FreeFlyer® Certification

February 26, 2020

Introduction

The FreeFlyer team is thrilled to announce the launch of our new FreeFlyer Certification Program! Starting today, you can test your knowledge of the fundamental skills necessary to use FreeFlyer by taking Level 1 of FreeFlyer Certification. Level 1 of FreeFlyer Certification is recommended for users with any level of experience and is largely focused on the core capabilities of FreeFlyer including, but not limited to, Spacecraft Propagation, Generating Output, FreeFlyer Scripting, and Coverage and Contact Analysis. Oh, and the exam is FREE!

SolarSat Demonstration

Why Should I Take It?

Whether you have one week or ten years of experience using FreeFlyer, completing the Level 1 Certification is the best way to validate your knowledge of the fundamentals of FreeFlyer. FreeFlyer is actively used to support over 200 missions in the global space industry – a Level 1 Certification is a noteworthy addition to your resume that will stand out to employers and open doors to opportunities in mission design and operations across the world! Higher levels of certification will become available as the program expands, so it is pertinent to stay ahead of the curve by completing Level 1 so that you’re prepared for more complex certification exams in the future.

How to Prepare

To prepare for Level 1 of certification, we strongly recommend reviewing our FreeFlyer Fundamentals YouTube videos which will take up to four hours to complete. Another great resource is the FreeFlyer Help File, which is accessible directly through the FreeFlyer Software or online under the FreeFlyer tab on our corporate website (click on FreeFlyer Help Desk). The Help File is designed with both the beginning and advanced user in mind. The goal of the Help File is to provide you with an indispensable resource that will help you take full advantage of FreeFlyer’s capabilities. If you’d like to get some more hands-on experience using the tool, you can work through the FreeFlyer University Guide, a resource designed specifically with students in mind that includes step-by-step instructions demonstrating how to use FreeFlyer to execute various different real-world scenarios.

Lunar Lander Demonstration

How to Take the Exam

You can take the exam by going to the FreeFlyer tab on our corporate website and selecting FreeFlyer Certification. Once you select “Start Exam” you will be prompted to choose one of the two sections: Exam Part A (multiple-choice questions) or Exam Part B (practical questions). In the multiple-choice section, there are 50 questions focused on the core capabilities of FreeFlyer. The practical section consists of two prompts that guide you through creating or editing your own Mission Plan in order to answer a series of multiple-choice questions (5 for each prompt). Note that the order in which you choose to do either section does not matter; however, your progress for each section will not be saved until you hit “Complete Exam Part __”. Once you have completed a section of the exam and have selected “Complete Exam Part __” you will no longer be able to change the answers to any of the questions in that section. Once you have completed both parts of the exam you will be taken to a results page where you will find your score for each section and will be notified if you passed or failed the exam. A score of 70% or higher qualifies as a pass! If you passed the exam, you will be presented with a downloadable certificate that shows your name, the date the exam was finished, and the level of certification, as seen below:

If you don’t pass the exam on the first try, don’t worry, each user can take the exam 3 times before needing to contact the FreeFlyer Certification Team! If it’s the first time you’ve completed the exam, and you don’t pass, you will be able to immediately take the exam again by selecting either Part A or Part B at the bottom of the results screen. After your second attempt, if you don’t pass, you will be notified that you must wait one week prior to taking the exam again. The purpose of the one-week break between your second and third attempt is simply to allow you more time to gain experience with FreeFlyer so that you are better prepared for your third attempt. If after your third attempt you are still unsuccessful, you will be unable to take the exam again until you reach out to our team.

Good Luck!

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