SpacE Exploration and Development Systems (SEEDS): Preparing European Experts for the Future Space Exploration

The SEEDS Initiative, originated from the Politecnico di Torino with the support of Alenia Spazio, is aimed at establishing an International Master Course focussed on Space Exploration and Development Systems, to offer an opportunity for young engineers to get prepared for the next future of Europe in Space. The SEEDS Project has been shared with SUPAERO Toulouse in France and with Universität Bremen (together with ZARM) in Germany. The three European Towns (namely Torino, Toulouse and Bremen) have a long common tradition of Space Activities at industrial and academic level and constitute three poles of the European cooperation in space, representing the three Leading Nations involved in the European Space Programmes The first year of activity started in November 2005, with a Plenary Opening which took place at the ESA-ERASMUS Centre, Noordwijk, with the full support of the Human Space-Flight Microgravity and Exploration Directorate of ESA. The objectives, the structure and the organization of the Master are described in some detail, providing information on the Technical Courses, to take place in parallel at the three locations, covering the basic disciplines divided in two groups: Understating Space and Learning about Space Systems. The key distinguishing feature of the SEEDS Master, in addition to its internationality, is the Joint Project Work, planned to take place over a period of about nine months in Toulouse – Bremen – Torino, with the involvement of all the students who will be engaged, for three periods of about three months each, in the study and preliminary design of an Exploration Architecture, covering the Robotic, the Transportation and the Human aspects respectively. The experience of the first year of activity and the plans for the next coming years are also presented and discussed.