Integrating Scenarios of Contemporary Education: Space as a Journey Vehicle to New Realities and as a Grounding Tool to Address Earth Problems

Abstract

Education never occurs disconnected from its contexts. We live in an era of increasingly frequent and noticeable risks of environmental disasters. And we also live in an era of great expectations in space exploration. The New Space era is both the effort to produce technologies for exploring new horizons and the effort to produce new tools to address everyday problems on Earth. To analyze these two contexts, we developed a case study of an environmental disaster that occurred in Brazil. We created a map based on Bruno Latour's actor-network theory to understand the relationships between the different actors (human and nonhuman) during the disaster studied. Using this map, we discuss how contemporary education establishes relationships with the space sector, with the new space being the provider of the vehicle to other realities and the grounding tool to address (or solve) earthly problems.

INTRODUCTION

Prior to the commencement of Space Studies Program 2023, which unfolded from June to August 2023 in São José dos Campos, Brazil, the region experienced a significant deluge along with a series of landslides, particularly affecting the north coast of the state of São Paulo near São José dos Campos. Tragically, immediately following the conclusion of the program, in September, another major flood event occurred, this time in southern Brazil, resulting in thousands of individuals being displaced from their homes and dozens losing their lives. Regrettably, these extreme weather events are not unique to Brazil. In that same month of September, Libya faced a catastrophic flood that claimed the lives of thousands of people. These recurring and devastating climatic occurrences underscore the increasing prevalence of extreme weather events, necessitating a profound shift in our approach to climate awareness and our perception of societal dynamics.

However, while these tragedies challenge humanity to better apply knowledge about weather forecasts using satellite images and to improve communication with new technologies for all vulnerable populations, humanity is also enchanted by studies in space sciences and proposes to undertake new challenges in space tourism, in the exploration of celestial bodies, and in the creation of new services set outside the planet based on space technologies.

Our contemporary existence finds itself entrenched in what Ulrich Beck has aptly termed a “risk society”.¹ In essence, a risk society acknowledges the inherent unpredictability of living conditions and the inescapable transformations unfolding within its social and material structures, encompassing realms such as technology, environment, and public health. This recognition of the unforeseeable and uncontrollable forces at play serves as a defining characteristic of our modern society, urging us to reevaluate how we engage with the climate and how we construct and navigate our communities.

“The narrative of risk is a narrative of irony. This narrative deals with the involuntary satire, the optimistic futility, with which the highly developed institutions of modern society, science, state, business, and military attempt to anticipate what cannot be anticipated”.¹

In the wake of environmental disasters, such as floods and landslides, a perplexing irony, as articulated by Ulrich Beck, often unfolds. Also, with the wonders of Hubble’s images, the irony is consolidated. This paradox lies in the juxtaposition of our bewilderment when immense floods occur, even in regions where these are recurrent, and our profound frustration stemming from the inadequacy of our knowledge structures to better predict and prepare communities for these extreme occurrences. This inadequacy leaves us grappling with tragedies that might have been averted or, at the very least, mitigated.

This dichotomy of responses is emblematic of the era in which we currently reside. On the one hand, we are confronted with the prevailing paradigm of a knowledge policy firmly grounded in the stability of scientific understanding and the promise of technologically driven solutions to safeguard us from contemporary ills, such as environmental disasters. Much of the media coverage surrounding New Space Explorations is steeped in this optimism, extolling the virtues of science-based technological advancements as our saviors.

On the other hand, a mounting doubt casts a shadow over the political, economic, and even scientific structures entrusted with ensuring our safety and well-being. This skepticism arises from a growing awareness of the inherent limitations and complexities that surround our attempts to protect lives and mitigate the consequences of calamities. Therefore, we find ourselves navigating the delicate balance between faith in progress and a nagging uncertainty regarding our ability to address the multifaceted challenges that define our era.

