Our team and mission

This position is based at the European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) – Darmstadt, Germany

The ESA Space Safety Programme Office takes care of all potential hazards from space or in space, which can impact human activities on Earth or again in space. The spectrum of tasks ranges from gathering the basic understanding of space hazards originating from our Sun, from man-made space debris, or from asteroids potentially colliding with the Earth. It also addresses basic approaches to mitigate these hazards and to implement space systems end-to-end in a sustainable and eco-compatible way. Moreover, several corner stone missions are underway to demonstrate basic methods of space weather forecasting, asteroid deflection and active space debris removal from orbit.

The Space Weather Office is responsible for developing the ESA Space Weather System that allow nowcasting and forecasting space weather, i.e., the enormous eruptions in the Sun that impact the environment everywhere in our solar system. When these eruptions hit the Earth, they can cause major damage in the infrastructure on the surface, damage satellites and endanger the health of the astronauts in space. Geomagnetic storms triggered by the solar events can cause blackouts in power grids, disturb satellite navigation and communication, disturb aviation, transport, and many other functions that we are used to in our daily life. Energetic particles from the solar events can also damage space probes that we have sent to other planets in the solar system. This is why Space Weather Office is developing space weather forecasting capability for other planets like Mercury, Venus, Mars and Jupiter. Space Weather Office is also responsible for development and implementation of the satellite missions for space weather monitoring to make the space weather services to the users possible.

For further information visit our web site: http://www.esa.int

Field(s) of activity for the internship

You can choose between the following topics:

1) Topic 1: Space Weather Monitoring System design and performance analysis

ESA is implementing a space weather monitoring system, including the establishment of a Distributed Space Weather Sensor System (D3S) to observe the effects of solar activity within Earth’s vicinity. Several hosted payload missions of D3S have been realised with radiation monitors and a magnetometer flying on different geostationary satellites providing near-real time information on current space weather and many more are in preparation. ESA has also been studying options for multiple dedicated small satellite constellations. Two missions will be implemented in the next years, an auroral monitoring small satellite mission and a radiation and plasma monitoring nanosatellite mission.

As an intern, you will be contributing to various aspects of the implementation and operations of these missions:

• Mission design and analysis,
• Instrumentation performance analysis,
• Operations and data quality assessment

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2) Topic 2: Evaluation of the impact of a Carrington-level storm using computer modelling

The Sun is a giant sphere of hot plasma in constant change. Our Sun is an extremely dynamic object: it emits a constant flow of radiation, energetic particles, and plasma in all directions, including towards the Earth. Our planet is partially protected by its natural magnetic field but, in case of high solar activity, conditions can quickly become hazardous. Computer models of space weather are used to improve our understanding of the heliospheric environment and to forecast its potential effects on our planetary environment.

In September 1859, during solar cycle 10, a major explosion on the Sun ejected large amounts of radiation and plasma. This event produced disruptions in telegraph communication lines. The extremely energetic particles ejected by the Sun crossed all natural barriers of our planet and produced auroras visible at very low latitudes.

Fortunately, our civilization did not rely at the time as much on the electric grid and telecommunications as we do today. An event of the size of the Carrington event would have catastrophic effects on our current society. The objective of this internship is to use the existing end-to-end modelling tools of the Virtual Space Modelling Centre to demonstrate what would be the effects of a Carrington-like event directed towards our planet and towards Mars. What would be the consequences to our technology on the ground, to the satellites in space, and to astronauts in route to the Moon and Mars.

Behavioural competencies

Result Orientation
Operational Efficiency
Fostering Cooperation
Relationship Management
Continuous Improvement
Forward Thinking

Education

You must have student status and be enrolled at university for the entire duration of the internship. You should preferably be in your final or second to last year of a university course at master’s level in a technical or scientific discipline.

Additional requirements

The working languages of the Agency are English and French. A good knowledge of one of these is required. Knowledge of another Member State language would be an asset.

Additional Requirements:

1) Topic 1:

• Background in physics, informatics, mathematics or engineering is required.
• Knowledge of a programming language is an asset.
• Experience with data analysis is an asset.

2) Topic 2:

• Background in physics, informatics, mathematics or engineering is required.
• Knowledge of a programming language is an asset.
• Experience with data analysis is an asset.