The only program of its type in the world, the Professional Credential in Applied Astronautics is awarded by the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences to students interested in a career in astronautics and related sciences. It is a 30-credit immersive professional education program currently under accreditation process enabling publishable, peer-reviewed scientific research in the fields of aeronomy, bioastronautics, mission design, space flight operations, and science education. Tuition, including textbooks and room and board for select courses, starts at $17,995.
Earn an IIAS Professional Certificate in Applied Astronautics

Applied Astronautics Course Offerings
Students enrolled in the Applied Astronautics Program complete all core classes (8 credits), select two concentrations from the list below (12 credits), and select one Advanced Research Elective (3 credits).
Class Title | Continuing Education Units | Instructor(s) |
---|---|---|
Basic Astroanutics | ||
AST 101: Advanced PoSSUM Academy | 3 credits | J. Reimuller, E. Seedhouse |
Aeronomy Concentration | ||
AER 101: Suborbital Space Environment | 3 credits | A. Kleinboehl |
AER 102: Remote Sensing and Mesospheric Modeling | 3 credits | K. Foster |
AER 103: Airborne Remote Sensing of Noctilucent Clouds | 3 credits | J. Reimuller |
AER 104: Aeronomy Thesis | 3 credits | TBD |
Bioastronautics: IVA Space Suit Evaluation Concentration | ||
BIO 101: Spaceflight Physiology | 3 credits | E. Seedhouse |
BIO 102/OPS 102: Spacecraft Egress an Rescue Operations | 3 credits | J. Reimuller |
BIO 103: Microgravity Space Suit Evaluation | 3 credits | A. Persad |
BIO 104: Post-Landing Space Suit Evaluation | 3 credits | K. Trujillo |
Science Education Concentration | ||
EDU 101: Citizen Science Research Methods | 2 credits | S. Ritter |
EDU 102: Science Communication | 3 credits | S. Redmond |
EDU 103: IIAS Instructor Qualification Course | 3 credits | S. Redmond |
EDU 104: IIAS Leadership Development Course | 3 credits | S. Proctor |
Bioastronautics: EVA Space Suit Evaluation Concentration | ||
EVA 101: Life Support Systems | 3 credits | E. Seedhouse |
EVA 102: Operational Space Medicine | 3 credits | S. Pandya |
EVA 103: Planetary Field Geology and EVA Tool Development | 3 credits | J. Hurtado, U. Horodyskyj |
EVA 104: Gravity-Offset EVA Space Suit Evaluation | 3 credits | K. Trujillo |
EVA 105: Fundamentals of Underwater Analog EVA | 3 credits | M. Harasymczuk |
Space Flight Operations Concentration | ||
OPS 101: Spacecraft Systems Engineering | 3 credits | K. Trujillo |
OPS 102/BIO 102: Spacecraft Egress and Rescue Operations | 3 credits | J. Reimuller |
OPS 103: Operational Space Medicine | 3 credits | S. Pandya |
OPS 104: Astrodynamics and Orbital Operations | 3 credits | K. Ernandes |
Flight Test Engineering Concentration | ||
FTE 101: Fundamentals of Flight Test Engineering | 3 credits | K. Trujillo |
FTE 102: Fixed Wing Performance Flight Testing | 3 credits | TBD |
FTE 103: Fixed-Wing Stability and Control Flight Testing | 3 credits | TBD |
FTE 104: High-Performance Flight Testing | 2 credits | TBD |
Upcoming Class Schedule
DATES | COURSE | LOCATION | INSTRUCTOR |
---|---|---|---|
Feb 1 - Apr 10, 2021 | AER 101: Suborbital Space Environment | Online Education | Dr. Armin Kleinboehl |
Feb 1 - Apr 10, 2021 | FTE 101: Fundamentals of Flight Test Engineering | Online Education | Mr. Ken Trujillo, Mr. Duff Gowanlock |
Feb 1 - Apr 10, 2021 | BIO 101: Space Flight Physiology | Online Education | Dr. Erik Seedhouse |
Feb 1 - Apr 10, 2021 (virtual) (Campaign May 25-28) | EVA 102: Operational Space Medicine | San Francisco Volcanic Flats, AZ. | Dr. Shawna Pandya, Dr. Jeremy Saget |
Feb 3 - Apr 10, 2021 (virtual) (Campaign May 29-June 1) | EVA 103: Planetary Field Geology and EVA Tool Development | San Francisco Volcanic Flats, AZ. | Dr. Jose Hurtado, Dr. Ulyana Horodyskyj |
Apr 17-21: PoSSUM Classes 2001 and 2002 April 19-23: 2020 PoSSUM Academy | AST 101: Fundamentals of Applied Astronautics (Advanced PoSSUM Academy) | Florida Tech, Melbourne, FL. | Dr. Jason Reimuller, Dr. Erik Seedhouse, Dr. Paul Buza |
Apr 24-28: PoSSUM Classes 2003 and 2101 April 26-30: 2021 PoSSUM Academy | AST 101: Fundamentals of Applied Astronautics (Advanced PoSSUM Academy | Florida Tech, Melbourne, FL. | Dr. Jason Reimuller, Dr. Erik Seedhouse, Dr. Paul Buza |
