Understanding Space is essential to face 21st-century challenges, such as climate change, natural disasters, security, communication, and scientific development in general. More than half a century ago, space agencies; such as CNES in France, NASA in the United States of America and the European Space Agency ESA; started to emerge. However, in Egypt, the first Egyptian satellite was launched in April 2007.

The Planetarium Science Center (PSC) is dedicated to increasing awareness, understanding, and appreciation of science, especially in children. In collaboration with the National Authority of Remote Sensing and Space Science “NARSS”, the PSC has developed the “Space Technology” program that aims to simplify satellite components and applications, as well as image processing. The program achieves its goal through multiple activities:
 

Lectures:

• Satellite Systems, Types and Application, an introduction
• Space Physics
• Space Environment

Hands-on activity:

• Analyzing and observing problems on three images from Delta, Alexandria, and Sinai
   

Software:

• Participants will learn how to work on different software programs:
  - Satellite Tool Kit (STK)
  - Space images processing
   

Fieldtrip:

• One trip to NARSS to view:
  -  The capacity observatory
  -  The image treatment observatory
  -  The satellite ground station building
   

Research:
 

• Participants will work in groups on a final project that they will present to the other groups at the end of the program

The program has three rotations during IYA2009, the first starts on 12 February:
 

• Target Age Group: 15-20 years
• Program Duration: 2 months (12 February – 2 April 2009)
• Session Duration: 3 hrs
  10 sessions/program; 13:00-16:00; as per schedule
• Minimum number of participants: 10
• Maximum number of participants: 20
• Program fees, including fieldtrips, are 100
  EGP per student.
• For additional information and registration, please contact the PSC Administrator.