AMSAT Youth Initiative Launches Its Fifth Course: Satellites and Astronomy

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Getting young people hooked on STEM often comes down to finding the right entry point, and AMSAT's Youth Initiative has just added another one to its growing library.

The AMSAT Youth Initiative has released its fifth online course, Satellites and Astronomy, as part of the ongoing Satellites in Space Help Us Live a Better Life on Earth series. The course is available now at www.BuzzSat.com.

What's in the Course

The curriculum is split into three main sections:

  • Part One covers the formation of the universe and the properties of celestial bodies — laying the groundwork for understanding exactly what satellites are measuring out there.

  • Part Two looks at Earth-orbiting satellites used to study planets within our own solar system, along with objects further out in interstellar space.

  • Part Three turns to satellites designed to look beyond our solar system and galaxy entirely, out toward the edges of the observable universe.

Two more chapters are also under consideration, which would cover satellites dedicated to studying the Moon and Mars.

Behind the Curriculum

The course was written by AMSAT member Eric Sonnenwald, N2XS, who holds an M.S. in Geosciences from Montclair State University and previously served as Science Curriculum Coordinator at Hardyston Middle School. Eric has authored the entire existing course library to date, which includes:

  • Satellite Meteorology

  • Satellites and Climate Change

  • Satellites and Pollution Control

  • Satellites and Natural Resources

He's currently putting the finishing touches on a course covering Satellites and Fighting Wildfires, and has already begun work on two further courses: Satellites and Communications and Satellites and Navigation.

The Youth Initiative has also welcomed a new course writer and editor, Vidya Gopalakrishnan, K4VGK, who helped edit the newly launched Satellites and Astronomy course and is now developing her own first two courses: Introduction to Satellites and Amateur Radio Satellites – Communications and Telemetry.

Aimed at the Next Generation

These survey-style courses are pitched at junior high and high school students, with the goal of sparking early interest in STEM subjects and careers in aerospace and engineering. Anyone curious is encouraged to try any of the courses for themselves at www.BuzzSat.com.

It's a steadily growing resource, and one well worth pointing younger hams — or curious students in general — toward.