CTAE promotes student visits to Europe's Spaceport in Kourou

Published December 18, 2009

Castelldefels (Barcelona), 15 December 2009. During the opening ceremony of the 2009-2010 Master of Aerospace Science and Technology (MAST) course, CTAE awarded a prize to Ms. Estel Blay, the best performing graduate of the previous year, in the presence of UPC's Rector Antoni Giró, of MAST Director Prof. Ricard González-Cinca and of keynote speaker Prof. Michael Griffin, former NASA Administrator.

During her MAST studies, Estel Blay spent a few months at CTAE as an intern and helped with the preparation of a strategic plan for aerospace in Catalonia.  She is now planning to continue with a PhD thesis, and of course very much looks forward to her upcoming visit to Kourou.

The picture below shows Estel Blay proudly holding her prize, with Prof. Antoni Giró, UPC's Rector (left), and Michael Griffin, former NASA Administrator.



The annual visits of aerospace engineering students to Europe's Spaceport are organised by the Community of Ariane Cities (CVA: www.ariane-cities.com), an association of more than 30 European cities and aerospace companies involved in Space Transportation, including the City of Barcelona and CTAE board members BAiE and GTD.

The picture below was taken on 7 December 2009 during the last CVA visit, in front of the full-size Ariane 5 mockup at the entrance of the Space Centre. The group was composed of 50 aerospace students and professionals from 7 ESA member states, and included CTAE staff members Juan de Dalmau, Jesús-Pablo González and Martí Jofre.