Academy news

Landing a Cascade in Martian dust: why descent training never stops

The last thirty seconds of a Cascade Dropship descent are the most dangerous in spaceflight. Here is how we prepare pilots for brownout, boulders and aborts.

Coming up: Tasman Field Open Day on 25 October 2026

Join us at Tasman Field Ground School, Hangar 2 in Oceania for Tasman Field Open Day. This expo is open to students, pilots and anyone curious about flight training.

Coming up: Heavy Crew Resource Management Workshop on 17 December 2026

Join us at Ceres Outstation Simulator Deck in Ceres for Heavy Crew Resource Management Workshop. This meetup is open to students, pilots and anyone curious about flight training.

Never let a tether feel tight: lessons from salvage tug training

Capturing a tumbling derelict with a Basilisk Salvage Tug is equal parts physics and patience. Our salvage instructor shares what he teaches every cohort.

Save the date: Heavy Freight Type Rating: December Intake

Mark 3 November 2026 in your calendar. Heavy Freight Type Rating: December Intake comes to Shackleton Base Training Wing, Briefing Hall A, Luna.

Now enrolling: Salvage Tug Operations

Applications are open for the next intake of Salvage Tug Operations, a Intermediate-level course at Lumen Pilot Academy. The cohort begins in December 2187.

From pilot to teacher: why we are expanding the instructor course

Demand for flight training is outgrowing the supply of instructors. Here is what our Flight Instructor Certificate involves and why we are adding places.

Updated handbook for the Flight Instructor Rating

We have published a revised handbook for the Flight Instructor Rating, awarded by the Interplanetary Flight Standards Board (IFSB) in the endorsement category.

Intake announced: Ore Hauler Type Rating

Lumen Pilot Academy has confirmed a new Advanced cohort for Ore Hauler Type Rating, starting in February 2188.

What examiners actually look for on a check ride

Our chief examiner explains how check rides are scored, the most common reasons candidates fail, and why perfect flying is not the point.

Why train on First Solo: Foundation Flight?

Pilots often ask what separates First Solo: Foundation Flight from other Foundation training. The short answer is small cohorts and real flying: 16 students per intake, guided by 4 instructors.

What to expect at Sponsoring Pilot Training: Briefing for Operators

On 9 November 2026, Online, broadcast from the Lumen Live studio at Kepler Yards in L5 Lagrange Station hosts Sponsoring Pilot Training: Briefing for Operators.

Months from help: what it takes to command the Odyssey

Commanding an Odyssey Deep Explorer beyond Saturn means making irreversible decisions far from any help. Our training commander explains how we prepare candidates.

Now enrolling: Medevac Flight Operations

Applications are open for the next intake of Medevac Flight Operations, a Advanced-level course at Lumen Pilot Academy. The cohort begins in November 2187.

Save the date: Tasman Field Summer Graduation

Mark 25 December 2026 in your calendar. Tasman Field Summer Graduation comes to Tasman Field Parade Ground, Oceania.

Burning your own cargo: nuclear thermal flying on the Tempest

The Tempest Ice Runner refuels from the water it carries. That makes it uniquely self-sufficient, and uniquely demanding for its pilots.

Intake announced: Outer-System Ice Runner Rating

Lumen Pilot Academy has confirmed a new Advanced cohort for Outer-System Ice Runner Rating, starting in February 2188.

Save the date: Passenger Liner Command Information Evening

Mark 1 November 2026 in your calendar. Passenger Liner Command Information Evening comes to Olympus Ring Passenger Terminal, Lounge 3, Olympus Ring.

Low and slow: the art of survey flying in the Valkyrie

The Valkyrie Survey Corvette can cross the solar system fast, but its real work happens a few hundred metres above a tumbling rock. Here is how we teach it.

What it takes to earn the Gas Giant Atmospheric Flight Endorsement

Holders of the Gas Giant Atmospheric Flight Endorsement, granted by the IFSB, on recommendation of Lumen Pilot Academy in the endorsement category, are certified as follows: Atmospheric skimming passes at Jupiter and…

Your route to the Passenger Command Licence

Many pilots ask how to obtain the Passenger Command Licence. It is issued by the Interplanetary Flight Standards Board (IFSB) in the licence category. Scope: Command of large passenger liners such as the Halcyon…

Alone at 1,450 km/s: fatigue and the single-pilot courier

The biggest risk to an Aurora Mk II courier pilot is not the ship. It is the pilot's own tiredness on day four of an express run.

What to expect at Vesta Survey Field Week

On 29 November 2026, Vesta Survey Range in Vesta hosts Vesta Survey Field Week.

Fitness to fly: aeromedical checks, radiation and long-duration health

Every Lumen student needs an aeromedical certificate, and some courses need much more. Our senior flight medical officer explains what to expect.