An example of Space Engineering Education in Spain: a master in space based on Project-Based Learning (PBL)

Abstract

This work describes the successful education experience for five years of space engineering education at the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM), Madrid, Spain. The MSc. in Space Systems (MUSE, Máster Universitario en Sistemas Espaciales) is a 2-year and 120-ECTS (European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System) master program organized by the Microgravity Institute ‘Ignacio Da Riva’ (IDR/UPM), a research institute of UPM with extensive experience in the space sector. The teaching methodology is oriented to Project Based Learning (PBL), taking advantage of the IDR/UPM Institute experience. The main purposes are to share the IDR/UPM knowledge with the students and promote their collaboration with several space scientific institutions, both national and international. In the present work, the most relevant characteristics of this master program are described, highlighting the importance of the student’s participation in actual missions. In addition, to offer practical cases in all aspects of satellite development, the IDR/UPM decided to create its own satellite development program, the UPMSats. The latest, the UPMSat-2, is an educational, scientific, and in-orbit technological demonstration microsatellite (50 kg-class) that was launched in September 2020 on-board a Vega launcher (VV-16 flight). MUSE students have participated in all phases of the mission, from design to integration, calibration, and testing, and (at present) in-orbit operation. The construction of a microsatellite, although it exceeds in time the academic duration of the master, has proven to be a very interesting and versatile tool for PBL education, since it provides practical cases at all levels of development. Furthermore, the continuity of the project encourages graduated students to continue their education with a Ph.D. and the collaboration of master and doctoral students. These reasons have made MUSE one of the most successful academic programs in space systems engineering in Spain, with high employment rates in the most prestigious space engineering institutions