Dassault Foundation Expands School STEM Programme to Build India’s Space Education and NewSpace Talent Pipeline

La Fondation Dassault Systèmes has expanded its hands-on aerospace education initiative in India, taking 150 school students aged 13 to 16 through a multi-city programme in Bengaluru, Chennai, Gurugram and Pune where participants designed, tested and built DIY rockets, CubeSats and rovers using engineering concepts and 3D technology. The initiative, called “My First Aerospace Program,” is designed not only as a school STEM activity but as the foundational layer of a wider education pipeline connecting early aerospace exposure with future university programmes, research and NewSpace careers.

The programme has been conducted in collaboration with the Society for Space Education Research and Development, or SSERD.

Unlike a conventional science lecture, students move through an experiential model in which they first understand fundamental concepts and then convert ideas into digital designs and physical aerospace projects.

The initiative concluded its latest multi-city phase in Pune after cohorts in major Indian technology hubs.

My First Aerospace Program 2026: Key Details

Initiative	My First Aerospace Program
Organisation	La Fondation Dassault Systèmes, India
Partner	Society for Space Education Research and Development
Students Reached	150
Age Group	13-16 years
Cities	Bengaluru, Chennai, Gurugram and Pune
Projects	Rockets, CubeSats and rovers
Learning Model	Hands-on STEM and 3D engineering

The Programme Started With School Students

The central idea is to expose children to aerospace before they have to make major college and career choices.

Students aged 13 to 16 are introduced to areas such as:

• Space science
• Engineering design
• Rocketry
• Satellites
• Rovers
• 3D technology

Why Start Aerospace Education So Early?

Students frequently choose Class 11 streams or university programmes without understanding what engineers actually do.

Early exposure can help a student discover interest in:

• Aerospace engineering
• Electronics
• Mechanical engineering
• Computer science
• Space science

Students Build Rather Than Only Watch

The programme moves away from passive STEM demonstrations.

Participants work through the process of:

• Understanding a problem
• Designing
• Testing
• Building
• Improving

DIY Rockets Form One Part of the Learning Journey

Rocket projects can introduce students to:

• Aerodynamics
• Stability
• Forces
• Materials
• Testing

Rocketry Connects Classroom Physics to Real Engineering

A student who has learned Newton’s laws can see them become relevant to:

• Thrust
• Acceleration
• Drag
• Flight path

CubeSats Introduce Satellite Engineering

CubeSats are small, standardised satellite platforms commonly used for:

• Research
• Technology demonstrations
• Earth observation
• Education

Chennai Cohort Focused on CubeSat Development

SSERD reported that a Chennai cohort of 25 students spent five days exploring:

• Satellite design
• Systems
• CubeSat fundamentals
• Digital engineering using xDesign

Rovers Add Robotics to Space Education

The Gurugram cohort worked with rover concepts.

A rover project can combine:

• Mechanical design
• Electronics
• Programming
• Control systems

Space Engineering Is Inherently Interdisciplinary

A real satellite mission may require:

• Aerospace engineers
• Mechanical engineers
• Electrical engineers
• Computer engineers
• Materials scientists
• Data scientists

Students Can Learn That “Space Career” Does Not Mean Only Astronaut

This is an important career lesson.

India’s space ecosystem includes jobs involving:

• Satellite engineering
• Propulsion
• Avionics
• Mission software
• Remote sensing
• Manufacturing

3D Technology Is Part of the Programme

Participants use digital tools to develop and validate concepts before physical construction.

This mirrors a broader industry shift toward:

• Computer-aided design
• Simulation
• Virtual testing
• Digital twins

What Is a Digital Twin?

A digital twin is a digital representation of a physical object or system that can be used to understand, simulate or analyse performance.

In aerospace, digital models can reduce:

• Prototype cost
• Testing time
• Design mistakes

Students Learn to Test Ideas Before Building Them

This teaches an important engineering principle:

Do not build the first idea blindly.

Instead:

1. Design
2. Simulate
3. Test assumptions
4. Improve
5. Build

Programme Reached 150 Students

The multi-city initiative included schoolchildren across four major technology centres.

The scale is still relatively small compared with India’s overall school population, but the programme is designed as a model for deeper experiential learning rather than mass online instruction.

Why Small Cohorts Can Be Useful

Hands-on engineering requires:

• Equipment
• Mentoring
• Safety supervision
• Teamwork

A cohort model can provide more interaction than a large lecture.

Dassault Systèmes Volunteers Support Students

The programme includes skill volunteers connected with Dassault Systèmes.

Industry professionals can help students understand:

• How engineering software is used
• How design teams work
• How ideas become products

Industry Exposure at School Level Is Unusual

Most students first interact seriously with companies during college internships.

Earlier exposure can make engineering careers less abstract.

