Testimonials

After graduating with my bachelors in astrophysics, I was unsure what direction I wanted to go in, but I knew I wanted to stay within the space sector. The masters gave me an opportunity to gain an understanding of the space industry and how space missions work while still developing knowledge in areas I previously hadn’t been able to explore.

The programme struck a great balance between theory and hands-on work. Building and testing a miniature satellite in the subsystems module was both challenging and rewarding, and the chance to take electives like planetary geomorphology gave me skills and insights I wouldn’t have gained otherwise.

One of the most rewarding experiences during the masters was being able to take part in an internship as part of the degree, which I feel is not that common among Space Science/Physics programmes. I had the opportunity to do my internship at the European Space Astronomy Centre in Madrid, which was incredible for building experience and gaining first-hand insight into how a large-scale space organisation operates.

In my current role as a PhD student, working on instrumentation for the Rosalind Franklin rover, I am using knowledge and skills from almost every course I took. Through the masters I gained not only technical expertise, but also problem solving, adaptability, and the ability to work effectively in a team under tight deadlines.

After studying an MEng in Astronautics Engineering, I worked as a network designer. While it was an interesting experience, I really wanted to orient my career back into the space industry. Coming to the Space Science Masters, I had an engineering and project management background.
I really enjoyed how the Space Science program let me lean on my strengths in engineering and organisation, while challenging me to grow in many other areas such as physics and programming. The programme was a great balance of physics and engineering, and it helped me fill in many gaps in my skillset.
I currently work as a Mechanical Systems Engineer at Infinite Orbits in Toulouse, France. My role requires me to have a system level overview of a satellite, with a focus on mechanical and thermal engineering. The Masters programme transformed me into a well-rounded engineer, where exposure to a space project lifecycle and the systems engineering process has been invaluable to me.

With my background in aerospace engineering, I had a good understanding of the technology used in the space sector. However, I wanted to learn more about what science can be done with it and the challenges a space mission has to face to succeed.
The MSc in Space Science and Technology was the ideal programme to fill this gap. Modules like The Space Environment helped me acquire a theoretical foundation, while practical courses like Space Mission Design and Satellite Subsystems allowed me to apply what I learned. My personal favourite was Satellite Subsystems, where we designed, built, tested, and launched our very own TupperSat.
The skills I gained in research and testing helped me secure an internship with Curtiss-Wright as a component research and testing intern. After the internship, I was offered a permanent role as a Systems Engineer, where I continue to apply what I learned from the MSc programme.

With a background in physics and a lifelong interest in space and astronomy, the MSc in Space Science and Technology at UCD was the perfect opportunity for me to gain the key skills needed for a career in the space sector. The highlight of the programme for me was the Satellite Subsystems Laboratory. This course required us to design and carry out an experiment for a stratospheric balloon flight. We had to work in teams to build both the flight hardware and software, carry out the launch and then process the data collected. The project was one of the most rewarding experiences of my academic career. It also sparked my interest in space mission design, which led me to apply for ESA's YGT programme in mission concept development for the CAIRT Earth observation mission candidate.

Looking back on the ESA application process, the experiences gained during the Mission Design and Satellite Subsystems modules were particularly beneficial. In the interviews I was able to demonstrate that I understood the importance of requirements and documentation throughout the mission phases. The technical courses and professional skills I acquired during the master’s programme equipped me with the necessary knowledge to secure my role at ESA.

I have an academic background in astrophysics and knew I wanted to have a career in the space industry, but was not sure how to get my foot in the door. The MSc Space Science and Technology course at UCD gave me the opportunity to learn about the different sectors of the space industry and how many different kinds of jobs there are. I really enjoyed learning all about satellites on the course, the different orbital possibilities, the harsh space environment they have to withstand, the different subsystems that make up satellites and what to consider when planning a space mission. The MSc course allowed me to expand my knowledge and develop important skills for the space industry. The project management skills I learned in the Space Sector Professional Skills module and developed during the Tuppersat project in the Satellite Subsystems module directly led to me securing my job at Goonhilly Earth Station.

In my position as Mission Operations Engineer at Goonhilly, I work as part of a team that operates GHY-6, a 32-meter deep space antenna, to track satellites for NASA and ESA missions such as Mars Express and Artemis 1. I use my project management skills in my secondary role managing the development of procedures and other projects.

Coming from a physics background, UCD's Space Science and Technology masters served as an ideal platform to launch my career in the space industry. I really enjoyed the space environment module for all the exciting concepts it explored and the space sector professional skills module, which helped me get familiar with the industry's requirements and its procedures. 

My internship was at Innalabs, a world-leading inertial sensors manufacturer. This internship was an amazing experience as it further complemented the knowledge gained in the classrooms. Following my internship, I've been hired by Innalabs as a software engineer to continue to work on its exciting line-up of space projects with ESA and other customers. While I started this course with basic programming knowledge, the space detector laboratory module played an extensive role in enhancing my coding/analytical skills, helping me land this role as a software engineer.

I come from a background in experimental physics. After finishing my undergraduate degree, I found that I had a lot of skills but lacked the knowledge of how to apply them. The UCD Masters course in Space Science & Technology afforded me the opportunity to learn about new and exciting areas of science while still allowing me to improve specific skills to suit the space industry. My favourite part of the course was the Tuppersat project. Here, a team of students from many different backgrounds worked together to learn from each other while also producing a functional high-altitude experiment. For the work placement portion of my course, I worked for Réaltra Space Systems Engineering in Dublin. This was a small start-up at the time, which meant I could get involved in all aspects of the company. I was kept on after my internship and I now have a full-time position as a systems engineer. My job has me developing test apparatus for equipment on launchers, deep space missions and for use on the International Space Station. The skills and experiences from the UCD space Masters have proven invaluable and have carried me further than I ever thought possible.