Launch yourself into the space industry with new conversion course for professionals

If you have ever dreamed of working in the space sector – whether creating your own company, joining a SME or preparing for a role in a large multi-national space business – the University of Leicester and partners Alden Legal and Meridian Space Command are offering a primer to put you on the launchpad to a career in the space industry.

This exciting new Professional Development course covers the entire space mission lifecycle from conception through to operations, along with the vital legal and regulatory requirements that must be met for missions to be approved and launched. The course is aimed at people with technical backgrounds looking for a ‘space conversion course’, and companies considering moving into the space sector who need to gain the core of knowledge to progress their activity. It is also a great opportunity for colleagues in supporting positions in a space sector employer, to improve their understanding of the core business.

Thanks to £450,000 funding from the UK Space Agency’s Training Programmes Fund, Space Park Leicester welcomed its first professional learners for the 2024 pilot programme in July. Launching seven weeks of face-to-face training, the accredited course is delivered at Space Park Leicester, the University of Leicester’s pioneering £100 million science and innovation park, where course delegates can access its industry-class space system design, assembly, integration and testing facilities.

Learners will be introduced to the history of activities in space, current international trends and opportunities, fundamental applications of data and services, and the key technical concepts governing the development, building, testing and operation of space missions.

In sessions with the internationally-renowned space law practice Alden Legal, learners will gain insight into the complex legal and regulatory considerations which govern the sector, and into the area of space sustainability, which is rapidly becoming a key consideration for the sector. Colleagues from Meridian Space Command will share their experience in designing and operating New Space missions, in Space Park’s Concurrent Design Facility, providing opportunities to interact with real space missions.

Throughout the programme, learners will benefit from sessions delivered by space scientists, engineers and commercial experts, drawing from over sixty years of experience in space, including significant roles in major missions including the James Webb Space Telescope, JUICE, BepiColombo, and Earth Observation missions, working with ESA, NASA, JAXA and a wide range of international industry and academic partners. 

Professor Nigel Bannister, Deputy Director – Space Park Leicester and who leads the course, said: “The 2023 Space Sector Skills Survey highlighted difficulties recruiting into senior posts in the space industry, with Brexit impacting the availability of skilled staff. This is an enormous challenge for the UK space sector, but it’s also an opportunity. People working areas such as the aerospace, automotive, and oil and gas industries, already have many of the core technical competencies used in the space sector. What they lack is the space context, which presents unique challenges.

“For example, the environmental conditions that drive design, cost and risk; approaches to designing, building and testing spacecraft to ensure successful deployment and operation; the legal and regulatory requirements that are an essential part of developing and deploying systems in space, and key considerations surrounding commercial opportunities and the development of business cases for space and space-enabled applications.

“That’s what this course is designed to provide in an engaging and exciting way.”

Bernice Huntley, Future Workforce Lead at the UK Space Agency said: The UK Space Agency helps to deliver the National Space Strategy. Part of the Agency’s role is to provide a skilled, diverse, and sustainable workforce for the UK space sector now and in the future.

The Space Sector Skills Survey 2023 Report highlights the key skills gaps that the UK space sector faces. With respect to training programmes, time, budget, and a lack of availability of training were all reported as barriers to accessing training to develop the current workforce’s skills.

The UK Space Agency made funds available via its Training Programmes Fund to address these barriers. We are therefore delighted that the University of Leicester was awarded a grant to develop its Fundamentals of sustainable Space Engineering, Law and Operations course to provide professional learners with a clear understanding of space missions, the national and international factors which drive activities in space, and a clear working knowledge of the science, engineering and regulation of spaceflight, and space missions.”

Joanne Wheeler MBE, Managing Partner at Alden Legal, said: “Credible, professional training from people who have genuine experience is rare, especially in the space industry. The University of Leicester have pulled together an excellent professional training course covering the entire space mission lifecycle, including regulatory, spectrum, commercial and legal issues. The course is financially supported by the UK Space Agency. Alden are pleased to be involved in delivering the training along with the University of Leicester and Meridian Space Command supporting the participants with the knowledge, case studies and solutions to enable them to excel in their careers.”

Sam Richards, Director of Meridian Space Command, said: “Meridian Space Command is thrilled to collaborate on this innovative program with the University of Leicester and Alden Legal, equipping participants with the critical mission operational skills and space domain knowledge to excel in this rapidly growing industry. We are delighted to receive the UK Space Agency’s support in the funding of this program, testament to the needs throughout the UK and global space sector.”

• For more information on the course or to book a place visit: https://www.space-park.co.uk/space-cpd/
• Find out more about the University of Leicester

Main image: Fundamentals of Space utilises industry-leading facilities at Space Park Leicester