Traineeship Opportunity for “Young Graduate Trainees”
Reference
Field of specialisation
Duty Station
ESA/YG-ESOC(2016)004
Engineering - Neutral
Buoyancy Facility (NBF)
EAC
Closing Date
15 December 2016
Overview of the Division’s mission
The Astronaut Training Division, located at the European Astronaut Centre at Cologne is reponsible for the definition,
development, implementation and evalution of ESA astronaut training programmes. Concerning astronaut training for
the International Space Station (ISS), the Division is in charge for the training of all ISS astronauts from ESA and from
the International Partners on all ESA provided ISS contributions. This comprises system and payload training for the
European reasearch laboratory COLUMBUS. Training of certain special skills such as Robotics, Rendez-vous and
Docking (RvD), Extra-Vehicular Activities (EVA) and Human Behaviour and Performance (HBP) are other important
tasks conducted by the Training Division.
The European Astronaut Centre is also preparing the future of space exploration future (post-ISS) and has initiated
developments to acquire expertise in Lunar exploration. The Astronaut Training Division contributes to this effort
through its participation to NASA-NEEMO missions and the initiation of development studies related to Moon
Exploration.
Overview of the field of activity proposed
The Neutral Buoyancy Facility (NBF) is an operational asset of the Astronaut training Division to conduct EVA PreFamiliarization and Proficiency Training for ESA astronauts inside a 10 meter deep water tank.
Through a fine tuning of the buoyancy of the astronauts and of the equipment and tools that they operate underwater,
the astronaut and the tools can behave underwater like if they were submitted to 1/6 G (Moon surface gravity).
In the context of the enhancement of the expertise in the Astronaut Training Division related to Moon exploration, a
study has been run through 2015-2016 within the General Studies Programme of ESA to analyse, how the NBF can be
adapted to support underwater simulations of spacewalks on the Moon surface.
This study, called MOONDIVE, has been performed by a European consortium of companies with expertise in this
field. The results of this studies proposes a set of equipment and tools required to perform underwater a simulation of
typical future EVA activities on the Moon surface.
The goal of this traineeship is to design, develop and build prototypes of surface EVA tools to be tested by ESA
astronauts in underwater simulations of a Moon spacewalk in the NBF. These EVA tools would address authentic
current space exploration challenges in Moon spacewalk surface sampling (float – loosely adhered surface rockssample grabber, rock chip sampling device, dust sample collector), sub-surface sampling (manual coring device for
regolith), small payload deployment on surface, tool and sample transportation and stowage, tool and sample
container kits and underwater sampling platform.
Tasks to be carried out during this traineeship will include:
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Analysis of the outcome from the MOONDIVE study and from the NBF requirements for such simulations.
Definition of the EVA tool functionalities, their human interfaces and their speacial features (to be underwater
negative buoyant close to their apparent weight under lunar gravity at Moon surface).
Design of innovative tools for efficient and user friendly EVA operation on the Moon.
Computer-Aided Design (C.A.D.) drafting of the EVA tools and equipment.
3D printing of tool element and final assembly of tools’ parts.
Functional test of the developed tools to verify their compatibility with the functional requirements.
Support to professional divers testing the tools underwater.
Improvement of the tool designs, based on feedbacks from spacewalk tools users.
Upgrade and enhancement of developed tools for further underwater testing by ESA astronauts.
HIF-HO/TO for Young Graduate Trainees/issue 1.2
01/01/2016
These tools shall be designed and developed to be used underwater in the NBF but shall also be adaptable to be used in
a dry 1-G environment representative of the Moon surface.
The following training will be provided during the course of the traineeship:
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Familarisation with the NBF operations and with EVA training at EAC.
Educational and other requirements
Applicants should have just completed, or be in their final year of a University course at Masters Level (or equivalent)
in a technical or scientific discipline. Applicants shall be studying either a scientific or engineering subject (preferably
in mechanics or aerospace) and shall have knowledge and skills in C.A.D. and 3D printing.
Applicants should have good interpersonal and communication skills and should be able to work effectively in a multicultural environment, both independently and as part of a team
Applicants should also demonstrate:
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Willingness to show and take initiative
Ability to perform thorough work according to defined standards
Strong organisational skills
Creativity
Motivation to solve complex challenges in space exploration.
Applicants must be fluent in English and/or French, the working languages of the Agency. A good proficiency in
English is required.
How can I apply?
Please fill in the online application form.
Please note that only one application may be submitted for the YGT Scheme.
The YGT Scheme is open to recently qualified young men and women
who are nationals of one of the following states:
Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy,
Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK,
or Canada as a Cooperating State, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia and Slovenia as European Cooperating
States (ECS).