Tokyo University of Science, Oita Prefecture, and Oita Prefectural Kunisaki High School applied for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's "FY6 Aerospace Science and Technology Promotion Commission Aerospace Specialist Human Resources Development Program," and their proposed project, "Bootcamp in Oita to develop human resources to lead space-oriented businesses," was selected.
This program will implement a training camp-style human resource development program centered around two main activities: the "Space Business Workshop," where participants can discuss the future of space business with companies at the forefront of commercial space use, and "Mission-Based Learning (MBL)," which utilizes parabolic flight experiments.
High school students from all over Japan will participate in multiple training camps with students from Oita Prefectural Kunisaki High School, where they will acquire a business mindset and the ability to pioneer new missions. In addition, by having university students participate in the program as mentors to guide the high school students, the program aims to develop educators and leaders who will lead the space utilization industry.
Oita Prefecture has been working towards the realization of a spaceport ahead of the times for commercial space utilization, and has recognized the importance of nurturing human resources who will be responsible for the space business of the future. In response, the prefecture opened a SPACE course at Oita Prefectural Kunisaki High School, where high school students are beginning to increase their knowledge of space development and utilization across a range of fields.
Tokyo University of Science has been implementing an MBL-style space education program for high school and university students since 2015, where participants propose their own missions and then carry out actual missions through parabolic flight experiments, etc., and has produced many excellent human resources. This program also has a system in which graduates act as mentors to instruct their juniors, strengthening their teaching and educational skills through mutual teaching, and one graduate who has become business-minded has voluntarily founded a student venture called "Space Learning Company Seed Co., Ltd." to develop MBL teaching materials, and has realized the commercial development of space education materials.
By linking these activities, Tokyo University of Science, Oita Prefecture, and Oita Prefectural Kunisaki High School will work together to develop human resources who will lead the new space utilization industry. Applications for students will be accepted from October on the Tokyo University of Science Space Education Program website.
