Educating the Next-Generation of
Astronautical Professionals
A citizen-science institute specializing in aeronomy, bioastronautics, operational science, and science education
A citizen-science institute specializing in aeronomy, bioastronautics, operational science, and science education
Science should be by the people and for the people. We believe science should be a democratic process that publishes peer-reviewed science through privately-funded avenues including elements of external sponsorship, media content, and purposeful and immersive educational services.
Together with our institutional partners, we provide high-value educational services in small classes directly from the Subject Matter Experts, employing professional certification of our content with the same rigorous peer-review without the high expenses.
Our students hail from over 40 countries and bring a broad diversity of backgrounds and professions while sharing their passion of human space exploration. This diversity gives us strength to communicate our science to broad, disparate communities.
Project PoSSUM (‘Polar Suborbital Science in the Upper Mesosphere’) is a citizen-science program hosted by the IIAS. Here, IIAS students contribute to state-of-the-art aeronomy, human factors, and bioastronautics research.
april
17apr(apr 17)6:30 pm21(apr 21)5:00 pmPoSSUM Scientist-Astronaut Class 2001 and 2002
For those holding a B.S. Degree from an accredited university, the PoSSUM Scientist Astronaut Qualification Program is held either at Florida Tech or Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. It is a five-day,
more
For those holding a B.S. Degree from an accredited university, the PoSSUM Scientist Astronaut Qualification Program is held either at Florida Tech or Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. It is a five-day, fully immersive training program that will provide the skills required to effectively conduct research on the next generation of commercial space vehicles as part of Project PoSSUM. Designed and instructed by former NASA astronaut instructors and PoSSUM team scientists, the PoSSUM Scientist Astronaut Qualification Program combines three weeks of webinar instruction followed by one-week of intensive training including high-G training, crew resource management training, spacesuit training, high-altitude training, biometric analysis, and PoSSUMCam operations. You will also receive comprehensive instruction on noctilucent cloud science, observational history, research methods from some of the world’s leading noctilucent cloud scientists, then learn to use real PoSSUM Instruments on customized simulations of actual PoSSUM research flights, using the most modern training facilities available
17 (Saturday) 6:30 pm - 21 (Wednesday) 5:00 pm EDT
Florida Tech
2495 Palm Bay Rd NE, Palm Bay, FL 32905, United States
19apr(apr 19)8:00 am23(apr 23)5:00 pm2020 PoSSUM Academy - Red Sprite Group
Similar to the PoSSUM Scientist-Astronaut Program but taught at a more qualitative level, the Advanced PoSSUM Space Academy at Florida Tech is a hands-on and immersive program designed for advanced
Similar to the PoSSUM Scientist-Astronaut Program but taught at a more qualitative level, the Advanced PoSSUM Space Academy at Florida Tech is a hands-on and immersive program designed for advanced high-school and undergraduate students interested in upper-atmospheric research, bioastronautics, science communication, and human space flight operations. Graduates may enroll in all PoSSUM Graduate Programs.
19 (Monday) 8:00 am - 23 (Friday) 5:00 pm EDT
Florida Tech
2495 Palm Bay Rd NE, Palm Bay, FL 32905, United States
24apr(apr 24)6:30 pm28(apr 28)5:00 pmPoSSUM Scientist-Astronaut Class 2003 and 2101
For those holding a B.S. Degree from an accredited university, the PoSSUM Scientist Astronaut Qualification Program is held either at Florida Tech or Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
more
For those holding a B.S. Degree from an accredited university, the PoSSUM Scientist Astronaut Qualification Program is held either at Florida Tech or Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. It is a five-day, fully immersive training program that will provide the skills required to effectively conduct research on the next generation of commercial space vehicles as part of Project PoSSUM. Designed and instructed by former NASA astronaut instructors and PoSSUM team scientists, the PoSSUM Scientist Astronaut Qualification Program combines three weeks of webinar instruction followed by one-week of intensive training including high-G training, crew resource management training, spacesuit training, high-altitude training, biometric analysis, and PoSSUMCam operations. You will also receive comprehensive instruction on noctilucent cloud science, observational history, research methods from some of the world’s leading noctilucent cloud scientists, then learn to use real PoSSUM Instruments on customized simulations of actual PoSSUM research flights, using the most modern training facilities available.
