“Living and Working in Space” is the theme of this year’s Coimbra Space Summer School, which will take place from September 3 to 5, organized by the Geophysical and Astronomical Observatory of the University of Coimbra (UC). Aimed at higher education students, researchers, and anyone interested in the subject, the Coimbra Space Summer School is open for registration until August 31.
The Coimbra Space Summer School seeks to “explore the space economy, that is, to enable participants to learn basic concepts of economics and space technologies, essential to developing a business model, services, or ideas based on space assets,” explains Teresa Barata, one of the organizers. This year, with the theme “Living and Working in Space,” the school “promises many exciting ideas, as it is a relevant topic full of challenges, at a time when there is increasing certainty that one day humankind will inhabit another planet,” highlights Teresa Barata.
The program consists of talks, “followed by a practical component in which participants are challenged to develop their idea as a business model.” The whole process is supported by mentors, “who evaluate the idea, help shape each step for its development, and assist in preparing a presentation that will later be assessed by a jury.” Teresa Barata also emphasizes “ice-breaker activities to help participants interact more easily with each other” as well as social events, such as the “Astro-Barbecue at the Geophysical and Astronomical Observatory of UC, followed by guided tours and night sky observation.”
Limited to 45 participants, admission is subject to a selection process. However, “participants do not need to have a background in space-related fields,” but rather curiosity, interest, and creativity “to generate innovative ideas for services, products, or businesses.”
The initiative, organized in collaboration with the Pedro Nunes Institute (IPN), specifically with the IPN ESA Space Solutions team, moves forward into its 11th edition with an increasingly international character. “In every edition, we have welcomed at least one or two international students, and the school has always been conducted in English,” adds Teresa Barata, who is also a researcher at the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences at UC.
Learn more about the Coimbra Space Summer School here.