March 15-April 10, 2021 (Campaign May 1-5) | BIO 102: Spacecraft Egress and Rescue Operations | Survival Systems USA, Groton, CT. | Dr. Jason Reimuller |
May 6-9, 2021 | BIO 104: Advanced Spacecraft Egress - Post-landing Spacesuit Operations | Survival Systems USA, Groton, CT. | Mr. Ken Trujillo |
May 10-12, 2021 | OPS 104b: Orbital Mechanics and Mission Simulation | Survival Systems USA, Groton, CT. | Mr. Ken Ernandes |
Feb 1 - Apr 10, 2021 (virtual) (Campaign May 13-16) | EVA 105: Fundamentals of Underwater EVA Operations | Survival Systems USA, Groton, CT. | Mr. Ken Trujillo |
May 17-21, 2021 | BIO 103: Microgravity Space Suit Evaluation | National Research Council, Ottawa, Ontario | Dr. Aaron Persad |
April 20 - July 31, 2021 | EDU 101: Citizen Science Research Methods | Online Education | Mr. Scott Ritter |
April 20 - July 31, 2021 (campaign June 6-12) | FTE 102: Fixed-Wing Performance Flight Testing | Spaceport Colorado, Watkins, CO. | Mr. Ken Trujillo, Mr. Duff Gowanlock |
April 20 - July 31, 2021 (campaign June 13-20) | FTE 103: Fixed-Wing Stability and Control Flight Testing | Spaceport Colorado, Watkins, CO. | Mr. Ken Trujillo, Mr. Duff Gowanlock |
April 20 - July 31, 2021 (campaign July 10-22) | AER 103 Field Campaign: Airborne Remote Sensing of the Mesosphere | Yellowknife, NWT | Dr. Jason Reimuller |
August 8 - 26 October, 2021 | EVA 101: Life Support Systems | Online Education | Dr. Erik Seedhouse |
August 8 - 26 October, 2021 | AER 102: Remote Sensing and Mesospheric Modeling | Online Education | Mr. Kyle Foster |
August 8 - 26 October, 2021 | EDU 102: Fundamentals of Science Communication and Education | Online Education | Mrs. Shayla Redmond |
TBD | AST 101: Fundamentals of Applied Astronautics (Advanced PoSSUM Academy) | Florida Tech, Melbourne, FL. | Dr. Jason Reimuller, Dr. Erik Seedhouse |
August 8 - 26 October, 2021 (campaign TBD) | EVA 104: Gravity-Offset EVA Suit Evaluation | Canadian Space Agency, Montreal Qc. | Dr. Aaron Persad, Mr. Ted Southern |
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 planned course.
Tuition Costs
The IIAS Applied Astronautics Credential is designed to be completed in 12-months of intensive study. Those accepted for candidacy will consult with their faculty advisor and must select their concentrations of study by 15 January or by 15 July of the year when they wish to start their studies.
Tuition includes 30 credits of academic instruction including a thesis and three research field campaigns of the students choice. Books and graduation materials are included.
Base Tuition and Fees: | $17995 | |
AST 101: Fundamentals of Astronautics | Included | |
EDU 101: Citizen-Science Research Methods | Included | |
AST 199: Thesis | Included | |
Select Two Academic Concentrations: | ||
Aeronomy (AER 101 and AER 102) | included | |
Bioastronautics: IVA (BIO 101 and EVA 101) | included | |
Science Education (EDU 102 and EDU 103) | included | |
Space Flight Operations (OPS 101 and OPS 102) (Groton CT) | +$2000 | |
Bioastronautics: EVA (EVA 101 and one of EVA 102 or EVA 103) (Flagstaff, AZ) | +$1800 | |
Select Three Citizen-Science Campaigns: | ||
AER 103: Airborne Noctilucent Cloud Tomography (Yellowknife, NWT) | Included | |
BIO 103: Microgravity Space Suit Evaluation (Ottawa, ON) | Included | |
OPS 104: Astrodynamics and Mission Simulation (Groton, CT) | Included | |
BIO 104: Post-Landing Space Suit Evaluation (Requires Space Flight Operations Concentration) (Groton, CT) | Included | |
EVA 104: Gravity-Offset EVA Space Suit Evaluation (Requires Bioastronautics EVA Concentration) (Montreal, QC) | Included | |
EDU 104: Space Leadership Development Course (Flagstaff, AZ) | Included | |
Optional Services: | ||
PoSSUM Scientist-Astronaut Qualification | +$1500 | |
Nomex Flight Suit | +$295 |
Please account for transportation expenses to the field research campaign locations. Lodging is included for the following field campaigns: AER 103, EVA 102, EVA 103, and EDU 104. BIO 102, BIO 104, OPS 104, BIO 103, and AST 101 do not include lodging. Here is a list with the anticipated expense of lodging for each course:
- BIO 102, BIO 104, OPS 104 (Groton, CT., $250 each)
- BIO 103 (Ottawa, Ontario, $250)
- AST 101 (Melbourne FL, $400)