Applied Astronautics Program

COVID-19 Update: As of 12 March 2020, all Spring PoSSUM courses have been postponed. This includes PoSSUM Scientist-Astronaut Class 2001, Advanced PoSSUM Academy, and the field components for BIO 102, BIO 104, EVA 102, and EVA 103. Please stay posted for updates.

The Professional Certificate in Applied Astronautics

The only program of its type in the world, the Professional Credential in Applied Astronautics is awarded by the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences involving components of both Project PoSSUM and Project OTTER. It is a 26-credit immersive professional education program currently under accreditation process enabling publishable, peer-reviewed scientific research in the fields of aeronomy, bioastronautics, EVA operations, space flight operations, and science education. Tuition, including textbooks and room and board for select courses, starts at $14,500.

Project PoSSUM members test Final Frontier space suits through unassisted top-hatch egress procedures in a test article approximating NASA's Orion spacecraft.
Spacesuit Readiness in Mission Control
PoSSUM team members testing seat ingress methods in microgravity using Final Frontier 3G IVA spacesuits (credit: Cinemaraven)

Applied Astronautics Curriculum

Students enrolled in the Applied Astronautics Program complete all core classes (8 credits), select two concentrations from the list below (12 credits), and select two Advanced Research Electives (6 credits).

Class TitleCredit EquivalentsInstructor(s)
Core Classes
AST 101: Advanced PoSSUM Academy 2 creditsJ. Reimuller, E. Seedhouse
BIO 102: Spacecraft Egress and Rescue Operations3 creditsJ. Reimuller
EDU 101: Citizen Science Research Methods2 creditsS. Ritter
Aeronomy Concentration
AER 101: Suborbital Space Environment 2 creditsA. Kleinboehl
AER 102: Remote Sensing and Modeling of the Mesosphere3 creditsS. Mitchell, K. Foster
Bioastronautics Concentration
BIO 101: Spaceflight Physiology 2 creditsE. Seedhouse
BIO 103: Microgravity Spacesuit Evaluation 3 creditsA. Persad, L. Kennick
Extravehicular Activity Concentration
EVA 101: Life Support Systems2 creditsE. Seedhouse
EVA 103: Planetary Field Geology and EVA Tool Development3 creditsU. Horodyskyj, J. Hurtado
Space Flight Operations Concentration
OPS 101: System Engineering for Human Spaceflight2 creditsK. Trujillo
OPS 102: Orbital Mechanics and Mission Simulation3 creditsTBD
Advanced Research Electives
AER 103: Airborne Remote Sensing of Noctilucent Clouds 3 creditsJ. Reimuller
EDU 102: Space Suit Technician Qualification1 creditT. Southern, C. Lundeen
BIO 104: Post-Landing Space Suit Evaluation2 creditsK. Trujillo
EVA 102: Operational Space Medicine3 creditsS. Pandya, J. Saget
EVA 104: Gravity-Offset EVA Space Suit Evaluation2 creditsT. Southern, K. Trujillo
OPS 103: Flight Test Engineering - Performance3 creditsTBD
OPS 104: Flight Test Engineering - Stability and Control3 creditsTBD
AST 199: Thesis3-6 creditsTBD
Download Program Overview

2020 Course Offerings

DATESCOURSELOCATIONINSTRUCTOR
Feb 1 - Apr 10, 2021AER 101: Suborbital Space EnvironmentOnline EducationDr. Armin Kleinboehl
Feb 1 - Apr 10, 2021FTE 101: Fundamentals of Flight Test EngineeringOnline EducationMr. Ken Trujillo, Mr. Duff Gowanlock
Feb 1 - Apr 10, 2021BIO 101: Space Flight PhysiologyOnline EducationDr. Erik Seedhouse
Feb 1 - Apr 10, 2021 (virtual)
(Campaign May 25-28)		EVA 102: Operational Space MedicineSan Francisco Volcanic Flats, AZ.Dr. Shawna Pandya, Dr. Jeremy Saget
Feb 3 - Apr 10, 2021 (virtual)
(Campaign May 29-June 1)		EVA 103: Planetary Field Geology and EVA Tool DevelopmentSan Francisco Volcanic Flats, AZ.Dr. Jose Hurtado, Dr. Ulyana Horodyskyj
Apr 17-21: PoSSUM Classes 2001 and 2002
April 19-23: 2020 PoSSUM Academy		AST 101: Fundamentals of Applied Astronautics (Advanced PoSSUM Academy)Florida Tech, Melbourne, FL.Dr. Jason Reimuller, Dr. Erik Seedhouse, Dr. Paul Buza
Apr 24-28: PoSSUM Classes 2003 and 2101
April 26-30: 2021 PoSSUM Academy		AST 101: Fundamentals of Applied Astronautics (Advanced PoSSUM AcademyFlorida Tech, Melbourne, FL.Dr. Jason Reimuller, Dr. Erik Seedhouse, Dr. Paul Buza
March 15-April 10, 2021
(Campaign May 1-5)		BIO 102: Spacecraft Egress and Rescue OperationsSurvival Systems USA, Groton, CT.Dr. Jason Reimuller
May 6-9, 2021BIO 104: Advanced Spacecraft Egress - Post-landing Spacesuit OperationsSurvival Systems USA, Groton, CT.Mr. Ken Trujillo
May 10-12, 2021OPS 104b: Orbital Mechanics and Mission SimulationSurvival Systems USA, Groton, CT.Mr. Ken Ernandes
Feb 1 - Apr 10, 2021 (virtual)
(Campaign May 13-16)		EVA 105: Fundamentals of Underwater EVA OperationsSurvival Systems USA, Groton, CT.Mr. Ken Trujillo
May 17-21, 2021BIO 103: Microgravity Space Suit EvaluationNational Research Council, Ottawa, OntarioDr. Aaron Persad
April 20 - July 31, 2021EDU 101: Citizen Science Research MethodsOnline EducationMr. Scott Ritter
April 20 - July 31, 2021
(campaign June 6-12)		FTE 102: Fixed-Wing Performance Flight TestingSpaceport Colorado, Watkins, CO.Mr. Ken Trujillo, Mr. Duff Gowanlock
April 20 - July 31, 2021
(campaign June 13-20)		FTE 103: Fixed-Wing Stability and Control Flight TestingSpaceport Colorado, Watkins, CO.Mr. Ken Trujillo, Mr. Duff Gowanlock
April 20 - July 31, 2021
(campaign July 10-22)		AER 103 Field Campaign: Airborne Remote Sensing of the Mesosphere
Yellowknife, NWTDr. Jason Reimuller
August 8 - 26 October, 2021EVA 101: Life Support SystemsOnline EducationDr. Erik Seedhouse
August 8 - 26 October, 2021AER 102: Remote Sensing and Mesospheric ModelingOnline EducationMr. Kyle Foster
August 8 - 26 October, 2021EDU 102: Fundamentals of Science Communication and EducationOnline EducationMrs. Shayla Redmond
TBDAST 101: Fundamentals of Applied Astronautics (Advanced PoSSUM Academy)Florida Tech, Melbourne, FL.Dr. Jason Reimuller, Dr. Erik Seedhouse
August 8 - 26 October, 2021
(campaign TBD)		EVA 104: Gravity-Offset EVA Suit Evaluation
Canadian Space Agency, Montreal Qc.Dr. Aaron Persad, Mr. Ted Southern