Education for Disaster Risk Reduction

“Natural hazard risk mitigation is an example of how, in today’s world, we face complex challenges where uncertainty is rife. Natural hazards are complex events encompassing interconnected social, ecological, economic, and political dimensions that inform and influence each other through linear and non-linear feedback loops”.²

The United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) indicates that to increase public resilience to disaster, it is important to engage populations in terms of both knowledge of the situation and engagement in disaster prevention and management actions. Education can directly influence risk perception, skills, and knowledge^3,4 and indirectly reduce poverty, improve health, and promote access to information and resources,⁵ involving knowledge from the areas of natural sciences, geography, engineering, sociology, and other relevant disciplines. It derives from the context of emergency pedagogy and the geography of risk.⁶

Education must address issues ranging from the pre-disaster phase, during disaster events, to the disaster aftermath.^3,7 Thus, Disaster Risk Reduction and Education (DRRE)⁸ is a process of building an understanding the causes, nature, and effects of risks while contributing to the promotion of a series of skills and abilities that allow society to actively participate in disaster prevention.^4,7 Matsuo and Silva⁸ address that in the Brazilian context, DRRE is correlated with environmental education because of its social and environmental components. Thus, in terms of social skills, educational systems focusing on disaster risk reduction should emphasize solidarity and empathy, making responsible choices in the complex world, adapting to the constant changes in the world, living with uncertainties and ambivalence (global/local, individual/collective), and participating in collective decision-making processes.⁸

“There is little evidence for effective learning approaches (involving the sharing of feelings and emotions), even though learning about hazard and disaster can elicit a strong emotional response in the learner. The need for affective learning becomes ever stronger in that the increasing incidence of disaster means that pre-disaster learning is increasingly taking place in post-disaster or slow-onset disaster learning environments.”⁴

Involving the local community in the development and implementation of the program is essential. Doing so promotes the engagement of individuals affected by environmental risks and increases the effectiveness of preventive measures.⁹ In addition to teaching about landslide risks, the program should promote a broader understanding of the natural and social systems that influence these risks, including issues of land use and urban planning.^6,7,10 Education for Environmental Risk Reduction^{4–6,8,11,12} is an interdisciplinary approach that deals with the complexity of environmental risks.

As presented by Coates,¹⁰ a more behaviorist thinking centers on communicating the dangers of an external world that holds natural hazards. Its pedagogies urge exposed populations to enhance their preparedness¹⁰ and gain knowledge about technologies, its uses, and application.

The second approach presented by Coates is called “transformative.” This approach focuses on socioenvironmental perspectives of vulnerability; brings about economic, ethnic, cultural, and social diversity in risk exposures; and addresses community resilience. “Nonetheless, the political-institutional contexts that enable the delivery of disaster education, including conflicts and compromises between behaviorist and transformative content, remain underexplored.”¹⁰

These two perspectives overlap and are moving structures. This text seeks a possible conciliation between perspectives in the use of Space Technologies within the New Space era. This conciliation is a movement that belongs to the risk society itself, that is, it holds inconsistencies and seeks to advance in actions for a possible world, “otherwise it suffocates.”^13,14 Moreover, as stated by Bruno Latour¹⁵ we must weave social relations with nonhuman actants (i.e., technological products and techniques) in a fabric that “offers the possibility of holding society together as a durable hole.”¹⁵

Education for New Space

To understand the New Space, it is common to antagonize it with the old space. And in the same way, to better understand the new paradigms of education, it is common to antagonize it with the old school. The term “New Space” is a polysemic term that has been widely used by the space sector. For this article, we adopted as New Space the characteristics of the contemporary space sector,^16,17 relating to aspects such as social, cooperation, environmental, and technological perspectives.