24 (Saturday) 6:30 pm - 28 (Wednesday) 5:00 pm
Florida Tech
2495 Palm Bay Rd NE, Palm Bay, FL 32905, United States
26apr(apr 26)8:00 am30(apr 30)5:00 pm2020 PoSSUM Academy - Blue Jet Group
Similar to the PoSSUM Scientist-Astronaut Program but taught at a more qualitative level, the Advanced PoSSUM Space Academy at Florida Tech is a hands-on and immersive program designed for advanced
Similar to the PoSSUM Scientist-Astronaut Program but taught at a more qualitative level, the Advanced PoSSUM Space Academy at Florida Tech is a hands-on and immersive program designed for advanced high-school and undergraduate students interested in upper-atmospheric research, bioastronautics, science communication, and human space flight operations. Graduates may enroll in all PoSSUM Graduate Programs.
26 (Monday) 8:00 am - 30 (Friday) 5:00 pm EDT
Florida Tech
2495 Palm Bay Rd NE, Palm Bay, FL 32905, United States
may
OPS 102 is the first professional education course on the landing and post-landing phase of human spacecraft missions. this course covers nominal and contingency landing scenarios, post-landing planning, rescue and
OPS 102 is the first professional education course on the landing and post-landing phase of human spacecraft missions. this course covers nominal and contingency landing scenarios, post-landing planning, rescue and recovery architecture design, egress systems and operational procedures, deconditioning and post-landing survivability, generalized egress skills, and emergency egress bottle use.
1 (Saturday) 8:00 am - 5 (Wednesday) 5:00 pm EST
Survival Systems USA
144 Tower Ave #5326, Groton, CT 06340, United States
BIO 104 provides instruction on spacesuit use in nominal and off-nominal post-landing environments. Students demonstrate reliable functionality of parachute release, life preserver unit (LPU), and snorkel functionality in varying sea
more
BIO 104 provides instruction on spacesuit use in nominal and off-nominal post-landing environments. Students demonstrate reliable functionality of parachute release, life preserver unit (LPU), and snorkel functionality in varying sea and lighting conditions. Students also learn the effective use of radios, beacons, signal flares, and other signaling devices in water and egress bottle use for egress operations.
Curriculum:
Classroom instruction: Suit (Pressure suit system description, Analog suit differences), Parachute components, Ejection (sequence, components), Post-ejection, Post-departure through crew/seat separation, Descent (Post seat separation through canopy open and canopy descent, Proper position, CVSPSR, Landing), Survival/signaling, Survival gear descriptions and use, Signaling ops, Water Operations (Psychological, Practical), Rescue Operations, Safety
Capsule Egress Operations: Unsuited Capsule Egress (Side Hatch, Top Hatch, Life raft ops/ingress, Raft ops/signaling), Suited Capsule Egress (Side Hatch, Top Hatch, Life raft ops/ingress, Raft ops/signaling)
Suited Parachute lift and drop: dry (Lift, Position, Canopy check, Visor, Seat kit, Prepare, Release), Suited Parachute lift – wet ((Lift, Position, Canopy check, Visor, Seat kit, Prepare, Drop, Release
Canopy extraction, Hoist ops (Horse collar, Forrest Penetrator, Mail hook)
6 (Thursday) 8:00 am - 9 (Sunday) 5:00 pm EST
Survival Systems USA
144 Tower Ave #5326, Groton, CT 06340, United States
OPS 104 On-Site Mission Simulation Training
OPS 104 On-Site Mission Simulation Training
10 (Monday) 8:00 am - 12 (Wednesday) 5:00 pm
Survival Systems USA
144 Tower Ave #5326, Groton, CT 06340, United States
BIO 103 provides a foundation in the microgravity environment, microgravity research campaign planning and operations, human factors and spacesuit evaluation research, biomedical monitoring systems, science communication and public outreach. Students in
more
BIO 103 provides a foundation in the microgravity environment, microgravity research campaign planning and operations, human factors and spacesuit evaluation research, biomedical monitoring systems, science communication and public outreach.
