Developing the IAASS Space Safety Academy

Abstract

The International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety (IAASS) has identified safety education as a key enhancer of system safety. Space safety design criteria, methods and hazard analyses techniques are not generally taught in depth as part of typical university education; however, both manned and unmanned space programs require familiarity with modern risk-based design techniques and with hazard control approaches. The IAASS Space Safety Academy (ISSA) is being established as the center of excellence in space safety education and professional training. The ISSA mission is to make available basic multidisciplinary knowledge in the field of space safety to aerospace engineering postgraduate and undergraduate students. The key ISSA program is a 10-week in-class certificate program in space safety (1/2 Master) organized in cooperation with major academic institutions in Europe, Americas, and Asia. The ISSA will also provide remote undergraduate level courses in space safety as well as in-class and remote on site and web-based professional training courses in space safety. The article provides an overview of the certificate program and of its multidisciplinary structure.