrate. One of the workshops held on Thursday afternoon was Biomodd. Biomodd is an open source art installation that combines technology and biology. Here 25 participants took apart computers to build new machines and theorise ways they could use these machines as part of a closed loop system to help feed an ecosystem. Picture4

This week was jam packed, exciting and exhausting; like every week! And with departments now in full swing they'll be much more to come next week! 

b1a2ee3e c79c 4bef a354 39176b09efd0IMG 3389Picture3

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SSP18 156

On Saturday June 23, 2018, 135 participants from 35 nationalities arrived in Delft, The Netherlands for the beginning of the Space Studies Program. Throughout the day, busses full of participants departed from Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam to be brought to the Delft Institute of Technology (TU Delft). Upon arrival, participants were welcomed and continued through the process of registering for the program. Participants went through 8 stations ran by the staff where they received backpacks, SSP18 41T-Shirts, Bikes and of course the keys to their new home! In the evening, all the participants gathered for the welcome dinner where they got to introduce themselves to their classmates.

 

SSP18 OpeningCeremony 20180625 ESA 075The next morning, it was the staff’s turn to introduce themselves. Participants and staff were bussed to the Huis ter Duin Hotel in Noordwijk where they were treated to a multi-course brunch overlooking the ocean. Between courses, participants were introduced to the staff members as well as some of the sponsors from this year’s program. The graduation ceremony for the Space English Access Course (SEAC), which has been taking place over the previous week, also took place. 23 participants from China received certificates for the course. After brunch, the staff and participants were bussed to Leiden where they had the chance to partake in a brief one-hour walking tour of the city. They then headed back to TU Delft for Orientation.

SSP18 OpeningCeremony 20180625 ESA 057On Monday June 25, 2018 the 2018 Space Studies Program was officially opened with a formal ceremony at the European Space Agency’s (ESA) ESTEC High Bay. The King of the Netherlands was in attendance and took the time to speak to selected participants before the ceremony began. After the King was seated for the ceremony, participants walked in country by country behind their flags and under a 1/10 scale model of the International Space Station! Participants, staff and guests were treated to speeches by astronaut Andre Kuipers and director general of ESA Jan Woerner as well as Space dances and laser performances.

SSP18 112The programs first evening event was a lecture by Professor Jeffery Hoffman at the Den Hague Omniversum. He discussed what went wrong with the Hubble Telescope and how his crew helped to fix it. It was followed by a 50 minute IMAX documentary called Hubble. It’s been a busy 5 days already but there couldn’t be a more perfect way to begin the Sizzling Summer of Space, here in the Netherlands!

 

 

W0 2The Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), that preserves one of the most ambitious and world renowned Aerospace Engineering departments alongside the International Space University, is ready to welcome the class of 2018 of the Space Studies program to Delft.

W0 4Together with the rich Dutch culture that fills your heart with passion and curiosity, the space studies program will broaden the horizon of your Universe in ways that will help you grow the Interdisciplinary, Intercultural, and International aspects of your personal and professional life.

 

A week before the program starts, the staff offices, filled with dialogues of space law, the Moon, Proxima Centauri and every other topic you can possibly imagine, even the likelihood of space cheese? Now, how about that! Final preparations are coming to an end for the number of events, professional visits and core lectures that the participants will have the opportunity to be part of. In between the busy schedule, we did have some time to experience some Delft culture by painting and creating our very own Delft blue porcelain plates.

W0 3The surrounding of the Faculty of Aerospace at TU Delft, the tall buildings, the refreshing summer breeze is ready to be broken into the sizzling summer of space with the arrival of our participants. We’re all working hard to make this summer the best space studies program ever in the ISU history. And we are lucky to do so right in the heart of Europe’s space Industries.

W0 1Connecting, networking with people from all over the world that work to accomplish one goal this summer. To be able to open up about your experiences and share each other’s values is part of been an ISU Family member.  One thing I did not forget to mention is the delicious Dutch meals! The Dutch herring is of course, now in season. You’ll enjoy them with some onions and a cool drink on a summers day.

You might imagine what it’s like spending time here at TU Delft working to make SSP18 happen? With my colleagues just across the table, the ISU lanyard adding colours to our outfit, if I close my eyes for a moment I’m flying to moon, to mars, through the stars to Proxima Centauri on a journey of endless discovery with a group of passionate space enthusiasts!

 

* How to repair of your bike!

 

* What you can do in Delft? Go-Kart Racing!

 

 

We are excited to announce that the International Space University will be continuing the traditional > Space Studies Program blog!

Over the next nine weeks, our teaching associates, participants and other authors will be highlighting all the great experiences in and outside the classroom, Delft and the Netherlands! There will also be loads of behind the scenes with what’s happening at this year's host institutions, TU Delft, University of Leiden and ESA - ESTEC! #NLargeYourUniverse

Don't forget to download the International Space University application. This is the easiest way to keep up to date with all the news and events happing at this year’s #SSP18!

There's loads happening on our social media channels. Subscribe to our Facebook page, follow @ISU_SSP on Twitter and @spaceuniversity on instagram for great content and daily updates.