Our mission
We do not aspire to restore Ukrainian astronomy to its pre-invasion state or any previous point in history. Instead, we seek to empower it with fundamentally new capabilities, approaches, and societal significance that it has never had before. Unfortunately, preserving all the achievements of previous decades is not feasible – something will be irretrievably lost. But instead, we will gain new strengths and enhance certain areas to such an extent that they will provide a significant advantage in the future.
The values
Responsibility
We all work as a single mechanism. The collective outcome – whether it's the success or failure of a major project – depends on dozens of smaller tasks carried out by a few dozen people. Therefore, everyone must perform their tasks in a timely and high-quality manner. If completing a task on time and/or meeting the quality requirements is not possible, it has to be reported before it becomes an issue.
Mutual support
We help, support, and teach each other, but we do not take advantage of these opportunities. Everyone has their place and their unique set of skills that contribute to the team, but the absence of any team member should not paralyze or slow down our work. We do not leave anyone behind with their struggles. In case of any problems, we consolidate and direct our collective efforts toward finding a resolution.
Apoliticality
CSF is not affiliated with any political party and is not part of any of them. None of the team members belong to any political parties, and they do not intend to become members while they are part of this team. We will not build a party with your money. CSF is also not the property of its director or founder, and the person in this position is neither eternal nor unchanging.
Self-development
The realities of the astronomical world are changing rapidly – there is never enough knowledge and skills. That is why we are constantly seeking opportunities for development and the growth of our team's overall skill set.
Dedication
We are passionate about our cause, and sometimes it becomes more than just volunteering or a 9-to-5 job. We are willing to do whatever it takes to improve Ukrainian astronomy, even if it requires tremendous effort. We are ready to tackle non-public and seemingly unfeasible projects if their implementation would be beneficial. Some may say that we are ''a little'' crazy... and in fact, that's exactly what we are.
The approaches and principles
Competency
We only do what we believe we are competent in. If something needs to be done and is beyond our competency, we deepen our knowledge, gain experience, learn from our mistakes, and then proceed with the task.
Integrity
All our major projects are designed to address multiple problems simultaneously, whether they are related or not. This approach saves time and optimizes our limited resources.
Consistency
We do not simply create books or record videos for the sake of doing so. We do not merely teach students how to conduct scientific research and then leave them to act on their own. Each preceding step and current project is closely interconnected with the next, all aimed at improving Ukrainian astronomy.
Flexibility
When the intermediate results of a project are unsatisfactory, we change our approaches, methods, and team members, as necessary, to achieve a high-quality final result.
Unconventional Thinking
The least effective approach one can take is to repeatedly perform the same actions while hoping for different results, despite previous failures. Problems often require creative solutions, so we boldly choose a riskier path when such action is justified and leads to predictable outcomes.
Openness
All information regarding our projects, public plans, and reports (and in the future – receipts and expenses) is publicly available in all necessary details. Every patron is able to track our expenses from anywhere in the world with just one requirement – access to the Internet. We systematically report to all patrons and regulatory bodies.
Honesty in Front of an Audience
We do not claim undue achievements or conceal our failures. If a project is successful, we happily share our accomplishments without exaggeration. If a project is unsuccessful, we acknowledge it as such. And in the case of a complete failure, we openly communicate it as well. Even our secret projects, which may be unknown at the time, will eventually be made public one day, regardless of the outcome.