MSc Space Technology and Planetary Exploration

The project is a major part of the programme. It is designed to enable you to demonstrate your skills and ability to solve real-life problems, while gaining more detailed knowledge on a particular topic. It can be theoretical, simulation-based or experimental. In all cases, you are expected to show innovation and an ability to come up with your own solutions.

Projects can either be carried out within a research group or, when the project is based on a practical problem suggested by industry, at the partner organisation’s premises. Participants have worked with INMARSAT, Logica, BT, Astrium, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL) and a number of local small companies.

Taught Masters programmes in the Department of Electronic Engineering utilise our research-active staff in conjunction with state-of-the-art facilities. We provide a range of learning experiences – lectures, tutorials, directed study, practical laboratories and project work – that will prepare you for your professional life. The academic staff who teach on this programme are all research-active, and the specialist space modules are delivered by staff recognised as world leaders in small satellite technology.

We are particularly keen to develop in all our students a broad range of generic skills to complement the core technical or scientific competencies of their chosen subject area. Our modular programme format, coupled with the increasing use of innovative teaching and learning strategies such as e-learning and industrially focused short courses, provides a flexible study environment whilst maintaining academic rigour and quality.

All modules are assessed by a combination of formal written examinations, taken at the end of each semester, and coursework assignments.

You will be assigned a personal tutor who will help you to monitor your progress. Very often this tutor will also be your project supervisor, who will guide you through your project work.

Through consistent investment, we have built up an impressive infrastructure to support our students and researchers.

The University of Surrey hosts the Surrey Space Centre (SSC) – a unique facility comprising Europe’s largest team of academics and researchers working on small satellites and space engineering. SSC houses laboratories, satellite clean rooms, and a Mission Control Centre designed and developed by students to support international CubeSat operations and also to support the development of the University’s own educational satellites. SSC works very closely with its own spin-out company, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd. (SSTL) and its parent company EADS-Astrium.

Our teaching laboratories provide ‘hands-on’ experience of satellite design and construction through the use of EyasSAT nano-satellite kits. They also house meteorological satellite receiving stations for the live reception of satellite weather images.

We have very close links to satellite and communications companies who use our programmes as their main training ground. Our programmes are supported by the European Space Agency, the UK Industrial Space Committee, and major UK and European space companies including EADS Astrium, SSTL, Logica CMG, NPA Satellite Mapping and Analyticon.

We have collaborations with organisations in Europe, the United States, China, India and Pakistan.

The Surrey Space Centre works closely with University’s space spin-out company, Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL). This ensures close links between our degree programmes and the industrial activity of this cutting-edge space research company.

SSTL was originally formed in 1985 by a small group of academic researchers, whose pioneering spirit has helped it to become a leader in space technology, producing over 36 satellite missions to date with 11 more currently under construction. SSTL has developed a full, cradle-to-grave small satellite capability, covering all aspects from mission definition and design, subsystem design and manufacturing, assembly integration and test, spacecraft testing, environmental testing, launch procurement/management/integration and support, mission commission and operations.

The company is unique in that it designs and manufactures a significant proportion of its satellite components, subsystems and equipments itself, employing over 400 people

SSTL has formed its own spin-out company, DMCii, to exploit the imaging data generated by its highly successful constellation of Earth-imaging micro-satellites. These satellites are playing a major role in providing timely and detailed satellite imagery for humanitarian purposes. For example, Surrey’s Beijing-1 satellite was the major source of humanitarian imagery during the 2008 China earthquake disaster, enabling the assessment of damage and the planning of rescue efforts over the vast area affected. SSTL also designed, built and launched Giove-A – the first of Europe’s Galileo navigation satellites, and is currently building the first operational satellites.

Recently, SSTL was acquired by EADS Astrium, one of the world’s leaders in space transportation, spacecraft and satellite services including prime contractor for Ariane 5, the Columbus space laboratory, the Automated Transfer Vehicle for the International Space Station, its leading-edge large and complex geostationary telecommunications satellites, and the Skynet 5 secure communications system for the UK Ministry of Defence. SSTL will complement Astrium UK’s existing space capabilities that include space transportation, satellites and services. The University continues to work closely with SSTL and EADS Astrium in developing innovation in space technology.