Institute for Education on Space

Institute for Education on Space, or IfES in short, designs and implements various programs with the following three educational objectives in order to assist the students to become dependable personnel:

  1. Nurturing animal spirits among students - to become personnel not afraid of challenge
  2. Teaching practical management - success experience as a team
  3. Teaching practical space-related technologies - education on element technologies, unique to space development

Developing human resources

We design and implement space science-related educational programs in order to assist the students to become dependable personnel.

Project-Based Classes
We offer our students Project-based team education, where they design and apply solutions on given themes. We help the students develop the quality of dependability by putting them in situations where problem-finding and solving, communication and management abilities are required.
Assistance in Developing Testing Locations for Space Education
We coordinate and support activities/operations of the testing locations for space education including those in Kada, Wakayama City, Kushimoto-cho, Wakayama Prefecture and Oshima-cho (Izu-Oshima), Metropolitan Tokyo.
Trainings for Future Space Educators
We offer overseas educators and researchers the space science educator training program with CanSat, whose goal is to publicize our educational method and principle throughout the world through CanSat creations, launches and textbook preparations in various languages.
Space Education for Undergraduates
We support Wakayama University Space Development Project, or WSP, an independent project implemented by our students. We also assist in operating the Noshiro Space Event and ARLISS.
Space Education for High School Students
We assist in operating events such as the CanSat Koshien or the Rocket Girls and Boys Training Course. Here, we aim at rousing students' interests in science and engineering through joy of creating objects as well as developing students' abilities to complete projects.

Building a Network of Contacts

We engage in various activities based on wide inter and intra campus network of contacts.

Laying a Foundation for UNIFORM Applications
We will establish a system to detect and contain forest fires at early stages with the observational data of UNIFORM, the nanosatellite network. We also intend to establish a marketing framework for it, including exploring other applications of the data or distributing usage fees to the UNIFORM-related organizations.
University and Society Liaison Project
We have been acting as a conduit among those who engage in space or astronomical studies at universities or public astronomical observatories in Wakayama Prefecture. We introduce our practical approaches in activities such as event organization, joint research and student education.

Developing Space-Related Technology and Educational Tools

We arrange environment which is well-suited for research and education by developing technology and educational tools.

UNIFORM Ground Station
We have been developing and designing a small movable ground station which can receive X-band. The station is required to operate UNIFORM, the nanosatellite network. We also maintain and operate the parabolic antenna, 12 meter in diameter, which has been installed in the Facility of Radio Observation and Communication on the Wakayama University campus.
Astronomy-Related Facilities
We assist in the maintenance and the operation of the following facilities:
  • The Facility of Radio Observation and Communication equipped with a parabolic antenna of 12m in diameter
  • The Rooftop Observatory with a reflecting telescope of 60cm in diameter, owned by our Faculty of Education
  • The Misato Observatory with a radio telescope of 8m in diameter, at Kimino-cho, Wakayama Prefecture
BalloonSat Experiments
We arrange environments for BalloonSat experiments as a new tool for space education.
Digital Dome Theater
We produce 360-degree image contents for the digital dome theater owned by the Faculty of Tourism while exploring filming techniques. We have introduced the filming technique with 4K resolution fish eye lens, projection system and real-time broadcasting for the first time in the world.

Awareness / Publicization

We actively engage in activities to increase public interests in space.

Symposiums / Events
We introduce various topics about education on space science or astronomy at various meetings and symposiums. At the Space Café, experts and private citizens can casually talk over drinks.
Seminars on Space Policy
We occasionally hold seminars for students or adults on political situations or agenda regarding Japan's policy on space.
Space and Cosmic Sightseeing Seminars
We hold seminars for our undergraduates in order to explain the current situation regarding space and cosmic tours.
Broadcasting Space or Astronomy-Related Events
We provide on-site internet broadcastings of events such as the total solar eclipse of the sun, the reentry of Hayabusa spacecraft or rocket launchings. We also create live, high quality digital contents for our world's only digital dome theater.