As Sociological Features of New Space, we highlight the democratization of access that allowed broader and more diverse access to space, with the participation of private companies and startups, in addition to government space agencies. This democratization is enhanced by the growth of the private industry and dilution of centered approaches to the development of new technologies, stimulating competition and innovation between new business models (commercial satellite launches, space tourism, space resource mining). In this sense, education for this new moment is an education that is, at the same time, committed to offering deep knowledge in science and technology as well as freedom and entrepreneurship.¹⁸

As a cooperation aspect, we highlight the deepening of international collaboration among multiple nations and companies working together on space projects and the enhancement of public awareness, especially because of the more distributed media, space tourism, and the actions taken to increase the number and diversity of people aspiring to be astronauts, thus generating global interest and enthusiasm. The New Space era is a business for everyone.¹⁹ There is no longer a centrality in the innovation processes, development, and use of space technologies. The contexts are therefore international and cooperative, between companies and governments and between different nationalities.¹⁷

Technologically, New Space is characterized by the expansion of use and technological development of space, reducing costs. Examples of these technologies are satellite miniaturization that has enabled the creation of smaller, more efficient satellites, such as CubeSats, which are more affordable and versatile for a variety of applications. Also, reusable rockets significantly reduce launch costs and make space missions more affordable, along with the constellation of low-orbit satellites providing high-speed internet access around the world, thus opening New Space for innovation and technologies.

The expansion of space devices launched by companies and space agencies opens a new and discussed topic that also characterizes New Space, which is the environmental sphere. With the increase in space traffic, there is a growing concern about sustainability in space, including mitigating space debris and minimizing environmental impact. The launch and operation of satellites also have environmental impacts on Earth, such as the production of toxic waste in rocket engines and the waste generated from the use of resources to manufacture satellites. In addition, access to space brings up discussion about mining asteroids and other celestial bodies for resources such as water and precious metals, which could have significant environmental implications. However, New Space brings about new technologies to enhance human life on Earth. Monitoring through Earth observation satellites plays a crucial role in environmental monitoring, enabling the observation of natural disasters, climate change, and environmental impacts.

Thus, in the context of conflict between the enormous possibilities that space science and technology are bringing to us and the risks (environmental, social, ecological) that are becoming increasingly perceptible, we aim to characterize the context of New Space to support educational actions that can address both the enthusiasm and adversity of contemporary times.

METHODS

Data Gathering

This article deepens the discussion about education awareness initiated in the report of the team Project “SAFEWATERS” at the Space Studies Program 2023²⁰ held at the International Space University (ISU). The research aimed to investigate how space applications can be used and improved to forecast, prevent, monitor, mitigate, and respond to water-related disasters in Brazil and around the world. It developed a case study on floods and landslides that occurred on the north coast of the state of São Paulo in February 2023.

The Case Studied

The National Center for Disaster Monitoring Prediction (CEMADEN) reported that Brazil experienced its most significant historical rainfall on February 19, 2023. Within a single day, the Bertioga municipality received an unprecedented 682 mm (24.65 inches) of rainfall, breaking the previous year’s record of 530 mm (20.9 inches) set in the state of Rio de Janeiro.

The São Sebastião municipality, situated approximately 200 km (124.3 miles) from São Paulo, experienced the most significant human impact, with 64 reported fatalities. However, neighboring towns such as Ilhabela, Caraguatatuba, Bertioga, and Ubatuba also faced substantial repercussions from the event. In the municipality of São Sebastião, the Vila Sahy neighborhood was particularly affected. To identify information and technology gaps, we identified four stakeholders with whom we conducted interviews as presented in the following section.

Stakeholder interviews

INPE (Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais—National Institute of Space Research), a representative of the International Disasters Charter (IDC).

INPE researcher in green infrastructure.

Civil Defense at São Sebastião.

Community member.

Analytical Methods

As a methodological foundation, we referred to Bruno Latour’s actor-network Theory^15,21–23 to qualify the relationships between social and technological actants that were in play during the disaster event.

