The Masters of Space
by Garima Pandey
February 22, 2016

Space Studies


As a first in this venture of ours to help prospective space students make the best decisions about their future in the space industry, we bring to you European master’s courses, offered under European Commission’s Erasmus+ programme, that we’re sure will not only satisfy your thirst for space-tech knowledge, but also take you places, both literally and figuratively.  


We begin with Erasmus+ Joint European Master in Space Science and Technology, or more conveniently (and definitely cooler), SpaceMaster. A two-year dual degree course, SpaceMaster is offered jointly by a consortium of six universities. You begin the first semester in the lush vineyards of Franconia, at the Julius-Maximillian Universität Würzburg (JMUW). With courses on various spacecraft sub-systems, control theory, and the opportunity to develop your own CanSat prototype, you get an overview of what satellite technology is all about, and how it is that we have been sending machines into orbit, keeping them alive, and having meaningful (yes, very deep) conversations with them for over half a century now.

 

The City of Wuerzburg

The city of Würzburg [1]


Enter second semester, in the middle of winter, you head north into the arctic. At Luleå University of technology (LTU), Kiruna, in the wintry nights under the misty aura of the Aurora, you learn about the physics behind this gorgeous phenomenon, among many others. You also have in-depth courses about the electronics, optics and all kinds of signal processing necessary to have the two-way communication with satellites we talked about earlier.


The Space Campus, Kiruna

The Space Campus, Kiruna [2]

 

One year and sixty credits after you begin the course, you get to choose further “tracks”, depending on your interests. Two science tracks, offered both at LTU and at University Paul Sabatier Toulouse III (UPS), delve deeper into space physics, with courses on plasma, planetary geology and atmospheric sciences. The 6 engineering tracks vary widely. At Cranfield University you study satellite structural dynamics and control. At Aalto University, Czech Technical University and JMUW, the courses focus on automation and space robotics while at UPS and LTU, it is specific space instruments and their functioning that you learn about. To sum it all up and finish your degree with a flourish, you choose your master’s thesis topic, and destination, which could be a company, a university or even a research institute. Two third-country universities which offer thesis positions as a part of this programme are Utah State University, and the University of Tokyo.


If all of this does not fit your bill, and space physics is more your cup of tea, there’s another programme called Astromundus, an Erasmus Mumdus Master’s course in Astronomy and Astrophysics. Not unlike SpaceMaster, the programme is a 2-year, 4-semester course beginning with all students at one university-- in this case, University of Innsbruck, and ending with a master’s thesis at either of the consortium universities.


The city of Innsbruck

The city of Innsbruck [3]

 

The students will have courses on galactic astrophysics, planetology, cosmology and the likes. The mobility path in this course, however, can be chosen right from the second semester. The partner universities are Universität Göttingen, University of Padova, University of Rome “Tor Vergata”, and University of Belgrade (partner third-country university). So if you fancy travelling through the lap of the Austrian Alps to the ancient ruins of Rome, while studying about solar flares and galactic evolution, this course might be “the one” for you.


Both of these courses are funded by the European Commission, and a fixed number of scholarships are available for both EU and non-EU students. For students awarded the scholarships, the tuition fee is wavered. The programmes aim at combining the expertise of different countries in a field as advanced as space technology. The students have the opportunity to adjust in vastly different cultures and integrate themselves with the environment around to get the maximum out of the experience, for their career, as well as personal growth.


We hope this small introduction to a wide variety of courses available to space students will be of help to our readers. Suggestions to cover specific programs are welcome. Get in touch with us, at radar@spaceboard.eu, to let us know what you would like to know about.





[1] http://www.uniquetravels.eu/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Wuerzburg1.jpg
[2] http://d20tdhwx2i89n1.cloudfront.net/image/upload/t_next_gen_article_large_767/pfsd3v5qew9ybb0yrw2t.jpg
[3] http://foto.images-tiscover.com/fotos/0/3/1024/576/80/FFFFFF/http%3A%2F%2Ffoto-origin.images-tiscover.com%2Fat%2Fimages%2FRGN%2F497%2FRGN497at%2Finnsbruck-tirol-202mo.jpg/3VxQ6sbhcgJaIWeo62je8A%3D%3D/z/7/innsbruck-tirol-202mo.jpg

Cover Image: http://powerfulstorms.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/aurora-71.jpg

Suggested articles
These articles may also interest you:

SpaceBoard selected to deliver presentations at the 67th International Aeronautical Congress

We are pleased to announce that SpaceBoard will be attending the 67th International Aeronautical Congress (IAC) held by the International Aeronautical Federation, the International Academy of Astronautics and the International Institute of Space Law in Guadalajara, Mexico, from 26 to 30 September 2016.

Artist’s illustration of Launch Complex 39 with proposed Pads 39A, 38C and 39C. Also shown are the VAB, LCC and the 130-foot wide crawlerway. Credit: NASA via Retro Space Images.
America's Gateway to Space: LC-39A

The iconic launch pads, Pads 39A and 39B at Kennedy Space Center’s Launch Complex 39, have been the starting point for many space flights including the first manned lunar landing. The original design for Launch Complex 39 called for three to five launch pads, designated 39A – 39E, that would have been spaced approximately 1.6 miles apart to protect them from damage if any mishaps occurred at an adjacent pad. Also part of Launch Complex 39 is the Vehicle Assembly Building, or VAB. Towering more than 500 feet, it can be seen easily from miles away. The Launch Control Center, or LCC, where all the launch controllers, support personnel, and equipment required to safely launch a vehicle from either of the launch pads is also a part of the large complex.

Why Networking is Crucial During Space Studies

We cannot overemphasise how important networking is throughout one’s professional career. Like many students, you might not think of the fact that having a solid network before finishing your studies can dramatically improve your knowledge about the field you are interested in, as well as increase your chances of landing the right internships and future full-time jobs. If you are pursuing space studies, here are a few ideas on how to start building your network right now.

A number of hypercells are able to come together without predefined instructions to create meaningful structures. Credit: – Authors : Cosku Çinkiliç, Ahmed Shokir, Pavlina Vardoulaki, Houzhe Xu. University: Architectural Association Design Research Labora
Hypercell: The Future of Space Architecture?

As humanity explores beyond our Earth we will need new systems to adapt to our life in space. We envisage colonies on the Moon and Mars and will need to plan new structures and what such buildings may look like. We may wish to easily transform satellites to respond to changes and build new structures in space that can easily adapt on command. Spaceoneers spoke with Pavlina Vardoulaki, who together with her team at the Design Research Laboratory at the Architectural Association School of Architecture in London developed a self-assembly system that allows cubes to be reconstructed on demand. These “Hypercells” are dynamic and can respond to changes in their environment. Every cell can make its own decisions and has the ability to climb, roll and change its shape. A number of cells can come together without pre-defined instructions to form larger structures.

Would you like to receive notifications of upcoming Radar articles? Subscribe now and stay up to date with the latest SpaceBoard publications.



emailSign up

If you're interested in becoming a Radar writer, get in touch at radar@spaceboard.eu.

SpaceBoard is on a mission to reinvent the way individuals and organisations from the space industry interact. Find out more.