Students in the course will apply their knowledge and skills learned in the webinars in a parabolic flight campaign with Integrated Spaceflight Services and the National Research Council of Canada. The flight campaign will take place (tentative dates) September 28th to October 2nd 2020 (inclusive) at the NRC Flight Research Lab (FRL) located in Ottawa, Canada. The address is 1920 Research Private, Ottawa, ON K1V 1J8, Canada and is suited within walking distance of the Ottawa International Airport. Students should plan to arrive at 8AM each day. A typical day will end by 6PM. Students should plan to stay until 6PM on the last day of the campaign. Additional details of the flight campaign will be provided in the webinars.
Students will need to provide the following information one month prior to the flight campaign:
• Full legal Name
• Date of Birth
• Nationality
• Passport Number and scan of passport photo page
Notes on COVID-19:
• The NRC has indicated their full intention to carry out the September 2020 flight campaign as of May 2020, but the situation may change.
• Students should not book non-refundable flights to Ottawa or accommodations unless advised otherwise by the Instructor.
• The NRC is a Government of Canada agency and we will comply with all Canadian health regulations regarding COVID-19.
• Students are advised to monitor the travel restrictions regarding the US/Canada border.
• Students in need of travel visas should contact the Instructor as early as possible.
What to expect
Participating members should allow for four to five days. Upon arrival, each members will receive a safety briefing and instruction on research protocol as part of the Test Readiness Review (TRR). Teams are grouped as follows: one test director (TD), one suited test subject (TS), one equipment technician (ET), one biomedical monitor (MM), one space suit assistant (SA), and one unsuited test subject (US). TD and TS roles require prior successful campaign experience.
Members participate in egress tests and system testing. All teams will rehearse until they reach a level of proficiency in 1G conditions before their flight. Once the mission is approved by both test director and NRC flight safety officer, the flight will commence.
.
Mission Plan:
Each sortie is planned for 18 parabolas, but flights may be terminated for reason. A flight may be terminated for any of the following reasons:
17 (Monday) 8:00 am - 21 (Friday) 5:00 pm EDT
National Research Council Flight Research Laboratory
1920 Research Private, Ottawa, ON K1V 1J8, Canada
Classroom component and survival course Didactic Classroom Component (20 hours = 2.5 classroom days or 2 x 10hr days) Review of spaceflight-related changes and wilderness considerations in post-flight physiology state, Exposures
more
Classroom component and survival course
Didactic Classroom Component (20 hours = 2.5 classroom days or 2 x 10hr days)
Review of spaceflight-related changes and wilderness considerations in post-flight physiology state, Exposures & First Aid, Temperature Exposures: Frostbite, Hypothermia & Heat Stroke, Animal & Insect Exposure: Bites, stings, injuries, Triaging, Wound Management, Burn Management, Orthopedic Injuries, Botanical Encounters, Altitude Sickness, Submersion Injuries, Drowning, Sun exposure, Pre-existing conditions (less time on this, as astronaut candidates are presumably healthy), Approach to Triage in the Wilderness
Practical Drills: Team-building, approach to triage in the wilderness, focussed triage on specific problems, small group sessions (knots, splinting, shelter-building, wraps, taping, dealing with blisters, epipen, c-spine evaluation, lifts) – some can also be interspersed into the trek itself, litters, try a scenario in a deconditioned state
Outdoor Skills: Shelters, Fires, Water purification, Food
Practical Component (32 hours) – day survival trip + debrief
DAY 1: Arrival and check-in + ½ day classroom component
Day 2-5: Classroom component
principles of team-building and wilderness medicine trip +/- building shelter based on group experience, round robin events along triage, drills & survival scenarios.
