IE AIR & SPACE INITIATIVE

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IE Air & Space Initiative

As the world of business and industry look towards the stars, the IE Air & Space Initiative considers what that means for business opportunities both on Earth and beyond.

The IE Air & Space Initiative was created by students, alumni and faculty interested in forming part of the conversation about this fascinating industry. Space is the next business frontier that promises to have a profound effect on society as a whole.

We are defined by our capacity to explore and innovate. Today, we can’t imagine life without GPS, instant global communication, or the technology that allows us to get anywhere in the world in under 24 hours. Tomorrow, advancements such asteroid mining, space tourism, space manufacturing or discoveries in medicine as a result of zero gravity research could change the course of business.

Curious to know more? Join us and be part of the conversation.

"Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars."

Les Brown

Who we are and what we do

The IE Air & Space Initiative was launched by a group of students, alumni and faculty with a keen interest in the space industry, and a desire to learn more and involve IE in the conversation surrounding the business of space.

We bring our students and partners closer to key space industry players by creating a network within which ideas, insights and knowledge are exchanged through a series of events, roundtables, panels and much more.

We are committed to sharing the knowledge gathered through the initiative with our peers, by developing a series of video interviews and podcasts for our IE Space Talks series.

THE FUTURE LANDS AT IE: SPACE X & THE PRIVATE SPACE INDUSTRY

On the 10th of September, 2018, Gwynne Shotwell, President and COO of Space X, shared what it’s like to live and breathe the Space X mission of enabling interplanetary life with IE University. Our campus’ V-Garden played host to Ms. Shotwell and nearly 100 guests comprised of students, industry stakeholders, faculty and alumni, for a dynamic presentation of Space X’s vision of the private space industry, followed by a lively Q&A orchestrated by our student clubs.

Ms. Shotwell is responsible for operations and strategic relationships with customers and has been a member of the management team at SpaceX since day one, sharing in the company’s vision for a future where humanity is out exploring the stars.

IE & OFFWORLD: LEARNING MORE ABOUT SPACE MINING, ROBOTICS, AI & MOON PLANS

IE University had the pleasure of hosting the Founder and Lead Investigator of OffWorld, James Murray, on the 5th of November, 2018, who shared his ideas on the future of the space industry and space mining. IE’s students, faculty, alumni and industry partners were treated to an insider’s view of astroentrepreneurship and the new space industry, discussing the benefits of space mining and the effect it might have on business.

Special Collaborators

SPACE X

With its sights set on humans inhabiting another planet, SpaceX, now 16 years young, is the world’s fastest-growing aerospace launch services company.

OFFWORLD

OffWorld believes in turning the inner solar system into a better, gentler, greener place for life and civilization. With that mission in mind, the company develops smart robots that change the way that we mine, process, manufacture and build cities on Earth in order to prepare them for a future offworld.