Pune: La Fondation Dassault Systèmes, India has announced the conclusion of its new Aerospace School Program, “My First Aerospace Program,” in Pune.
The multi-city STEM initiative has inspired 150 school children aged 13–16 across Bengaluru, Chennai, Gurugram and Pune by enabling them to design, test, build and launch DIY rockets, CubeSats and rovers.
The Aerospace School Program, designed to nurture young minds and spark curiosity about the growing space sector and related education pathways, was conducted across four key technology hubs in India.
La Fondation Dassault Systèmes, India conducted “My First Aerospace Program” in collaboration with SSERD (Society for Space Education Research and Development), a not-for-profit organisation working in the space sector.
The Aerospace School Program establishes an experiential learning corridor across India, guiding students through a structured learning path.
With support from skill volunteers from Dassault Systèmes, participants progressed from understanding basic STEM concepts to using 3D technology to develop their ideas and bring them to life.
By combining hands-on learning with virtual validation, the Aerospace School Program enables students to develop problem-solving, creativity and collaborative engineering skills through end-to-end rocketry, satellite and rover activities.
The initiative forms the foundational layer of La Fondation Dassault Systèmes, India’s comprehensive educational ecosystem, which is designed to bridge early school education with higher-level industry readiness programs across India’s evolving space ecosystem.
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“Nurturing early curiosity in science and engineering is essential to sustaining India’s progress in the space sector.
By connecting early school learning with university initiatives like ConnectNext-Industry Readiness for Space and CubeSat Design & Development, we are empowering students and educators across disciplines to actively contribute to the nation’s space ambitions,” said Sudarshan Mogasale, Chairman of Board of Directors, La Fondation Dassault Systèmes, India.
“At SSERD, we believe India’s future in space will be built in classrooms today.
‘My First Aerospace Program’ proves that when we give a 13-year-old the tools to build a rocket or a CubeSat, we are not just teaching STEM, we are igniting a career and giving them a powerful motive to excel in academics, while building skills and creating talent pipeline for NewSpace India,” said Nikhita Chadde, Co-founder and Trustee, Society for Space Education, Research and Development (SSERD).
Beyond school education, La Fondation Dassault Systèmes continues to strengthen higher education engagement in the space domain.
Through its ConnectNext-Industry Readiness for Space program, the organisation enables undergraduate students and educators to participate in national CanSat and model rocketry competitions through technical coaching and mentoring.
The Aerospace School Program complements these higher education initiatives by introducing school students to hands-on aerospace and STEM learning at an early stage.
La Fondation Dassault Systèmes also empowers undergraduate students with future-ready skills to engineer space missions and design CubeSats using virtual twin technology.
The Aerospace School Program, through its “My First Aerospace Program” initiative, has therefore created a structured experiential learning opportunity for students across Bengaluru, Chennai, Gurugram and Pune, connecting school-level STEM education with pathways toward higher education and industry readiness in the space sector.
