NewSpace Systems Engineering, MSc

Programme description

Space today is a rapidly growing commercial sector, where private companies are designing, launching, and operating space systems at a pace and scale that was previously impossible. This programme focuses on that shift from ‘old space’ to NewSpace.

A key concept is the idea of the ‘responsible engineer’. This means designing and operating complex space systems, understanding the space economy and its ethics, and gaining the skills to help launch the next generation of Swedish NewSpace ventures.

In the first year, you work on building a technical and commercial foundation. You will study the NewSpace approach directly, including entrepreneurship, space law and licensing, innovation management, commercialisation, and the practical differences between historical government-led missions and modern commercial ones. You will also develop the technical fundamentals in areas like orbital mechanics, spacecraft control, and satellite constellation management. This ensures that you understand both the realities of space engineering and its modern commercial context, before you have the chance to go deeper into specialisations in the areas which most interest you. Moreover, one compulsory course will allow you to have an opportunity for study visits and laboratory work at Chalmers’ Onsala Space Observatory.

There is also a spacecraft design project, in which you will design a spacecraft from a set of high-level requirements. This is where the responsible engineer concept becomes concrete, with a systems engineering approach applied across the full breadth of the project. Other project courses include a space systems design project in which the engineering work is complemented by the development of a realistic business plan. A potential option for this project could, for example, be designing and building a student satellite for launch through the European Space Agency's Fly Your Satellite initiative.

Through the university’s extensive networks, the final master’s thesis can often be carried out in collaboration with relevant partners in the space industry. 

Job opportunities

The Swedish government has identified space capability as a national priority onwards, Chalmers sits in the centre of much of that work, particularly as host of the Onsala Space Observatory, Sweden’s national center for radio astronomy. Around two thirds of the Swedish space industry is located in the West Sweden region around Gothenburg, and the city hosts many directly relevant companies, such as Beyond Gravity and GKN Aerospace.

Depending on which areas you choose to specialise in, you will be well-prepared for a number of roles at Swedish and international companies and agencies, including the European Space Agency, NASA, Airbus, Thales, BAE Systems, Saab and many more. The Space Geodesy and Remote Sensing specialisation could also prepare you for roles at public agencies like land registration authorities, or meteorological institutes in Sweden and internationally. The focus on entrepreneurship and commercialisation throughout the programme also prepares you to potentially start your own company in the NewSpace sector. All specialisations also provide a strong foundation for further studies at doctoral level.

Research

Chalmers has a long history of research in space science and engineering, anchored by the Onsala Space Observatory. This has been a hub for radio and microwave engineering research for over 75 years and is hosted and run by Chalmers. Active research spans Earth observation and space geodesy, fluid dynamics and aerodynamics, lightweight materials and structures, additive manufacturing, microwave electronics, photonics, as well as innovation and entrepreneurship. The researchers working in these areas are directly involved in the programme, and you will also have the chance to work alongside them during project-based courses, and the master's thesis depending on your specialisation and focus of choice.

The programme also connects to the Space West initiative, which was launched in 2025 to develop a Swedish ecosystem for commercial space activity. Chalmers is also a member of the Swedish Space Research School, and the Swedish Aerospace Research Centre, two national frameworks connecting universities with research organisations and aerospace companies. Together, all these networks offer ample opportunity for you to make connections and open up pathways to doctoral studies.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in: Science, Engineering or Technology

Prerequisites: Mathematics (at least 24 cr. including Multivariable Analysis, Linear Algebra, Statistics), Physics (at least 12 cr. including Mechanics, Electromagnetics), Basic programming (at least 6 cr. including e.g. Python, C++, or similar)

English language requirements: Prove your English proficiency

How to apply