Space

The question of what lies beyond our atmosphere has been front of our minds since the beginning of time.

People have stood on the earth’s surface and tried to understand what lies in our skies. Other people have gone a step further, either sending technology into the far reaches of the solar system or put themselves into orbit to experience it firsthand.

This course, drawing on how we think of Space and our expansion beyond our planet in a broad range of different ways will investigate the astronomy that has built our understanding of the solar system, and the issues that arise when we try to imagine our own forays into Space.

It is genuinely transdisciplinary investigating the astronomy, the science, the engineering, the technology, the ethics, and the culture that informs our understanding of Space. It will be a hands-on program, with students using telescopes, solving practical problems, and building the skills to understand space.

Area of Study

• Astronomy – viewing the night sky
• Space exploration
• Contemporary space missions
• The evolution of our understanding of space
• The ethics of space exploration
• Colonisation
• Astronomical imaging
• The search for extra-terrestrial life
• Space and popular culture

• Experimentation
• Reflection & self-documentation of learning
• Independent and collaborative projects
• Problem solving and creative design

• Critical thinking
• Mathematics
• Technological applications
• Communication