Astronautics and Space Engineering MSc

What you will study

Our MSc is designed to give you the specialist multidisciplinary knowledge and skills required for a career working with space technologies. You’ll have access to all aspects of the design and delivery of spacecraft and payloads.

We are the only UK academic institution that develops, builds and operates complete space missions – from initial concept to hardware design, manufacturing and testing to in-orbit operations. All this is controlled by our own spacecraft mission operation ground station at Surrey Space Centre. Because of this, you’ll have the chance to gain first-hand experience of real space missions and how this relates to the taught modules.

Technical characteristics of the course

On this MSc, we aim to provide you with an in-depth understanding of the design of space missions using satellites. You will apply the knowledge you gain in theory and in practice at a high level, exploring the specialist areas of space physics, mechanics, orbits and space-propulsion systems, as well as the system and electronic design of spacecraft.

This is a multidisciplinary course and projects are often closely associated with ongoing space research projects carried out by Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. This is a large local company that builds satellites commercially and carries out industrially-sponsored research.

Research

At Surrey Space Centre, we carry out applied research most relevant to space engineering, ranging from whole-mission developments and execution to scientific investigations into specific technologies that support their deployment in the space industry.

Many student projects are conducted in collaboration with industry and focus on real applications, bridging the gap between university education and the end product.