One Giant Leap Australia (OGL) and SpacePort Australia (SPA) have announced a strategic partnership to create Space Science School: Engagement, Education. Academic to Manufacturing, also referred to as the ‘Triple S Atom Project’ (SSS-AtoM©).
Dr Caswell stated, “Before the successful journey of Artemis II, human space flight did not seem real for a lot recent generations. Now, in the timeframe of less than a month, there has been the renaissance of human space flight, and a plan to settle on the Moon in the next couple of years”, she continued, “The growing space sector was estimated to reach $USD 35 trillion by 2030. I think we can half the time frame, and double the dollar value. The world is now ‘on mission’”.
According to the announcement, SSS-AtoM© will continue the educational outreach initiatives of One Giant Leap Australia and Dr Caswell of SpacePort Australia, combining programs that began independently and aiming to increase access to STEM education in rural and remote areas.
The organisations said the initiative is intended to respond to anticipated growth in the space and advanced technology sectors and a related skills gap. The release claims more than 10,000 space-skilled professionals will be needed in the near term, spanning fields including robotics, space medicine, coding and navigation.
Ms Carpenter said, “There must be an integrated and engaging pathway that connects what students learn in both formal and informal education settings, with the skills required by tomorrow’s workforce. One Giant Leap Australia has been working to highlight the practical capabilities young people will need, and in some cases for the future jobs which are yet to be conceived and created”.
The announcement said the SSS-AtoM© project aims to expand the reach of One Giant Leap Australia’s education programs and broaden their scope to include areas such as film, arts and design. It also links lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic to the isolation expected in “Exploration Class Space Missions (ECSM)” and extraterrestrial colonisation, arguing that mental health and cognition will be relevant considerations for future space activity.
Dr Caswell noted that the sector is “rapidly shifting toward commercial leadership”, referencing SpaceX and Blue Origin as examples, and said Australia does not yet have comparable capabilities at scale. She said, “You never know which child attending One Giant Leap’s Australia Aerospace Camp will be the one to build Australia’s next breakthrough”, adding, ‘But we can all contribute to making learning opportunities possible”.
The initiative also aims to strengthen OGL’s connections across the education sector and increase exposure to commercial partners and research and development environments, as well as companies operating in the global space industry.
Dr. Gabrielle M. Caswell said, “Inspiring the next generation requires making science, science careers, tangible and accessible. Through this collaboration, we are building a global network of hubs that connect education with real-world pathways into STEM careers. If there are people who would like to contribute to SSS-AtoM©, or help a kid get to Space Camp, please do contact one of us, a small amount can go a long way. As I often tell students and mentorees — if we can imagine it, we can achieve it.”
