International Institute for Astronautical Sciences

What is Space Medicine? 🚀🩺

Listen to Dr. Shawna Pandya talk about how we not only survive in space, but how we can thrive through it.

From human performance and physiology to the future of long-duration exploration, this conversation dives into the science that will shape humanity’s future beyond Earth.

🎧 Now available on YouTube and Spotify.

🚀 “Space is hard. Space is expensive. And space is trying to kill you.”
In this short clip from Conversations with IIAS, Shawna Pandya explains why astronaut training relies so heavily on analog environments, extreme conditions, and operational simulations before humans ever reach space.
From underwater EVA training to survival scenarios and human performance under stress, preparing for spaceflight means learning to operate safely in some of the harshest environments imaginable.
🎧 Full episode available now on YouTube & Spotify.

Why would we fake the Moon landing… seven times?
In this clip from Conversations with IIAS, Ken breaks down one of the most common conspiracy theories with pure logic.
If it were fake…
why repeat it successfully multiple times?
and why didn’t the Soviet Union call it out during the height of the Cold War?
Sometimes, the simplest answer is the most powerful one.
🚀 Full episode on Spotify & YouTube

Stepping into an IVA suit changes everything 🚀

In AST 501, students experience what it means to operate inside a spacecraft through Intravehicular Activity (IVA) suits. From feeling the pressure to understanding mobility constraints, every movement becomes intentional.

It’s where life support systems, human factors, and real mission operations come together.

This isn’t just learning about spaceflight… it’s learning how to function in it.

G-forces, flight physiology, and real mission application ✈️🚀

During our AST 501 training at the International Institute for Astronautical Sciences, students went beyond theory and into operational aviation. From experiencing G-forces in flight to understanding how the body responds to acceleration, spatial disorientation, and workload, this was a full immersion into the human side of aerospace.

At the same time, we conducted an aerial imagery flight over a lake, applying observation techniques, coordination, and data collection methods in a real-world scenario. Learning how to stabilize, track, and capture usable imagery from a moving aircraft is a critical skill that connects aviation with scientific and operational missions.

This is what AST 501 is about, not just learning concepts, but executing them. Bridging aerospace physiology, flight operations, and mission-driven data collection in an environment that prepares you for real astronautical challenges 🌍✨

Today at International Institute for Astronautical Sciences we celebrated both ends of the journey.

Our youngest explorers took their first step, graduating and proving that curiosity starts early 🌎✨
At the same time, our AST 501 professionals pushed their limits through hypoxia training, experiencing firsthand how the body and mind respond in low-oxygen environments, a critical skill for aviation and spaceflight.

Two very different moments. One shared mission.
Building the next generation of space explorers, from the very first dream… to the edge of space.