We understand this as an extrapolation of the actor-network theory (ANT). This is not a stricto sensu analysis of a controversy as proposed by Bruno Latour, Callon, and others from the sociological school in question. But the proposed tools are applicable to the current analysis by (1) focusing on relationships and not on objects and (2) considering both human actors (people from the affected community, civil defense agents, researchers) and nonhuman actors (maps, cell phones, institutions) as actants. These two aspects of ANT are useful because they avoid the oversimplification of the event marked by binary characterization. This binarity is commonly used in social analyses (among them in the field of education), which antagonizes technical or social agents as if there were a possibility of isolation or as if these two dimensions were enough to account for the complexity of events such as climate disasters. “ANT is a change of metaphors to describe essences… Instead of thinking in terms of surfaces-two dimensions-or spheres-three dimensions-one is asked to think in terms of nodes that have as many dimensions as they have connections.”²¹ The identification of actants and their participation in the disaster provides tools for the analysis of the relationships that education should address. According to Latour,^15,22 analyzing the actants of a given network provides a qualitative analysis capable of characterizing a given context. The analysis considers the situation “not in terms of previously defined objects, but as networks of relationships, such as movement and complex articulations of forces and shapes.”

From the map produced by the cartography of the disaster, we identified the actants related to space sciences and technologies. From this extrapolation, we seek to build a path that correlates the local event with the context of New Space.

This transition between the local phenomenon and the global phenomenon is identified as necessary for contemporary education,^6,7,9 given the understanding of the interconnection of events across micro and macro scales.

RESULTS

Alert Structure

In Brazil, the responsibility of monitoring areas prone to natural threats and of advancing the early warning system is entrusted to CEMADEN (Centro Nacional de Monitoramento e Alertas de Desastres Naturais). CEMADEN is tasked with overseeing vulnerable regions across the country and conducting extensive research to enhance its capacity for early warning and disaster preparedness. They use both in situ and remote-sensing (RS) data measurements to gather and analyze information, particularly in relation to critical environmental phenomena such as floods, droughts, and landslides. Through monitoring of high-risk areas, CEMADEN develops educational initiatives in disaster risk reduction with vulnerable communities and issues alerts regarding potential natural disasters. These alerts are directed to CENAD (Centro Nacional de Gerenciamento de Riscos e Desastres), which is the body responsible for issuing alerts to municipalities and their civil defenses. This informational chain contributes to Brazil’s overall disaster management and mitigation efforts.

The Actor-Network of the Disaster

The civil defense official interviewed described the day of the environmental disaster in detail. Through CEMADEN-CENAD, civil defense received a warning of intense rain for the southern region of the municipality of São Sebastião and they activated the routine monitoring and patrol mechanism. Civil defense agents travelled by car to provide warning and assistance to the population in the region where the heaviest rain was predicted, while also responding to in situ information collected from rain gauges installed in various parts of the city.

But the amount of rain was much higher than expected. When civil defense cars were on patrol, the roads were quickly blocked, and the cars were marooned in an area between two barriers. Luckily, they were at the epicenter of the landslide. They were able to aid in person. However, because of the blocked roads, there was no possibility of extra support. The telephone lines were also not operational, and there was no way for the population or civil defense agents to communicate by telephone. There was no way to receive data, such as maps, information, or news. Another relevant aspect for this research was that the school, which would be a place to shelter homeless people, was seriously affected, requiring a change in the contingency plan during the event, in isolation, and without access to external information. The plan was no longer useful in its entirety; adaptations to suit the evolving circumstances were needed.

Based on the information received from stakeholders, we built a map based on ANT^15,22 and constructed a simplified graphical representation of the environmental disaster panorama (see Fig. 1). This illustration includes both human and nonhuman actants and their relationships as mentioned by the interviewees.

Fig. 1.

Graphic representation of the map of relationships observed from interviews with stakeholders. In the image, the continuous lines represent a complete relationship between the actants. The hatched lines represent a decrease or break in relationships between the actants. Actants mentioned as interrupted or that should have been present but were not demarcated with an X.

