ASE continues its partnership with Spire to provide exciting and unique opportunities for high-school aged teams to conduct their own real research experiment in Earth orbit on board a real satellite. Participants engage with focused online course content, and design and build their own programs to monitor any of the 20 sensors onboard, using a variety of real-time, online resources. This unique program is intended to drive students toward STEM education and careers, and to give them hands-on, project-based learning.

“Preparing for the ASE AstroSat Challenge helped my students make a connection between the scientific process and scientific discovery through the stuff of dreams — a chance to go into space.” 

      AstroSat Challenge Team Leader

ASE, in partnership with BecauseLearning! presents "AstroSchool," training teachers to effectively bring STEM technology into their curricula. Participating teachers receive weekly lessons exploring new ways to improve their STEM teaching skills, including instruction from experienced STEM teachers, interaction with other educators, and exposure to some of the latest classroom technologies. Teachers who complete the month-long AstroSchool earn a certificate recognizing their professional development.

In 2014 the Westphalian Peace Price was awarded to the crews of the International Space Station (ISS) to honour their international cooperation for the peaceful exploration of space. The associated prize money now forms the ISS Crew Fund and is kept in an escrow account under the custody of ASE – Europe. The fund is used to provide educational and professional development opportunities for the next generations of young space professionals.

“Receiving the ISS Crew Fund Scholarship is an honor. Knowing that the ISS Crew Fund is founded on the international cooperation for the peaceful exploration of space between formerly competing nations makes it even more special. Thank you.” 

Marc Rovira, Spain

In 2016, ASE - Europe inaugurated a 500 Euro award for the best individual project thesis of the ISU Masters of Space Studies course. ASE selects the Best Human Spaceflight related thesis at the annual ISU Summer Space Program. ASE member astronauts personally present the award on behalf of ASE and encourage the other graduates to continue in their efforts to advance space technology and research for the exploration of the solar system by making space missions safer and more feasible.

In 2013, ASE - Europe established an annual scholarship to support student and young professional participation at the annual ISU Summer Space Program. The Space Studies Program (SSP) is a graduate level professional development program conducted by ISU since 1988. The curriculum covers the principal space related fields, both non-technical and technical and ranges from policy and law, business and management and humanities to life sciences, engineering, physical sciences and space applications.

In 2017, ASE became a partner in Space Station Explorers (SSE), a constellation of mutually-supporting nonprofit STEM organizations managed by the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space. SSE partner programs provide unique educational access to the International Space Station (ISS) and inspire students to study science, technology, engineering and math delivered via unique space-related articles, lesson  plans, and other student and educational resources.