Each year about 60 selected participants from among the member and cooperating states of the European Space Agency are given the opportunity to expand and strengthen their knowledge of selected space issues. The purpose of the Summer School is to foster the practical application of knowledge derived from lectures, to develop organisational and team-work skills and to encourage creativity. Teams compete to execute the best project, judged by an independent jury. The teams themselves are responsible for the selection of the subject of the project and for the team structure and working methods. A key element of the summer school is the workshop, to which more than 50% of the time spent in Alpbach are being given.
The Summer School is organised by the Aeronautics and Space Agency of FFG and co-sponsored by the European Space Agency and the national space authorities of its member and cooperating states. A traditional partner is the International Space Science Institute (ISSI).