Young scientists from 23 countries will work on projects of space missions for nanosatellites

On Monday, June 17, the 15th International Summer Space School "Advanced Space Technologies and Experiments in Space" was launched at Samara National Research University. For two weeks, 40 young scientists from 23 countries will be engaged in the laboratories, engineering and testing centres of the university. Their work will be finished with the defense of four research missions using a nanosatellite platform. These will be the projects aimed at solving current research problems: the study of the ionosphere, the observation of the Sun, the study of the Arctic, the inspection of space debris.

Bachelor’s degree, master’s degree and PhD students from Japan, France, Norway, Spain, Portugal, India, Mexico, Venezuela, Peru, Ukraine, Tajikistan, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Burkina Faso, Iraq, Jordan, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Tunisia arrived in Samara. 

At the opening ceremony Vice-Rector for Academic Affairs Andrey Gavrilov, Head of the Inter-University Department of Space Research, Professor Igor Belokonov greeted the audience. The guests of the Summer Space School –  Director of Marketing Communications in Glavkosmos Mila Savelyeva – spoke about the company's capabilities in launching student nano- and microsatellites. And Deputy General Designer for Scientific Research at the JSC SRC “Progress” Maxim Borisov, demonstrated the products of Samara Space Rocket Centre to the school participants and, during the presentation, spoke about the capabilities of the Soyuz launch vehicle for nanosatellites launching.

According to the results of the work the school participants will receive a certificate of completion of the educational programme, which can be credited to students as part of their studies at their universities. The certificate of Samara University Summer Space School is estimated at 5 points of the European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System  (ECTS). To complete the training within the academic year successfully the bachelor’s degree student must receive 60 points.

The school is supported by the UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of  Outer Space, which allocated special travel grants to three participants –  representatives of the national space centres of developing countries. Among them there are representatives of the African Regional Centre for Space Science and Technology Education in English (affiliated to the United Nations) Funmilayo Erinfolami (Nigeria), PhD student of University Norbert Zongo of Burkina Faso Alphonsr Sibri Sandwidi, student of Universidad National Major of Peru  Christopher Jair Cabanillas Casas. 

"The purpose of the event is to form basic competences in the field of nanosatellite technologies, to attract young people to the formulation and conduct of experiments in space aimed at obtaining of new fundamental knowledge and developing technologies that can be applied in practice," said Professor Igor Belokonov, the school’s organizer.

The projects will be defended within the framework of a separate section of the 3rd Russian Symposium on Nanosatellites with International Participation RusNanoSat. The works will receive expert evaluation of experienced scientists and practical engineers –  participants of the symposium.

Photo: Artem Onoprienko, photoclub “Illuminator”