Space School Africa [SSA] offers students [school and pre-graduate level] the opportunity to learn more about - and experience - aspects of the outer-atmospheric environment.

SSA consists of 3 categories of participation:

• Space School South Africa – students in South Africa
• Space School Africa – students in Africa
• Space School Africa International – students in Africa participate with students from other Countries and from other Continents

SSA is in essence a leadership programme. For that reason students participate in teams of 6 students. Individual participation is allowed in the Astronomy Olympiad, where students are tested on individual basis.

Outreach Partners: The input of several corporate investors, government departments, academic institutions, organizations and sponsors make it possible for students from disadvantaged communities to participate in the program

Who may participate?

• All school students from grade 1 to 12, and college/university students may participate in the career path development program.
• All student who wish to experience our adventure based activities, including the annual survival space camp
• Students from countries in Africa
• Students from other continents may participate on virtual basis as part of our reciprocal Adoption Program [RAP]: schools form an academic partnership and do research together
• School teachers and college/university lecturers - as team mentors or coaches

Content of the Program

Section 1: Research Projects.   Interns focus on Science Based projects

The program focuses on the following aspects

• Astronomy: The nature of the outer atmospheric ["space"] environment
  • Projects: Our students do science based research projects on various aspects of Astronomy
  • Olympiad: Here we work in partnership with the Astronomy Society of South Africa. We introduced a development Olympiad for school students who live and go to school in disadvantaged school communities.
  • Internship: We nominate 3 students on an annual basis to attend an international Astronomy School, the International Astronomy Space Camp [IAYC] in Europe.
• AstroBiology [Outer Atmospheric Ergonomics]:
  • Aspects relating to human survival in space
• Space medicine
• Aerospace Engineering: The essence of this subsection is “Design and Fly”
  • Aspects relating to Space Science and Technology
  • The Physics of Space flight
  • Space Settlement Design: our students have the opportunity to participate in the annual Boeing International Space Settlement Design Contest.
  • Flight Simulation
  • Space Models “Design and Fly”: Rockets [Students may design and build
    • Bottle rockets
    • Bottle rocket cars
    • Bottle rocket planes
    • Underwater rockets 
  • Space Robotics: Robot design [This project is done in partnership with PCS Edvantures of Idaho, USA]. 
• Space Law: Legal aspects in respect of Outer Space
• Space Economics [“AstroNomics”]  

Section 2 focuses on the interaction between Science and Culture/Art/Music: “Where Culture and Science Meet”

• Students write songs about astronomy and space
• Space Art Competitions

Section 3 focuses on Science Based Competition:

Projects include the following:

• Conquering the Kármán Line
• The Mathematics of Trajectory
• Picking up Space Pebbles [Searching for micro-meteorites]

Section 4  focuses on competitive codes:

The NYDT design and present events for model rocketry and sport robotics in Africa.