A Practical Approach to Space Environmental Effects
Course Detail:
This course provides a comprehensive understanding of the space environment, its potential effects on spacecraft materials and designs, and strategies to mitigate associated risks. Attendees will gain insight into the challenges of designing and operating spacecraft in the harsh space environment, learn the latest tools and techniques for assessing and managing risks, and engage in hands-on activities to reinforce their understanding of key concepts. Through lectures, case studies, and group exercises, attendees will acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to develop reliable, cost-effective designs.
This course will cover a wide range of topics including:
- Space environment factors
- Spacecraft charging
- Radiation effects
- Case studies on mission failures
- Practical guidance on simulation, testing, and analysis
The course will give attendees the opportunity to learn from and network with industry experts who have collaborated with prestigious space organizations. It also provides the opportunity to learn from the successes and failures of past missions, helping attendees to avoid common pitfalls and to adopt best practices in their own work.
Who Should Attend?
This course is ideal for those involved in the design of space systems and satellites. Attendees will learn critical simulation and test approaches from world renowned industry experts aimed at identifying design challenges and program risks earlier and more effectively.
Schedule:
Jan. 29- Feb. 2, 2024
Includes lunch and breaks daily.
Course Fee:
Space environmental effects training course and early expo admission (May 1- July 31): $1,800
Space environmental effects training course and advanced expo admission (Aug. 1- Dec. 30): $2,000
Cancellations and Refunds
- Cancellations received more than 28 days prior to the conference start date are subject to a processing fee of 4% of the total registration, plus any direct expenses incurred by EMA.
- Cancellations received 15 – 28 days prior to the conference start date are subject to a $250 cancellation fee plus any direct expenses incurred by EMA.
- Cancellations received 8 – 14 days prior to the conference start date are subject to a $500 cancellation fee plus any direct expenses incurred by EMA.
- No refunds will be issued for cancellations received less than seven days prior to the conference start date.
- No refunds will be issued due to inclement weather or travel disruptions/cancellations.
- Registrations may be transferred without incurring any penalty or fee.
Featured Presenters:

Justin McKennon, EMA Principal Scientist I
Justin McKennon is an industry recognized leader in electromagnetic effects and space radiation. Justin has an extensive test background, having previously served as Chief Engineer at NTS Lightning Technologies.
He holds a Full Authority FAA DER license in all HIRF, lightning, and EMI/EMC disciplines and has played critical roles in certification efforts on dozens of commercial and military programs. He also helped lead the establishment of EMA’s Space Environment and Radiation Effects (SERE) facility. Justin has significant expertise related to lightning effects on aircraft, wind turbines, and structures. He also specializes in the test and measurement of electromagnetic effects, EMP, radiated effects, and related areas.

Gregory Wilson, EMA Senior Scientist Gregory Wilson specializes in space environment interactions with materials and spacecraft as well as electromagnetic effects of lightning and other high voltage phenomena. He has worked on numerous projects contracted by NASA, SpaceX, AFRL, and other space focused organizations.
Gregory has published dozens of articles focusing on electron ranges in materials, secondary electron yield, surface voltage measurements, and other space-based material characterization topics. He has recently worked on high fidelity electromagnetic simulations to understand the coupled interactions of surface and internal spacecraft charging. He is currently participating in the design and construction of EMA’s SERE facility as well as the development of EMA3D® Charge.

Dr. Joseph I. Minow, NASA technical fellow
Dr. Minow started his professional career in the field of space environments and their effects on space systems as a Senior Engineer with Sverdrup Technology (now Jacobs Engineering) in 1998 at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC). He first worked on problems involving space environment interactions with the International Space Station (ISS) and the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) for MSFC’s Natural Environments Branch but soon expanded his activities to support a variety of NASA programs and projects.
Dr. Minow served as the Environments Group Supervisor for Jacobs from 1999 to 2004 during which time he led a team of scientists and engineers with expertise in space environments, terrestrial environments, and electromagnetic compatibility. In 2004, Dr. Minow became a civil servant in MSFC’s Natural Environments Branch where he served as the ionizing radiation and space plasma environments activity lead for the Branch. Dr. Minow joined the NESC in 2015 as the NASA Technical Fellow for Space Environments.
Dr. Minow’s technical contributions are primarily related to characterizing space environments for space system design and operations, analysis and modeling of space plasma and ionizing radiation environments and their effects on space systems, investigation of spacecraft surface and bulk charging phenomenon, and investigation of on-orbit anomalies. These contributions have supported a wide variety of NASA programs including the Space Shuttle (serving as the Natural Environments Panel Co-Chair for Space Environments and evaluating the space environment for the Columbia Accident Investigation), ISS (supporting the ISS space environments community and serving as a co-investigator for the Floating Potential Measurement Unit), Chandra X-Ray Observatory (co-developer of the Chandra Radiation Model and member of the radiation working group), JWST, NASA’s Space Environments and Effects Program (principle and co-investigator for multiple projects), Launch Services Program, Constellation, Exploration System Development/Space Launch System/Orion Programs, Commercial Crew Program, and many other developmental and operational projects and programs.
Dr. Minow has contributed over 140 conference presentations, journal publications, and technical reports on topics related to the space environment and their effects on space systems. Dr. Minow was awarded the Silver Snoopy Award in 2002 for contributions to an ISS spacecraft charging investigation, was a member of the NASA and SpaceX team awarded the NASA Space Flight Awareness Team Award in 2015 for work on Falcon 9 avionics radiation susceptibility risk mitigation, and has received numerous NASA group achievement awards,
Dr. Minow received his B.A. degree in Chemistry and Biology from Western State College (now Western State Colorado University) in Colorado in 1981, a M.S. degree in Physics from University of Denver in 1987, and a Ph.D. degree in Physics from the University of Alaska Fairbanks in 1997.
About EMA:
EMA was founded in 1977, and for nearly five decades has become a leading developer of technologies for engineering simulation, specializing in applied electromagnetics. EMA provides software and services to promote the design, certification, and performance of our customers’ products. EMA is an Ansys Technology Partner that develops two simulation products: Ansys EMC Plus and Ansys Charge Plus.
Contact us:
Email: ema.expo@ema3d.com
Phone: (303) 980-0070