Day 6: Individual & team skills assessments, group and individual debrief, individual evaluations, course evaluations, pack-up
25 (Tuesday) 8:00 am - 28 (Friday) 5:00 pm AST
San Francisco Volcanic Fields (SFVF)
Flagstaff, AZ
This course covers the requirements and design considerations for EVA systems and tools for conducting planetary field geology. Included are an introduction to field science in the context of geology;
more
This course covers the requirements and design considerations for EVA systems and tools for conducting planetary field geology. Included are an introduction to field science in the context of geology; an overview of the processes that shape the surface environments of Mars and Earth’s moon; a survey of historical planetary surface geologic exploration by robots and humans; and a survey of historical EVA systems and tools used for human surface science. Emphasis will be on analyzing the constraints placed by human factors, the EVA environment, science tasks, etc. upon the design and implementation of EVA suits, tools, and procedures for effective and efficient field science operations on planetary surfaces..
The online portion of the EVA 103 course will be followed by a ~1-week capstone field experience in the San Francisco Volcanic Field (SFVF), just north of Flagstaff, AZ. This area has been used extensively in the past for a number of NASA analog mission simulations and NASA-funded geologic research related to planetary field exploration. Students will be introduced to basic field science practice in the context of geologic observations and sample collection. Field work will also involve testing of prototype surface EVA suits and tools in the scientifically relevant analog setting of the SFVF.
May 29 (Saturday) 8:00 am - June 1 (Tuesday) 3:00 pm AST
San Francisco Volcanic Fields (SFVF)
Flagstaff, AZ
june
july
november
EVA Space Suit Evaluation Program: Day 1: EVA space suit donning, Assisting donning of EVA space suits. Chest control board operations, cooling, communication and lighting system operations. Introduction to gravity offset
more
EVA Space Suit Evaluation Program:
Day 1: EVA space suit donning, Assisting donning of EVA space suits. Chest control board operations, cooling, communication and lighting system operations. Introduction to gravity offset systems (Lunar, Martian, and microgravity operations).
Day 2-4: Surface EVA Evaluation, lunar and Martian gravity (scooper, drill, hammer, soil sampler, spectrometer, remote rover operations). Microgravity operations (drill and ‘Task Board 3’ panel removal and maintenance, hatch operations, camera mounting and operation, translation using handrails and carabiners). MCC operations, medical monitoring, and gravity offset system operations. Comparative evaluation of finger, hand, and upper body strength in unsuited, suited and unpressurized, and suited and pressurized environments.
Instructors: Ken Trujillo, Ted Southern
1 (Monday) 8:00 am - 5 (Friday) 5:00 pm EDT
Canadian Space Agency Headquarters
6767 Route de l'Aéroport Saint-Hubert, Quebec J3Y 8Y9
NOTE: All schedules are tentative and dependent on local safety policies and the IIAS Space Medical Team’s assessment of safety with respect to COVID-19. Do not commit to any travel arrangements at this time. IIAS conducts a COVID-19 safety assessment every 90 days prior to the scheduled start of each panned course.
IIAS Administration Office:
1830 22nd street, Suite 6, Boulder, CO 80302, United States
Florida Institute of Technology:
150 W University Blvd, Melbourne, FL 32901, United States
National Research Council Flight Research Laboratory:
1920 Research Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Survival Systems USA:
44 Tower Ave #5326, Groton, CT 06340, United States
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University:
1 Aerospace Blvd, Daytona Beach, FL 32114, United States
EVA space suit evaluations conducted as part of Project OTTER partly through use of the IIAS gravity-offset laboratory located at the Canadian Space Agency Headquarters.
IIAS microgravity research and IVA space suit evaluations are conducted as part of Project PoSSUM and in partnership with the National Research Council of Canada
Post-landing egress and underwater EVA space suit evaluations are conducted using the IIAS neutral buoyancy and post-landing laboratory at Survival Systems USA.
All incoming IIAS students are trained at Florida Tech or Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University to receive skills required to participate in PoSSUM or OTTER citizen-science research programs.
All IIAS post-landing IVA and underwater EVA space suit evaluations are certified by the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI), the SCUBA certification agency of NASA.
In partnership with Final Frontier Design, IIAS tests and evaluates space suit technologies that are being designed for spacecraft, orbital, and lunar operations.