The “Nikola Y. Vaptsarov” educational program of VVMU is heading towards another direction – the creation of a community of cadets and students who work on scientific research astronomical and space, national and international programs. Such a stellar community has already begun to build. This was stated to Maritime.bg by Prof. Dr. Veselka Radeva, head of the Maritime Astronomical Observatory and Planetarium at the Maritime School. According to her, the Student Space Society has been actively working at the school since 2017.
– The first and most important task was to include our student and cadet teams in the International Space Program for the Search and Discovery of Asteroids, said Prof. Radeva. The youth gained skills in working with professional astronomical software to process astronomical images of asteroids. Student teams also conduct astronomical observations of asteroids with the Schmitt telescope from the National Astronomical Observatory – Rozhen.
Associate Professor Radeva organized the creation of the Student Space Society at the “Georgi Benkovski” Higher Air Force School. A team of cadet pilots and engineers also participates in the International Asteroid Discovery Program. In the past seven years, space teams from the two military academies have discovered more than 20 new asteroids that lie between Mars and Jupiter.
– The scientific research astronomical work of the teams from the two higher military schools is carried out continuously over time, the young people are already very well prepared for observing asteroids and are familiar with the dangers that can cause collisions with them, said Prof. Radeva. In addition, cadets and students participate in many scientific conferences on space exploration, where they present their developments.
For the seventh year now, the Student Space Society of VVMU has participated in NASA’s Educational Programs for computer simulations of objects on the Moon. Preparations are now underway for a new computer simulation of a lunar base, which will be presented at the May final conference of the International Program for Computer Simulations of Objects on the Far Side of the Moon.
The preparation of two projects by students and cadets from the Maritime School for participation in the competition of the European Space Agency – Student Space Challenge is in progress. One project is about Space Medicine, the other – Space Business. First-year students are developing ideas related to space shuttles that will fly from Europe to the US in an hour. They propose the development of a business idea for using the space shuttles intended for space tourism to transport human organs for transplants, added Prof. Radeva. Participation of our students in scientific conferences of the military universities and the Institute for Space Studies at the BAS is coming.
Students and cadets from the Space Society of VVMU are also preparing their participation in space hackathons. During these events, young people in Bulgaria who are interested in space research exchange ideas, create working groups, develop their motivation to work on problems related to space research. So at the Sea School, the work of the Student Space Society team is continuous.
Every opportunity is used in order to introduce young people to space research in an interesting and exciting way – Assoc. Radeva emphasized. For example, a few weeks ago in the star hall of the Planetarium crowded with teachers, students, cadets and students, one of the leading astronomers of the National Astronomical Observatory – Rozhen, Dr. Yanko Nikolov, presented the most significant scientific astronomical research for the year 2023. It is important that young people who are interested in space be informed about the scientific achievements of Bulgarian scientists-astronomers and space specialists. In this way, a society of young people with an interest in space research, with a strong meaningful motivation to work in the field of space sciences is created.
An important role in space education in Bulgaria is played by the fastest growing space company in our country – EnduroSat, Prof. Radeva noted. Bulgaria has been developing space science for decades, but now something new is being built, a real space business sector. The new master’s program in space technologies, the scientific research space laboratories being established in several Bulgarian universities will also help in its development.
Only a few weeks ago, the largest laboratory for space research in our country was opened at VVMU with the financial and organizational-educational support of EnduroSat, recalled the head of the School’s Marine Astronomical Observatory and Planetarium. This is the second project of the space company in a few months, after they created the first space laboratory at SU “St. Kliment Ohridski”. A space laboratory is to be opened at the “Georgi Benkovski” Higher Air Force School.
The “Azimov” space laboratory of VVMU has all the necessary computer systems and software products for the creation of artificial satellites. The company focuses on practical training of the future space expert engineers, necessary for the creation of the space sector in our country. In this way, EnduroSat aims to introduce a new type of education in which practice is 70% and theory the remaining 30%. The beginning of a large space education program is being set to speed up the development of the space sector in Bulgaria, Assoc. Radeva also said.
According to her, the optimistic thing is that already in the management team of our country, the vision of space as an extremely important sector for the development of Bulgaria is starting to take shape. The creation of a National Space Agency is being prepared. The EnduroSat team is working particularly actively for this again. The Bulgarian Space Agency will work to develop the space business, space education and space defense. And this will happen this year, as announced by the Minister of Innovation. The agency will develop a National Space Strategy.
The space activity of VVMU is mainly aimed at the educational part and the activity of the Student Space Society. Our work in space education is at the core of both the National Space Agency and the National Space Strategy. The creation of a National Space Agency and a space strategy will greatly contribute to Bulgaria becoming a full member of the European Space Agency, added Prof. Radeva.
And why in such a school profiled in maritime education, as VVMU, the policy of its leadership, which is finding more and more like-minded people, is to engage in the development of the space sector? Many cannot understand and ask, from where to where in the Maritime University space strategies are developed? How, from where to where! – emphasized the head of the Marine Astronomical Observatory and Planetarium at the school. At one time, the captains were the first so-called marine cosmonauts on our planet. They have explored the unknown, vast and dangerous sea space as astronauts do in space. True, it is much different with them. But maybe the marine cosmonauts will have it very easy now too! There is much in common between the exploration and study of the sea and space. One must possess a large complex of qualities, knowledge and skills necessary to survive both in sea and space.
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Tags: Sea school creates stellar community Bulgarias space strategy
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