Intern in the Space Safety Programme Office

Our team and mission

The Space Safety Programme Office takes care of all potential hazards from space or in space, which can impact human activities on Earth or again in space. The spectrum of tasks ranges from gathering the basic understanding of space hazards originating from our Sun, from man-made space debris, or from asteroids potentially colliding with the Earth. It also addresses basic approaches to mitigate these hazards and to implement space systems end-to-end in a sustainable and eco-compatible way. Moreover, several corner stone missions are underway to demonstrate basic methods of space weather forecasting, asteroid deflection and active space debris removal from orbit.

ESA’s Clean Space initiative aims to protect the environment on Earth and in space and ensure continued access to space for future generations. The team’s work is focused on the three following areas:

• Ecodesign for Space: providing a framework for embedding environmental sustainability within space mission design, to define goals to achieve the objective of a Green Space through the development and usage of green technologies.
• End-of-Life Management: developing technologies to prevent the creation of future debris and implementing system activities to promote their integration in future missions, striving to achieve solutions for a Zero debris objective for ESA missions by 2030.
• In-Orbit Servicing: enabling commercial missions aiming at servicing other satellites, through active debris removal, repairing, refuelling or even recycling, as the cornerstone for a vital new European business.

For further information visit our web site: http://www.esa.int

Field(s) of activity for the internship

You can choose between the following topics:

1) Topic 1: Ecodesign and green technologies

It is essential to understand the environmental impact of space missions to be able to tackle the problem. ESA has been pioneering this field and became a world-wide leader. ESA has published the first dedicated Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) Handbook and a specific database. Past studies have been carried out on the basis of different perimeters and environmental tools.

You will have the opportunity to support the team to wrap-up past studies and support on-going studies in order to define the way forward on this field.

2) Topic 2: End of Life management & Zero Debris approach

The traffic in valuable Earth orbits is and will continue to increase exponentially. Despite internationally recognised space debris mitigation guidelines, technical standards, and national space regulations, the disposal of space systems from protected regions and the prevention of in-orbit break-ups still have a low success rate. This calls for the need to improve End-of-Life management of missions flying in Earth orbits of high interest. ESA aims to act as a role model driving space sustainability forward, through a Zero Debris approach to be implemented by 2030.
 

You will be supporting the team working on further developing the Zero Debris approach and improving the End-of-Life Management of missions.

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking

Education

You must have student status and be enrolled at university for the entire duration of the internship. You should preferably be in your final or second to last year of a university course at master’s level in a technical or scientific discipline.

Additional requirements

The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.