Space research | Teaching & Learning

December 17, 2024

Launch of space systems degree programme

Long before the lecture is due to start, the small E41 lecture hall in ETH’s Main Building is already close to capacity. There’s an air of excitement among the students as they await the arrival of their lecturer, who is due to give his first class in the ETH Master’s programme in space systems.

Thomas Zurbuchen arrives punctually, coffee in hand. He kicks off his lecture with a challenge: his students can expect to benefit from his deep connections in the space industry, but in return he expects them to carve out a niche for themselves in the industry once they complete their Master’s degree – just as many of his former students did when Zurbuchen was head of Science at NASA. Several of his former protégés work at SpaceX, and one was the Mission Systems Engineer on the DART mission, which aimed to demonstrate NASA’s ability to intercept an asteroid. “That’s the kind of excellence I expect from you – or even better!” he says.

It was actually Zurbuchen’s promptings that first led to ETH Zurich offering a Master’s degree programme in Space Systems. In 2023, he presented ETH Zurich with his vision of a course of studies designed to train the next generation of space industry professionals. His idea struck a chord, both within ETH and among students, drawing an enthusiastic response not only from ARIS – a student association dedicated to advancing space exploration – but also from students studying astrophysics and planetary sciences. The programme was launched in mid-September 2024 with a cohort of 28. The ini­tial offering of 30 places attracted 90 applications, 35 of which were accepted, with 7 candidates who subsequently withdrew.

A quick round of introductions in this first lecture highlights the difference in backgrounds: first up is a materials scientist, followed by a mechanical engineer, an Earth scientist, a physicist, a biochemist and a computer scientist.

At the helm of the programme is geophysicist Simon Stähler, Curriculum Director of the Master in Space Systems. From the start, his job has been to translate Zurbuchen’s vision into reality, to develop the curriculum and to decide which academic departments should be involved and which new lectures need to be devised.

A systems approach

At the heart of the course is systems engineering. Students learn about the key subsystems of a spacecraft and how they interact. The goal is to give them the knowledge they need to put together a scientific instrument and, on that basis, design an entire spacecraft. “We want to encourage students to think in terms of systems,” says Stähler. These budding systems engineers also have to know what to do if the scientific instrument that was originally planned suddenly expands because mission researchers decide they want a bigger camera. “It’s all about learning how to estimate costs and how to ensure they don’t spiral out of control,” says Stähler.

The lecturers lay the groundwork for this by explaining how engineers and scientists need to find a common language. “If a researcher says they need the instrument to be twice as big, it’s possible they just want a higher resolution, and there are more ways to achieve that than by simply doubling the size of the instrument,” says Stähler. He speaks from experience, having worked on NASA’s InSight mission, which explored the interior of Mars.

Concrete over abstract

The students on the course will primarily work on concrete projects and develop instruments for space missions in collaboration with industry partners. The course organisers received proposals for space missions from potential partners in mid-September, and students have already started coming up with ideas – including, for example, a method for measuring snow depth in the Alps using satellite-borne radar. Calculating the size and cost of such a satellite is also part of the students’ brief.

Growing interest

The new ETH Master’s programme in Space Systems has attracted considerable interest not only from students at Swiss universities, but also from around the world. “Dozens of international candidates have already expressed an interest,” says Stähler. “We’re even getting enquiries from students at universities that are known for their aerospace engineering courses, such as Milan, Toulouse and Munich.” ETH began accepting international applications in November.

Stähler emphasises, however, that the focus of the ETH programme is different to that of Toulouse, Munich or Milan: “We don’t have anyone here who is learning exclusively how to work on rocket engines. ETH doesn’t yet have any professorships in that area.”

Preparing with aris

Maximilian Leeb is one of the students who was accepted for the course. With Bachelor’s degrees in Chemistry and Mechanical Engineering in his pocket, his goal now is to ramp up his knowledge in the field of space systems. The aspect of the course that appeals to him most is the systems engineering approach, and he likes the emphasis on practical skills rather than just theor­etical knowledge – a point echoed by fellow student Chloé Pilloud: “I’m hoping we get lots of new input on the current state of the space industry as well as a sense of how it’s evolving worldwide.”

Pilloud is currently the president of the ARIS association, a position that has given her an opportunity to indulge her enthusiasm for space. “Being the president of ARIS is a real learning experience. The association gives me plenty of opportunity to grow in this role and to learn more about myself in the process,” she says. Pilloud is also enjoying developing her own leadership style, something she can also put to good use on the Master’s programme: “We’re doing all sorts of projects, some of which already involve industry, so we need to be well versed in all the technical aspects, but project leadership is very important, too.”

Leeb also has experience with ARIS: he joined the association while studying chemistry and continued working there right up until the end of his Bachelor’s in Mechanical Engineering. During that time, he worked on a hybrid rocket engine and a number of rockets. He heartily recommends ARIS to any students interested in space flight. “It doesn’t really matter what subject you’re studying – you can still get involved in ARIS. If you have a passion for space travel, then the door is always open!” he says. “I’ve benefited so much from working there, both in terms of my courses and in many other ways.”

Nonetheless, he says students should be careful not to let their enthusiasm for ARIS projects cause them to neglect their studies. “You have to be conscious that getting too heavily involved with an association like ARIS might end up affecting your grades,” he cautions.

Neither he nor fellow student Pilloud currently have a specific career in mind, and Leeb is unsure where he might be in five years’ time. “I can imagine being in an aerospace-related business where I can apply my knowledge of systems engineering. That’s what interests me most,” he says. “And Thomas Zurbuchen does a great job of teaching it!” Pilloud, meanwhile, dreams of becoming an astronaut. “And I’m hoping this degree programme will help make that dream come true!” she says..