Idea about World University of distance teaching

About international distance education system in aerospace activity sphere

V.A.Menshikov, E.M.Malitikov, V.P.Kondrashev

FGUP "M.V.Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center" - Research and Development

Institute for Space Systems (NII KS)

Russian Space Academy named after K.E.Tsyolkovsky

Moscow regional Branch

Yubileiny, Moscow region, M.K.Tikhonravov Str., 27, 141092, Russia

 

Astronautics, being by its nature the area that integrates the results of various branches of science and technology, now seriously affects human's everyday life. Space communications, navigation, ecological monitoring, the natural resources protection and, recently, technogenic, natural and terrorist threats (TNT- threats) situation-related monitoring, television broadcasting and so on, has become an integral part of society's economic and cultural life in all countries of the world as a matter of fact. As a result the circle of people working in the area of space activities is only growing in time, the education in the field of space technology and science becomes more actual and prestigious. As experience shows, it's impossible or very hard even for a capable young person to become a specialist with high working creativity, with world-level novelty and efficiency of intellectual results all by himself. It is also obvious that the hand over of knowledge, experience and skills can be duly performed only by organizations and firms that gained worldwide recognition in the fields of their activity. Taking into consideration all above mentioned, the Russian Space Academy named after K.E. Tsyolkovsky together with leading aerospace industrial enterprises and organizations initiated the establishment of World Space University of Distance Learning as one of the key elements of global international space system of knowledge dissemination and education (GMKS RZO) which can become the intellectual base for the education. The basic foreground educational directions in our opinion should be:

-          ecological monitoring and Earth remote sensing;

-          automatic satellites for civil applications;

-          long-time orbital stations and transport systems;

-          the Moon and the planets exploration by automatic and manned spacecrafts.

Besides that the establishment of GMKS RZO is connected to the need of society, science and aerospace industry in the high skilled young specialists and scientists. That's why the tasks of GMKS RZO should be as follows:

-          dissemination of knowledge and education in new scientific disciplines, formed and extended in the scientific schools that gained worldwide recognition, including space flight dynamics; practical rocket motors engineering, unique highly reliable control systems for the rockets and spacecrafts; space medicine and life support systems for manned space systems; theoretical generalization of scientific information about the Universe and the planets of the Solar System;

-          the study of achievements in the field of complex space systems advanced design methods, production and operational technologies designed at the basis of improved automatics and microelectronics; distant control and guidance of spacecrafts, attitude parameters measurement at interplanetary distances, the study of space launch sites engineering and modular unpressurized space platforms design technology;

-          learning of the practical utilization of space by the design of meteo satellite systems; geodetic satellites; ecological monitoring systems; natural resources and environmental global space monitoring; global telecommunications system and establishment on this base of united information space of Russia;

-          bringing to the students the ideas of our famous compatriots K.E. Tsyolkovsky, S.P. Korolyov, V.I. Vernadsky about the necessity of human large scale penetration in space along with fragile balance of nature preserving;

-          transition from subject system of education to the system, based on the complex space projects execution, essential extension of the number of project's participants with the aid of modern data and educational technologies, will allow retaining already available knowledge and expertise and introduce new system of uninterrupted rising of skill level, knowledge renovation and accumulation.

The scientific and technical potential, available in the Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center (Research and Development Institute for Space Systems, NII KS) can be used for training of specialists not only for the companies from Russia and CIS countries, but also for all countries joining the space activities and wishing to have their own specialists. The organization of training in this situation is of cause feasible only in the form of distance learning on the base of new educational and data technologies with the use of modern telecommunications. Taking into consideration all circumstances, the idea of World University of Distance Learning was put forward by the Director of NII KS, Prof. V.A. Menshikov and a number of other prominent scientists and businessmen. The idea of University was supported and approved Past-General Director of Khrunichev Space Center A.A. Medvedev. Moreover he has put a task to study the possibility of distance learning of Kazakhstan specialists in the frame of KazSat project. The University is established for graduating high qualification specialists on the requiring payment base. The students may come from every country of the world. Learning may include courses in the field of rocket and space technology and in the other fields of science and technology with high demand for employees, and may be organized on the base of Khrunichev Space Center and Research and Development Institute for Space Systems - branch of Khrunichev Space Center.

The organizational and financial support for the establishment of the University is provided by CIS Interstate Committee on Knowledge Dissemination and Adult Education. A number of Russian high schools, such as MIREA for example, other high schools and scientific research and development institutes have been joining this process. A number of German educational institutions are also take part in the establishment of the University. That was a point of issue during the successful talks of E.M. Malitikov and V.A. Menshikov with their German counterparts that took place in Germany.

As the analysis shows territorial and organizational accommodation of the University can be organized on the base of the Research and Development Institute for Space Systems - Branch of Khrunichev Space Center because there are all material, scientific and technical and intellectual conditions. Not explicating the question, it's necessary to notice that the conception of the University's structure is unusual and have a whole number of particularities. The University's structure will include, in particular, branches and supporting points in a number of major Russian cities, in CIS-member countries and in the other countries as well. At the first University's operation stages the information links may be primarily individual, such as e-mail and Internet. The University's engineering center for distance learning providing the stable interactive communications between teachers and students is aimed at the significant increase of teaching and knowledge comprehension effectivity. In this instance the student will not be left one by one with the subject, but the educational process will be effectively controlled by experienced methodists and teachers using the telecommunications links. Language barrier is one of the significant obstacles: at first stages it would be possible to use three or four languages (Russian, English, Spanish, German), but later the number of languages in use can be significantly greater.

In the conclusion it can be mentioned that successful realization of the idea of World University of Distance Learning will add to the Khrunichev Space Center the world fame not only as the manufacturer of unique rockets and space stations and the launcher of space satellites for many countries of the world, but as the Center of knowledge dissemination and the institution which brings education closer to all interested persons in any point of the world, sharing with them it's high intellectual potential and experience.