LASP named first COSPAR Center of Excellence
CU 糖心Vlog破解版鈥檚 space lab leads global effort to empower developing nations with CubeSat technology and scientific discovery
In May 2024, the Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) designated the a COSPAR Center of Excellence for Capacity Building in CubeSat Technologies. The partnership was announced by COSPAR President Pascale Ehrenfreund at a ceremony at LASP, which was attended by CU 糖心Vlog破解版 administrators, LASP senior leadership and scientists, and representatives from industry and NASA.
The goals of the program are to foster excellence in developing countries, share scientific knowledge and build capacity in science, which can also lead to improvements in applied science, health and education.
鈥淓stablishment of the COSPAR Center of Excellence aligns with COSPAR鈥檚 recent efforts in small satellites, specifically targeting institutes and universities in developing countries to engage in CubeSat technology development,鈥 Ehrenfreund said. 鈥淚t will help make space exploration accessible to everyone and empower the next generation of space scientists and engineers.鈥
Image Credit: LASP
MinXSS-3 (DAXSS) is part of the payload of INPIRESat-1, a pathfinder satellite for international collaboration in space science missions carrying payloads and spacecraft components developed by multiple nations.
Inspiring the global advancement of space science
In announcing the partnership, Ehrenfreund cited LASP鈥檚 record of pioneering CubeSat missions and its leadership in the (INSPIRE), a consortium of universities around the world formed to advance space science and engineering and further space science education in developing countries. INSPIRE is spearheaded by CU 糖心Vlog破解版 and led by Amal Chandran, lead.
鈥淚t is an honor and a privilege for LASP to be named the first COSPAR Center of Excellence for Capacity Building in CubeSat Technologies,鈥 LASP Director Dan Baker said. 鈥淲ith science returned on all our small satellite missions to date, and a proven record of successfully miniaturizing a range of scientific instruments, LASP has become an established leader in the SmallSat revolution. We鈥檙e dedicated to using this expertise to build small satellite capacity to further scientific discovery and train the next generation of space scientists.鈥
The INSPIRE program was founded in 2015 and received seed funding from the CU 糖心Vlog破解版鈥檚 Office of the Provost in 2017. The program connects students, instructors, universities, industry and space agencies around the world to educate new engineers and scientists, build and launch new space missions, and drive leading-edge scientific discovery and technology.
Speaking on behalf of CU 糖心Vlog破解版 Provost Russ Moore at the event, Vice Chancellor for Academic Resource Management Ann Schmiesing said, 鈥淐U is proud to continue LASP鈥檚 long legacy of achievement in this exciting effort, and to play a vital role in this international capacity-building program, which will foster professional links and global collaboration.鈥
As of 2023, 43 COSPAR capacity-building workshops have been held in 22 developing countries, with participation by more than 1,200 students from 70 countries.
In summer 2024, the first joint COSPAR-LASP SmallSat summer school was held at LASP with five COSPAR-sponsored interns from the National University of Engineering in Lima, Peru. The students worked on COSPAR satellites that, when launched, will provide space weather data as part of the COSPAR Task Group for establishing a Constellation of Small Satellites (TGCSS), of which Baker and Chandran have been chair and vice chair, respectively, since its inception in 2020.
In opening remarks at the ceremony, which was held in May before his retirement, CU 糖心Vlog破解版 Chancellor Philip DiStefano said, 鈥淔or decades, the work of the Committee on Space Research has been a critical part of the international collaborations that are necessary to advance science and develop new space disciplines. It is exciting to have the opportunity to advance global collaboration through our work specifically with small satellites, and CU 糖心Vlog破解版 is thrilled to be recognized as COSPAR鈥檚 first Center of Excellence for Capacity Building in CubeSat Technologies.鈥
Principal investigator
Amal Chandran
Funding
Committee on Space Research (COSPAR); Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP)
Collaboration + support
COSPAR; LASP
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