For those holding a B.S. Degree from an accredited university, AST 101 ‘Fundamentals of Astronautics’ (PoSSUM) is held at Florida Tech. 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 IIAS’s aeronomy program, Project PoSSUM. Designed and instructed by former NASA astronaut instructors and IIAS team scientists, AST 101 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.

For those holding a B.S. Degree from an accredited university, AST 101 ‘Fundamentals of Astronautics’ (PoSSUM) is held at Florida Tech. 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 IIAS’s aeronomy program, Project PoSSUM. Designed and instructed by former NASA astronaut instructors and IIAS team scientists, AST 101 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.

AST 102 provides a foundation in the microgravity environment, microgravity research campaign planning and operations, microgravity experiment and payload design and development, and 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 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

• 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). 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.

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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:

1. Test participant vomiting in the suit or bio-monitor data in excess of established limits
2. Excessive vomiting by any flight team member.
3. Failure of essential equipment
4. Any condition created by a flight team that violates any safety protocol