Space researchers of the future meet the experts at summer school
University students from the European Union and Canada got together with leading space experts to discuss futuristic ideas for the innovative use of satellite navigation systems at a summer school organised with the help of the European Space Agency (ESA). The event, organised by the Austrian Space Agency, the Austrian Federal Ministry of Transport, Innovation and Technology, the ESA and national Member State space authorities, took place in Alpback, Austria, from 17 to 26 July this year. The students, all studying space or space-related subjects, met up with 30 aerospace experts to discuss issues relating to satellite navigation and come up with new ideas for the commercial application of such technology. At the end of the summer school a jury selected the group which came up with the best ideas. The winning team worked on ways of propagating sonar signals from Sonar underwater navigation systems (SUNS), which use small buoys to determine the position of underwater objects. SUNS could be used by divers and professional companies searching the seabed. The students also looked at ways of using satellite navigation systems to make traffic problems a thing of the past. Ideas included the development of a guidance system for the visually impaired and solutions to city parking problems. The students also examined ways of providing global weather forecasting and disaster management using medium earth orbiters (SAUMEO) to sound the earth's atmosphere. Propositions were also discussed for the improvement current atmosphere sounding techniques.