Coimbra Space Summer School celebrates 10 years with participants from 16 nationalities

With over 30 participants from 16 nationalities, this year’s edition of the Coimbra Space Summer School celebrated its 10thanniversary, and it couldn't have marked this milestone with a better event.Organized by the Instituto Pedro Nunes (IPN) in partnership with ESA Space Solutions, the Geophysical and Astronomical Observatory of the University of Coimbra (OGAUC), and the Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences, the event took place at the beginning of September with the goal of rewarding business ideas that utilize space technology.

The week kicked off with the presentation of the NewSpace Portugal program, giving participants insight into what is being done in Portugal's space sector and how the country aims to evolve in the coming years.Over the course of three days, the participants – mostly higher education students from various universities across the country, including, as in the previous year, students from the international GeoPlaNet master's program – had the opportunity to work in teams composed of members from diverse academic backgrounds, each contributing different perspectives. This allowed for the development of innovative approaches to solving current problems.

Moreover, speakers from business, academic, and scientific fields shared their valuable experience, training, and knowledge through conferences on space science – such as the impact of geomagnetic storms on the transportation system, presented by researcher Rute Santos – and business-related topics, like the presentation by Pedro Resende from the start-up OWL on the power of a good pitch, or the importance of legal knowledge in space exploration, with Helena Mendonça, a consultant from VdA - Vieira de Almeida.

The teams had the opportunity to receive mentorship from the attending speakers. The first day concluded with a grand visit to OGAUC and an astronomical observation session led by researchers Nuno Peixinho, Ricardo Gafeira, and Teresa Barata. The last day wrapped up with team pitch presentations and the awarding of prizes to the winners.

Every year, with diverse speakers and valuable knowledge to share, the Coimbra Space Summer School serves as a stage for the birth of disruptive ideas, where Space plays the starring role, and the participants' creativity fuels the narrative of this galactic journey in exploring the potential of the Cosmos.

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