SSERD Focuses on Space Education

The Society for Space Education Research and Development is a not-for-profit organisation working in the space-education ecosystem.

Its collaboration adds subject-specific educational and aerospace expertise.

The Programme Is Designed as a Talent Pipeline

SSERD Co-founder and Trustee Nikhita Chadde has described the initiative as a way to help build skills and a talent pipeline for NewSpace India.

What Is “NewSpace India”?

NewSpace generally refers to the growing private and commercial space ecosystem alongside traditional government space programmes.

It can include companies working on:

• Launch vehicles
• Satellites
• Space data
• Earth observation
• Components
• Software

India’s Private Space Sector Is Growing

Reforms have expanded opportunities for private companies and startups to participate in the space economy.

This increases the need for specialised talent.

Space Education Needs a Long Pipeline

A student does not become a spacecraft engineer after one college semester.

Development begins through:

• School STEM foundations
• University engineering
• Projects
• Research
• Industry training

The Foundation Says School Learning Is the First Layer

The initiative is described as the foundational layer of a larger ecosystem extending toward higher education and industry readiness.

This makes the project more than a one-off school workshop.

Higher Education Partnerships Already Exist

Research projects supported by Dassault-related foundation initiatives at engineering institutions include work involving:

• CubeSat virtual twins
• Model rockets
• Aerospace digital learning

NMIT Lists Dassault-Supported Projects

Nitte Meenakshi Institute of Technology lists ongoing sponsored work involving:

• Virtual Twin for CubeSat
• Hands-on space learning
• Model rocket curriculum

This illustrates how school-level aerospace education can connect with university research infrastructure.

Virtual Learning Can Reduce the Cost of Space Education

Real spacecraft hardware is expensive.

Simulation can allow students to explore:

• Satellite systems
• Rocket design
• Mission ideas

without needing full-scale aerospace equipment.

But Students Still Need Physical Building

Simulation alone cannot teach:

• Assembly
• Material failure
• Wiring problems
• Manufacturing tolerances

The best learning model combines digital and physical work.

Failure Is Valuable in STEM Education

A rocket that does not fly properly can teach more than a perfect demonstration.

Students learn to ask:

• What failed?
• Why?
• What should change?

This Develops Engineering Mindset

The goal is not simply memorising science facts.

Students learn:

• Problem solving
• Teamwork
• Iteration
• Critical thinking

Space Projects Can Make Mathematics More Meaningful

Students can use mathematics for:

• Trajectories
• Scale
• Geometry
• Measurement

Programming Can Become More Tangible

Instead of writing code only for a screen, students can use programming to control:

• Sensors
• Rovers
• Data collection

Girls’ Participation in STEM Should Be Actively Supported

Early programmes should ensure that girls have meaningful roles in:

• Design
• Building
• Programming
• Team leadership

School STEM Programmes Need Wider Access

A long-term challenge is ensuring that high-quality programmes do not remain concentrated only in major private schools or metropolitan centres.

Future Expansion Could Target Tier-2 and Tier-3 Cities

India’s future scientists and engineers can come from:

• Small towns
• Government schools
• Rural regions

Teacher Training Is Also Important

A visiting five-day programme can inspire students.

Permanent impact improves when school teachers can continue the learning afterward.

Schools Can Build Basic Space Clubs

Low-cost activities can include:

• Model rockets
• Satellite tracking
• Electronics
• Astronomy
• Robotics

What Can Students Study After School?

Students interested in aerospace can consider degrees in:

• Aerospace Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Electronics
• Computer Science
• Physics

You Do Not Need an “Aerospace” Degree to Work in Space

A satellite needs:

• Software engineers
• Electronics engineers
• Materials engineers
• Data scientists

Students Should Build Projects Before College

Possible beginner projects include:

• Weather station
• Simple rover
• Arduino telemetry
• Model rocket

Competitions Can Expand Learning

Students can participate in:

• Robotics competitions
• CanSat challenges
• Science fairs
• Astronomy clubs

Space Education Can Support Other Careers Too

Even students who do not become aerospace engineers gain skills in:

• Design thinking
• Collaboration
• Data
• Technical communication

Final Takeaway

La Fondation Dassault Systèmes’ “My First Aerospace Program” has introduced 150 students aged 13 to 16 to hands-on aerospace learning across Bengaluru, Chennai, Gurugram and Pune.

Working with SSERD, the programme takes students beyond textbook STEM by allowing them to design and develop projects involving rockets, CubeSats and rovers while using 3D digital-engineering tools.

The initiative is significant because it is being positioned as the first layer of a larger education pathway connecting school-level curiosity with university research and future space-industry careers.

As India’s NewSpace ecosystem grows, the long-term challenge will be scale: ensuring that practical aerospace education reaches not only a small number of students in major technology hubs but also talented children in smaller cities and less-resourced schools.