From Soyuz-docking manoeuvres to microalgae cultivation: hands-on training for Master's students

Abstract

A strong connection between research and teaching at a university is crucial to offer students a unique opportunity to put in practice the concepts taught in theoretical lectures. At the University of Stuttgart, several hands-on training courses have been offered for eight years within the module “Selected hands-on training for space”. Those are adapted to the current research at the Institute of Space Systems. During one semester, students participate in two of the offered courses and are evaluated through an exam or a report. Three ECTS for the space specialization in the aerospace engineering Master are granted after successful completion. The limited places offered are usually filled up in matter of hours and the students’ feedback has been very positive every year. The module includes up to five different courses, depending on the semester. The Life Support Systems seminar is focused on the cultivation of microalgae, linked to the institute’s ISS Experiment photobioreactor PBR@LSR. After learning the basic life support system concepts, the students build and conduct their own microalgae photobioreactor experiment. In the Missions Analysis practical seminar, based on the work of several PhD candidates, the participants learn and put in practice aspects of mission planning with the help of the Astos Solutions software as well as the SPICE toolkit. During the Rendezvous and Docking practical training, students learn about the operation and handling of a spacecraft. Besides theoretical lectures, guided sessions in the simulator allow to put into practice the handling of common complex procedures, audio-visual perception and motor skills. This seminar is linked to the research carried out in the SIMSKILL experiment. In the Earth Remote Sensing seminar, students learn how to handle payload data for Earth observation and their scientific evaluation. The Flying Laptop, a satellite fully built at the institute and launched in 2017, is used for this course. Finally, the research carried out in the field of electrolysers and fuel cells for space applications at the institute prompted the establishment of a training course. After deepening their knowledge on both electrolysers and fuel cells, the students prepare, carry out and evaluate various experiments. This paper presents the different training courses from our institute and their link to the current research.