SpaceTech News
Successful ending to SpaceTech 13 year
July 2011
On June 30th the Central Case Project Final Presentation marked the ending of what has been a great SpaceTech 13 year. In the presence of nearly one-hundred attendants, the SpaceTech 13 team presented their proposal to bring commercial Earth Observation to the mobile mass market. Their proposal, coined MOBEO, was received with great enthusiasm and has even reached the headline on Space News. The executive summary of MOBEO can be found here.
One day later, on July 1st, the SpaceTech Alumni Organization organized their 6th SpaceTech Symposium. In line with the Central Case Project Final Presentation, the topic of the day was ‘Making Earth Observation Profitable’ and more than ten speakers from all corners of the space industry contributed to this great day. The full program, the presentations and photos of the day can be found here.
6th SpaceTech Post-Graduate Refresher Symposium announced
April 2011
On July 1st, the SpaceTech Alumni Association organizes its 6th annual Post-Graduate Refresher Symposium at ESTEC, Noordwijk, the Netherlands. The topic of this year’s symposium is 'Making Earth Observation Profitable'. The central question of the symposium is whether we finally enter an era where private investment in Earth Observation is profitable and a sustainable industry is born that addresses traditional markets and new applications such as infotainments? More information on this symposium can be found here. The topic is perfectly aligned with the Central Case Project of SpaceTech 13; 'Global, accurate and timely space imagery for mobile societies'. In the beginning of this month, the team presented their technical feasibility study and business model and will present the final results of their study on June 30th, the day before the symposium.
Preparations for SpaceTech 14 well underway
March 2011
While the SpaceTech 13 participants are working hard towards their final presentation on June 30th, the SpaceTech office is already engaged in the preparations for SpaceTech 14. This also means that application for the next SpaceTech term is now possible and the first applications have already been received. Companies or institutes who are interested in supporting next year’s Central Case Project can now also contact us for more information. In the meantime SpaceTech 13 is going strong towards a great result. More information on this year’s Central Case Project will follow in April.
SpaceTech 13 CCP progress
February 2011
In the presence of almost 50 representatives from the space industry and hosted by DLR Oberpfaffenhofen in Germany, SpaceTech 13 has presented its progress on their Central Case Project ‘Global, accurate and timely space imagery for mobile societies’. Supported by a comprehensive market research, the team's focus is on the development of a platform and system that allows developers of smartphone application to use earth observation data in value adding down-stream products. Over the next months a detailed design will be made of this concept. The final presentation of the team's proposal will take part on June 30 at ESTEC premises in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
SpaceTech 13 Kicks Off!
September 2010
A new SpaceTech year has begun! SpaceTech 13 kicked off with 15 full-time participants, and for the Delft session there will be a total of 3 additional guests that will attend SMAD and/or Business Engineering. With nationalities from three different continents, the participants and guests represent a total of 10 institutes and companies. The CCP topic of this year is Global, accurate and timely space imagery for mobile societies.
SpaceTech 12 Graduation
September 2010
On Thursday September 9 SpaceTech 12 had its graduation. This years graduates come from the agencies of ASI, DLR, and ESA, and the companies AOES, Astrium, ComDev, Boeing, and Serco. The event had most of the participants present and was very succesful.
New Navigation Module Manager Anthony Pratt
August 2010
Prof. Dr. Anthony Pratt has become the new module manager, succeeding Guenter Hein after many years of succesful service. Prof. Pratt holds a Ph.D in Electrical and Electronics engineering and has had numerous positions in academics and the space industry. Currently his functions include involvement in the development of the Galileo Satellite System as a Consultant to the UK Government, a Consultant position for both QinetiQ Ltd. and Cambridge Silicon Radio Ltd. In addition, he also runs the OrbStar companies. For more details on Prof. Pratt's past and present activities, please take a look at our Core Curriculum Committee page.
New Chairman of Advisory Board Michel Courtois
July 2010
Michel Courtois has taken up the position of Chairman of the SpaceTech Advisory Board. This position was handed over to him by Ed Ashford, who has been Chairman for four years. Michel Courtois is currently head of ESA ESTEC and has been involved with SpaceTech as a member of the Advisory Board for years. We are very happy with his increased involvement by taking place as Chairman of the Advisory Board.
Ed Ashford will continue his support of SpaceTech as an Advisory Board member, CCP coach and member of the Core Curriculum Committee.
SpaceTech 12 Ends With Final Presentation And Alumni Symposium
July 2010
On Thursday July 1st and Friday July 2nd, the final session of SpaceTech 12 was rounded off at ESA ESTEC. On Thursday the participants presented the result of their Central Case Project titled 'RetroSpace'. The project concerned robotic removal of space debris, an executive summary of the project can be found here.
On Friday, the topic of Space Debris was further elaborated on with the SpaceTech Alumni Symposium entitled Space Debris - How Do We Secure Acces to Space for Humankind?. The day program and the presentations can be found here.
DLR sponsors SpaceTech 12 Central Case Project
September 2009
DLR is, for the third time, sponsoring a SpaceTech Central Case Project. This year the topic will be removal of space debris by robotic means. The SpaceTech 12 participants will spend this year working on both a technical and business solution to this topic, which comes at a time of rising international interest for the growing problem of space debris.
Pete Swan Head Coach of the Central Case Project
August 2009
Pete Swan has succeeded Peter van Wirt as head coach of the Central Case Project. Pete Swan is a colleague and friend of Peter van Wirt, who himself will remain involved with SpaceTech as a teacher for the SMAD module. We look forward to working with Pete Swan as new Head Coach and are confident that he will do a great job fulfilling the considerable reputation that Peter van Wirt has given to this role in the past few years. For more information about Pete Swan, please take a look at our Core Curriculum Committee page.
SpaceTech 11 kicks off
September 2008
A new year for SpaceTech has started, with a total of 14 participants. These participants are coming from the agencies ASI, CNES, DLR, and ESA, the organization of Eumetsat, and the companies AOES, Astrium, Boeing, KLS, Serco, and Space Applications Services. The topic of the SpaceTech 11 Central Case Project will be Enabling a more profitable business for commercial communication satellite manufacturers, sponsored by The Boeing Company.
Eberhard Gill appointed SpaceTech Program Director
September 2008
SpaceTech has a new Program Director! Prof. Dr. Eberhard Gill, himself an alumnus of SpaceTech 7, will take over the position from Ed Ashford. Prof. Gill is Chairholder of Space Systems Engineering at the Aerospace Engineering faculty of TU Delft, a position that he recently took up after an active career at DLR. To read more about Prof. Gills past and present activities, please take a look at our Core Curriculum Committee page