The produced map shows that civil defense was able to serve the Vila Sahy community during the studied event. It was also possible to identify that the alert system, based on satellite data, for the CEMADEN-CENAD route to civil defense worked properly. This way, civil defense agents were able to arrive at the Vila Sahy community on time, mainly supported by the alert via CEMADEN-CENAD and information from local rain gauges before cell phone signals were interrupted. However, with the worsening of weather conditions (during the event), the communication network was impacted. Active cell phones, road infrastructure, schools that would serve as shelters and access to satellite images and maps were interrupted, impacting the quality of care and safety of actions in assisting victims. From this overview, it is possible to identify some technological gaps, as already discussed.²⁰

With the technological impairment, the actions of the civilian population at the scene were essential. Doctors, nurses, teachers, tourists who were at the site, along with members of the general population, provided the necessary assistance, actively participated in the search efforts for victims, and accommodated the homeless. The experience of civil defense agents ensured the creation of a contingency map, isolating areas at greater risk of subsequent collapses. However, this map was prepared only with local information, without support from local maps or aerial or satellite images.

In the network analyzed, we identified various actants that belonged to different categories. We identified technological objects (rain gauges, cell phones, and maps), institutions (CEMADEN, CENAD, civil defense, IDC, INPE), documents (contingency plan), and intangible entities (community, extra support). This panorama explicitly presents the complex nature of relationships during an event of this magnitude. Any education proposed to respond to disasters like this needs to address the identified complexity. We therefore discuss how these findings are weaved into the education for Disaster Risk Reduction and Education for the New Space.

DISCUSSION

Space Technology

In the realm of New Space, the use of cutting-edge space technology becomes evident when we analyze the intricate network of actors involved. To harness the full potential of these technologies, it is imperative that actants possess a deeper understanding of the tools at their disposal.

The most prominent technological actants used and impaired during the disaster were in the space-related technologies (communication, mapping, and weather forecast). As highlighted in our previous gap analysis,²⁰ direct satellite communication tools, for instance, could significantly enhance the capabilities of civil defense units by providing them with timely access to critical information, thus optimizing their role as first responders. For stakeholders involved in disaster management, improved access to these technologies is paramount. But access to technologies involves knowing them and having in-depth knowledge of how they work and how they could help meet everyday challenges. Beyond the simple acquisition of equipment, it is necessary that these technologies are tested, chosen by experienced users, and adapted as necessary. In the analysis carried out, cell phones stopped working. And the local population, together with civil defense agents, did not mention the possibility of alternatives of other communication systems. It is necessary for space technological education to present the immense possibilities of contemporary space-based communication technologies. For the New Space era, the gap must help build possibilities of creation, adaptation, and collaboration. Existing gaps must be addressed to bring new generations into the environment of innovation in technologies and services based on space science.

“Our current schools were invented in the industrial era, when the prevailing norms were standardization and conformity, and when it was effective and efficient to educate students in batches and train teachers once for their entire working lives. […] This structure, inherited from the industrial work model, is too slow for a world that moves very quickly”²⁴ (p 17–18).

To cultivate a community’s understanding of its technological environment and entrepreneurial opportunities, it is imperative to integrate deep STEM2D (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Manufacturing, and Design) education into everyday educational practices. STEM2D education serves as the cornerstone for expanding community access to space technologies, for example in the realm of comprehending small satellites constellation dynamics, using satellite images for map creation, and comprehending geomorphological dynamics, alongside satellite communication systems. Knowledge and accessibility to mapping resources, such as those provided by the IDC (International Disaster Charter), play a fundamental role in bolstering civil defense efforts and ensuring the community’s ability to respond effectively by facilitating evacuation procedures and alternative shelter arrangements. In the broader context, empowering the general population with access to satellite imagery and understanding meteorological alert systems, including their precision, error, risks, and limits, can foster greater community engagement in disaster preparedness and adherence to the standards outlined in municipal contingency plans.

In this context, STEM education connects with community empowerment. Presenting the strengths and limitations of scientific knowledge and technological tools must be the basis for community communication. Community participation in actions depends on in-depth knowledge of the structures and elements used to prevent disaster risks. Equipping the public with information about satellite image tools is instrumental in endowing individuals with the competencies to actively participate in disaster management processes. This includes preventive measures such as engaging in local public forums related to urban planning and adopting disaster mitigation practices. Moreover, individuals should have the capability to inform local authorities about specific mapping and information requirements, thereby facilitating collaborative efforts in rescue operations.

