SH-SSP 2018!

After finalizing the dates of my trip to Adelaide, the StudyAdelaide team asked me if I wanted to pursue an advanced English course in Adelaide. I enquired if I could pursue something related to Aerospace Engineering as it is my field of passion. StudyAdelaide was kind enough to find the Southern Hemisphere Space Studies Program (SH-SSP 18) offered by the International Space University (ISU) in collaboration with the University of South Australia (UniSA).

When I received an email from the team about this program, I was flabbergasted, but I sent an email back telling them it was just too expensive for me. Within minutes, I got an email stating that I wouldn't have to worry about it. I received a full scholarship for the program that costs around 13000 AUD. (OMG! I know, right?)

After a bit of sightseeing I was taken to the course site (see previous blogs). During my 5-week stay in the UniSA campus for SH-SSP 18, I attended 43 Core Lectures, 20 Hands-On workshops, a stratospheric balloon launch, a rocket launch, 20 team project sessions, 2 team building exercises, 27 social events, 4 public events, disruptive tech talks, 2 mid-term quizzes and an interdisciplinary final exam.

The SH-SSP18 Participants

With the first Korean Astronaut

I realized that I was the youngest participant to attend the program and that most of the participants were professionals. The core lectures and workshops were taken by professors from all over the world, where most of them flew over for just one lecture. The most prominent lecture for me was that given by the first Korean astronaut, Dr. Soyeon Yi.

I was also one of the team project managers of a team of 25 participants. Our team project, “Disaster management- space based solutions for developing nations” used the data from the stratospheric balloon launch. I was privileged enough to represent the team in a project presentation. My individual grade for the team project was the highest that I scored. Our paper was selected and presented in the International Astronautical Congress (IAC) held in Bremen, Germany during 1-5 October, 2018. (My first international publication!)

The project team

SH-SSP 18 was a very intensive program with 206 contact hours officially with many tens of hours put in for the success of the various team projects. I also had the privilege of networking with the top professionals, scientists and other like-minded people.

Apart from all the intense classes, projects and workshops, ISU knows how to have fun! We have culture nights that happen every weekend, people catching up everyday in cafes, pubs and restaurants and of course the amazing meals we get after every public event. My favourite events are the stratospheric balloon launch that happened on the site of Serafino winery and the rocket launch (I don't remember the location). All our hard work at planning and building was paid off well. We also visited the Cleland wildlife park. I was extremely excited as I knew I would be seeing kangaroos and koala bears for the first time. I enjoyed strolling around the park, feeding kangaroos and looking at koalas (I couldn't hug the koalas as we went on a very hot day).

Keith Wright, who was also a participant at SH-SSP18, took a few of us in his aircraft to the beautiful Adelaide hills. On the way back, I had an amazing chance to co-pilot with him. It was super cool, especially when he graciously let me take over for a while. It started out well, but, I got a little bit cocky when I thought I was pretty good and dipped the aircraft. I still remember to this day, Kavindi, one of my closest friends from ISU screaming her lungs out, thinking I would probably end everyone's lives that day. (haha :P). It is one of the best experiences of my life.

During the closing ceremony, I received the completion certificates and lapel pins, which made me an alumnus of both ISU and UniSA, able to network with over 4000 professionals part of ISU.

The whole program has definitely made me a better version of myself and has made me proud to be an engineer. It has offered me cosmos of knowledge in the realm of space, opening portals of international exposure and technical expertise.

All this would not have been possible without StudyAdelaide, ISU, UniSA and the support by the staff in Karunya. The organizations that I have been involved in such as NCC, IAESTE, ASME and SAE over the years have truly equipped me with the professional skills and moral attitude that makes me who I am today.

Opportunities are everywhere, we only have to develop a vision to see it and follow our intuition.

#SHSSP18 #ISU #Space