Orbital Education Platform: Introducing Orbital Robotics to Secondary Education.

In this paper, the development of an Orbital Robotics educational prototype platform is presented, consisting of a hardware-developed physical system and an accompanying set of curriculum-based lessons (IB Physics curriculum) that target upper secondary students (16-18 years old target group). The platform was the outcome of a joint project between the European Space Agency and the National Technical University of Athens. The students use the hardware interactively, consisting of a bespoke space-emulating table and small satellite mockups. The lessons are inquiry-based and are structured so that the students are actively engaged in the learning process, according to a learner-centric approach. During the lessons, this platform allows students to acquire knowledge of the dynamics of space systems, as well as of the environmental conditions and physical constraints that characterize on-orbit operations. Students are able to manipulate the space robot (satellite) mockups performing basic tasks such as docking and landing, or grasping space debris. Additionally, a smartphone application has been implemented to allow the interaction with the platform, via a dedicated User Interface (UI).