Socioenvironmental Awareness

In the context studied, a large volume of rain over Vila Sahy caused a massive landslide, leaving dozens of people dead, injured, and homeless, forever impacting that community.

In the case of the event studied, the slope actively slid, resulting in a flood of mud that damaged a large part of the neighborhood. When we interviewed experts in green infrastructure, it became clear that with that volume of rain, no vegetation cover would be capable of withstanding such an event.

Education for Disaster Risk Reduction cannot be disconnected from environmental education. The already classic global–local dialogue in environmental education is reinforced in the contemporary context of climate change when analyzing the map produced following the Vila Sahy disaster.

In the communications regarding what happened, we identified several discourses that denote the socioenvironmental connection, with political dimensions, urban planning, and social and environmental issues, all to understand the disaster. Urban planning issues, with the allocation of areas for the establishment of urban settlements, is a multifactorial issue. Authorities reinforce the need for population engagement in the adherence of local communities to warning signs to leave their homes. Communities reinforce the need for better conditions to support the homeless and displaced. And the need for public policies that more efficiently address urbanization and environmental preservation is evident. It lists socioeconomic issues of populations, brings to light social and economic vulnerabilities, and defines new categories such as environmental vulnerability and migrations resulting from climate disasters.

Once again, education for disaster risk reduction needs to address the multidimensionality of socioenvironmental issues. And space science and technologies can be useful tools in this regard. Earth observation tools, Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) and other technologies are powerful tools for urban planning, understanding climate and soil dynamics, and forecasting both normal and extreme weather conditions. Education aimed at planners and public managers about tools based on space technologies can provide better data acquisition and attention to socioenvironmental issues related to prevention, action, and post–climate disaster management.

In addition to this, better public understanding of technical–scientific capabilities can improve the engagement of local populations in environmental preservation. A better understanding of the local environment using satellite images and an expanded notion of the relationships between the planetary climate and the local climate can provide greater identification of these communities, with the warning and response chain in place for extreme events.

Cooperation

In the disaster map, civil defense received the alert and promptly aided the community. The community was a victim of torrential rain, leading to the collapse of the slope and destruction of all support infrastructure, including shelters, houses, schools, and roads. The community was isolated, without communication, amid the deluge with the risk of landslides continuing. Victims reported intense uncertainty and bewilderment.

When analyzing the actor-network map, there was a strong connection between community members. Schematically represented with just a few individuals, in fact, the community engaged in humanitarian support, frequently seen in cases of disasters in Brazil. The cooperation coordinated by experienced civil defense agents was fundamental in minimizing the impacts of extreme weather events. It was the cooperation that mobilized the neighborhood residents to immediately start digging in the mud in search of buried people. It was cooperation that mobilized employees from another school that was not part of the contingency plan to open their doors to the homeless, as the nearest school was also buried. It was the cooperation that allowed the creation of a map constructed from memory by civil defense agents to identify places with possible survivors. It was the cooperation that mobilized doctors, nurses, and the residents of neighboring communities, as well as tourists, to provide support to the injured, to prepare food, and to donate blankets and dry clothes. Cooperation acted locally and was an exercise in collective creativity. The development of cooperation skills is a sine qua non condition for survival in contemporary times.⁹

“Cooperation, as an intersubjective instance, which is the most solid substrate of networks that enables life, is essentially made up of elements of attention that are aesthetically organized. It is one of the fundamental elements of life, when it comes to basic survival on one hand, and for the production of strong or exceptional moments and ways of living on the other.”²⁵

The UNICEF report “Disaster Risk Reduction in School Curricula: Case Studies from 30 Countries” mapped the elements of education for disaster risk reduction that the states implemented in their curricula. It emphasizes the need to develop a curriculum for disaster risk reduction that includes community cooperative education, which considers the emotional and affective aspects. Cooperation stands as a pivotal aspect of our existence.²⁵ Michael Tomasello²⁶ convincingly argues that cooperation is a crucial facet of our existence, playing a central role in contemporary society. He thoroughly analyzes the cognitive operations involved in this eminently human activity and highlights their importance in the construction of culture. According to his research carried out over the past 40 years, the ability to cooperate is what most distinctly differentiates us from other primates. This skill has not only shaped our evolution but also become a fundamental pillar in contemporary education.

