Fuglesang coordinates research school on space

“We hope this will generate more research across a broad spectrum within the field of space, from space technology to space law, for example,” says Fuglesang , who directed KTH's Space Centre  from 2014 to 2025.

The Swedish Space Research School, approved by the Swedish National Space Board, is a collaboration between KTH, Luleå University of Technology, Chalmers University of Technology, Stockholm University, the Institute of Space Physics and other Swedish universities involved in space research, as well as industry and research institutes.

Longterm investment

“Initially, 50 million SEK has been allocated over four years, and it is hoped that this will be extended as it is a long-term investment involving joint, compulsory courses at universities across Sweden”, Fuglesang says.

The idea is that doctoral students trained at the research school will conduct their own research projects at various universities and institutes. However, the school will offer and, to some extent, require joint activities, such as courses and workshops.

"We will probably end up with between 10 and 15 doctoral students with a wide range of backgrounds, partly because they are trained at different universities and partly because they tackle different subject areas,’ says Christer Fuglesang, who became Sweden's first astronaut in 1992 and has followed the development in space for a long time."

Increasingly dependent

He believes that Sweden is well positioned in terms of space research competition, but that more needs to be done and that developments are progressing rapidly.

“We have, in fact, become increasingly dependent on space technology here on Earth, while infrastructure has become cheaper and more advanced. Consider navigation, meteorology and satellites. Compare that to 30 years ago, before the internet existed. Now, it seems difficult to do without it,” Fuglesang says.

Text: Jill Klackenberg ( jillk@kth.se )