Jose Roberto Amaral


Secretary for Innovation and Economic Development

Students and teachers in the education network are already mobilizing to participate in the public events of the SSP23 (Space Studies Program), the largest space studies event in the world to be held in São José dos Campos starting next Monday (26).

On June 27, eight elementary schools from the municipal network will participate in a cinema session with the film Perdido em Marte, which will be held at the Cefe Theater. About 240 students are expected at the event.

The session will take place in the presence of physicist James Green, former director of the planetary science division of NASA, the American space agency.

James Green served as script consultant for the blockbuster production starring Matt Damon, winner of the Golden Globe for Best Picture, in addition to seven Oscar nominations.

On July 5, about 3,000 students from all 67 full-time elementary schools are expected to participate in the astronaut panel, which is scheduled to be held at Farmaconde Arena.

Each school must accommodate 40 students who have excelled in the use of the Plei (Integral Education Platform) of the municipal network during the first semester.

Already confirmed as speakers, Canadian astronaut Robert Brent Thirsk and Sian Proctor, selected as pilot of the Inspiration4 mission, which took off in September 2021.

“Holding SSP23 in São José dos Campos provides unique opportunities for our students. Who isn’t curious about what it’s like to be an astronaut? Imagine being able to meet an astronaut for a chat? Talk to a NASA physicist ?

Experiences like this can literally open up a whole new world to those who are lucky enough to experience them,” said Kêmeli Mamud, science pedagogical advisor at the municipal network.

“Inside and outside of the classroom, it is a powerful time to promote students’ enchantment with astronomy, science and technology as a whole, to inspire scientific vocations and to learn more about space technologies. SSP23 is also a great opportunity to continue to strengthen science education in the city, which already has an aerospace vocation,” he added.

^{Astronaut Sian Proctor who will participate in the SSP in San José. Photo: Disclosure}

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The Alpha Lumen Institute, headquartered in São José, is part of the organization of the generation of events and activities to connect basic education students with SSP23. For this, Space Days have been programmed, days of educational activities dedicated to the dissemination of science and technology.

Some of the public events supported by Alpha Lumen include the Astronaut Panel, Robotics Competition, and Mobile Planetarium Sessions at Shopping Oriente.

“The arrival of SSP in Brazil and in São José dos Campos, which is a technological hub, is an opportunity for the world to get to know us, but also for our young people to discover the technological potential that the country has and to be inspired and create extraordinary credentials for our students,” said the institute’s founder and president, Nuricel Villalonga Aguilera.

According to the management, Alpha Lumen is a non-profit entity, recognized as being of public utility, which seeks solutions for social impact, democratization of knowledge and support for talents to broaden the opportunities of gifted adults, young people and children with high level of skills, in priority, people with low incomes, in Brazil and abroad.

About the SSP (Space Studies Program)

Organized by the ISU (International Space University), it is considered the largest space studies event in the world, offering the largest and most comprehensive training program in the sector. In 34 years of existence, it has trained 5,400 professionals from 110 countries.

It is an intensive program in all areas of spatial knowledge with a duration of 9 weeks and 1,000 hours of academic content.

The studies will be carried out at ITA and INPE, but we will have the integration of the whole community in free events open to the public, such as a panel with astronauts, a robot competition, a launch of rockets and balloons, among others.

Held each year in a different location around the world, this will be the 35th edition of the SSP and the first time it will host Brazil.

During the event, around 500 people from 50 different countries are expected to circulate around São José dos Campos, including scientists, astronauts, researchers and executives from companies and agencies related to the space sector.

INPE and ITA jointly submitted with the city of São José the proposal to host the SSP 2023. The event is also supported by the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, AEB (Brazilian Space Agency), DCTA (Department of Aerospace Science and Technology) and the Brazilian Air Force.

Collaboration: Paula Pessoa

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Secretary for Innovation and Economic Development