Cooperation is not just an abstract concept but a crucial skill that must be cultivated in 21st century classrooms. It not only promotes teamwork and social harmony but also translates into a series of interdisciplinary skills essential for success in contemporary times, driven by curiosity or by risk. The ability to actively collaborate, effectively communicate, solve complex problems in groups, and adapt to constantly changing environments has become a fundamental requirement in an increasingly connected and interdependent world, especially regarding space activities.

Furthermore, cooperation transcends the school environment and is essential for resolving global challenges, such as climate change and the search for sustainable solutions. Therefore, promoting cooperation as a competency in contemporary education not only prepares students for individual success but also empowers them to face the collective challenges that will shape the future of our society.

CONCLUSION

New Space era is marked by the expansion of access to space technologies, whether in the increase in number of players or in the creation of new products and services. Education for New Space must therefore include social, environmental, technological, and cooperation aspects to prepare new generations for the rapid changes in human life scenarios on Earth and in Space.

An example of how space sciences and technologies can favor life on Earth is the use of new technologies to reduce disaster risks. To better manage the outcomes of disasters, it is important to engage communities to better understand these phenomena. This will allow for better preparedness, resilience, and capability to recover from extreme events. Therefore, contemporary education must contemplate advances in space sciences when addressing climate issues, the use of maps and satellite images, and understanding the Earth as part of the planetary system to equip new generations with sufficient knowledge and technologies to face natural disasters that put communities at risk. Education for the New Space should also encompass values such as solidarity and empathy, adapting to constant changes, embracing uncertainty and ambivalence, and participating in collective decision-making. In this way, education contemplates the end of the institutional centrality of space activities as exclusively government-led activities. This shift impacts education, as new generations must be prepared with diversified training, with strengths in interinstitutional and international cooperation, with strong technological foundations, and with social and community commitments. Education for the New Space is therefore a holistic approach, which assumes uncertainties and conflicts in decision-making. It cultivates creativity to deal with changes and uncertainties and risks, cooperation to serve and participate in increasingly interconnected communities, and technical competence to use and participate in the rapidly evolving technological environment. This represents the profile of the generations formed by Education for New Space.

Footnotes

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank the supervision of Team Project coordinators Francois Spiero, Lincoln Alves, Tirso Velasco, and João Paulo Estevam de Souza. Special thanks are extended to all the authors of the SAFEWATERS project, especially Linda Meyer and Mercè Cuixart who encouraged us with their ideas about space education. Additionally, the authors acknowledge ITAEx (ex-students supporting Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica) who value and encourage deeper discussions on improvements and updates to engineering education.

AUTHORS’ CONTRIBUTIONS

P.C.F.: Conceptualization (lead), writing—original draft (lead), methodology (equal) formal analysis (lead), writing—review and editing (equal). A.L.L.M.: Methodology (equal), writing—review and editing (equal). L.K.: Review and editing (equal).

AUTHORS’ DISCLOSURE STATEMENTS

No competing financial interests exist.

FUNDING INFORMATION

The main author’s participation in the Space Studies Program 2023 (SSP 2023) was made possible by the generous support of ITAEX (Instituto Tecnológico de Aeronáutica—Ex-Alunos), which provided funding for the author’s attendance and participation in this prestigious space program. We extend our sincere gratitude to ITAEX for their commitment to advancing space education and fostering international collaboration.

Additionally, the research conducted for and during the writing of this article received funding from CAPES (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior), Brazil. The support from CAPES played a vital role in enabling the research activities that contributed to the development of this work.

We sincerely acknowledge and appreciate the financial support provided by both ITAEX and CAPES (n. 88881.507008/2020-01), as their contributions were instrumental for the successful completion of this research and the participation in SSP 2023.

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