The IIAS Professional Certificate in Aeronomy provides a practical education for the students interested in upper-atmospheric research from a practical, field-research oriented perspective including the use of research aircraft, high-altitude balloons, and suborbital spacecraft. Students learn to study noctilucent clouds from research aircraft, design space-qualified instrumentation and analyze field data. Remote field deployment and the successful completion of a research thesis is required for graduation. Estimated tuition cost (2023) is $12400, exclusive of on-site lodging and flight suit.
If you are interested in a specific specialization, IIAS offers a unique opportunity to receive professional certificates in specialized research areas including aeronomy, bioastronautics, space suit evaluation, science education, space flight operations, and flight test engineering. Each credential consists of 16 credits of instruction which are administered through distance education and combined with several weeks of on-site intensive research activities. A FAA Class III Flight Physical (or equivalent) is required.
The Professional Certificate in Bioastronautics
Concentration in IVA Space Suit Evaluation (16 credits)
The IIAS Professional Certificate in Bioastronautics offers a concentration in Intra-vehicular Space Suit Evaluation together with Project PoSSUM and Final Frontier Design. This credential provides the student a hands-on, immersive education that will serve as a career in human space flight and technologies related to the human adaptation to the space environment. Students learn to test spacesuits in microgravity environments, high-G environments, and landing and post-landing environments. Estimated tuition cost (2023) is $22950, exclusive of on-site lodging and flight suit.
The Professional Certificate in Bioastronautics
Concentration in EVA Space Suit Evaluation (16 credits)
The IIAS Professional Certificate in Bioastronautics offers a concentration in Extra-Vehicular Space Suit Evaluation in partnership with Project OTTER and Final Frontier Design. This credential provides a practical education for the professional interested in extravehicular space suit test and operations. Students learn about life support systems, operational space medicine, Martian and lunar geology, EVA tool development and test, and EVA space suit systems evaluation in gravity-offset environments. Estimated tuition cost (2023) is $14600, exclusive of on-site lodging and flight suit.
The Professional Certificate in Space Flight Operations
In Conjunction with Project OTTER (16 credits)
The IIAS Professional Certificate in Space Flight Operations introduced the student to system engineering of human spaceflight architecture, astrodynamics, contingency operations, and spacecraft egress and post-landing operations. Mission simulation and analog training is used together with theoretical instruction of orbital and post-landing operations. Estimated tuition cost (2023) is $15950, exclusive of on-site lodging and flight suit.
The Professional Certificate in Flight Test Engineering
Evaluating Flying Qualities of Fixed-Wing Aircraft (16 credits)
The IIAS Professional Certificate in Flight Test Engineering is a unique program designed to provide high-value instruction to students interested in fundamentals of the flight testing of fixed-wing aircraft. A variety of aircraft (single, twin, jet, and aerobatic) are used to conduct tests in a wide range of weight and balance configurations. Estimated tuition cost (2023) is $14450, exclusive of on-site lodging and flight suit.
