A space experience in the Austrian Alps

The 2016 Alpbach Summer School took place between July 12 and 21 and was attended by 58 students from 18 member countries of the European Space Agency (ESA). António Cabaços, from the Faculty of Engineering of the University of Porto (FEUP), Diogo Paraíso, from the Instituto Superior Técnico (IST), and Jorge Monteiro, from the University of Beira Interior (UBI), were the Portuguese students selected to take part in the Alpbach experience.

The theme of the 40th edition of the Alpbach Summer School was the Global Water Cycle. Based on the premise that "the presence of water on planet Earth, whether in liquid or solid form, is one of its defining characteristics and an absolute prerequisite for the existence of life,"students were challenged to design and plan innovative satellite missions that would contribute to the observation of critical elements of the water cycle.

Grouped into four teams—Green, Red, Orange, and Blue—participants were able to develop their ideas under the guidance of experienced researchers and engineers in the fields of space science and technology.

Diogo Paraíso, a student at IST, joined the Green team called WAVE-E – Water Vapor European Explorer. The presentation of a satellite mission for more accurate forecasting of atmospheric phenomena and climate change was awarded the "Science" and "Best Presentation" prizes.

The Orange team, called SWEAT – Snow Water Equivalent with AlTimetry, led by Jorge Monteiro from UBI, presented a model for measuring the amount of ice present in the sea and on land in polar regions, with the aim of contributing to our understanding of the influence of the water cycle on the Earth's energy balance. This work was awarded the "Competitiveness" prize.

The Red Team, CoastSat, led by FEUP student António Cabaços, was also awarded a "Special Oscar." The satellite mission, entitled "Measuring Water Quality in Coastal Regions using remote sensing," proposes a solution for measuring water quality in coastal regions, rivers, and lakes. "Keep the oceans clean!" was the motto that impressed the jury.

For 10 days, participants in the Alpbach program enjoyed a unique learning experience and interaction with leading experts in space science and technology. They had the opportunity to work as a team in a scientific context and also to forge friendships with people of different nationalities.

The Alpbach Summer School is a summer school in Space Sciences aimed at undergraduate students in the fields of Exact Sciences and Engineering. It is organized by the Austrian Space Agency (Austrian Aeronautics and Space Agency) and sponsored by ESA, as well as by the national authorities of ESA member and partner countries. One of the partners of the Alpbach summer program is the International Space Science Institute (ISSI).

Portugal has been a member of ESA since 2000. The Foundation for Science and Technology, through its Space Office, is the national entity that coordinates the activities of the Portuguese Delegation, promoting the participation of national companies and R&D institutes in ESA space programs, including those implemented under the ESA-European Union Framework Agreement.

Image credits: MA Jakob (2016 Alpbach Summer School participants) |www.esa.int