What will I learn?
Gain the knowledge and technical skills for careers in space exploration, planetary geology, astrobiology, remote sensing, space system design, space operations, and other areas of space research and industry. With the World Economic Forum reporting that the space economy creates value for multiple industries – and forecasting it to soar to $1.8 trillion by 2035 – career opportunities are expected to increase across diverse space and planetary science industries in Australia and globally.This course explores the structure and evolution of the Solar System, including Earth as a planet, and the practicalities of space missions. You will gain advanced knowledge in space and planetary sciences, and learn the technologies and techniques of gathering and interpreting data that are relevant to planetary and terrestrial geoscience.To begin with, you'll focus on the fundamentals of mathematics, computing and/or physics, and earth and planetary sciences. You’ll then learn about space research, exploration and industry and be able to tailor your learning across planetary geology, geochemistry and astrobiology to technology-specific areas such as remote sensing, Earth observation, space environment, space systems and space mission design.You’ll also explore the historical and cultural contexts, sustainability challenges and ethical aspects of space exploration. In addition, you’ll learn about the fundamental drivers of space exploration – including economic drivers and, through the lens of astrobiology, the aspiration for knowledge about the origins and nature of life in the universe.In laboratory work, you’ll learn applications of computing, data analysis, remote sensing and space systems, as well as machine learning and artificial intelligence techniques. Towards the end of your course, you’ll gain knowledge on diverse aspects of space exploration and space missions – including the influence of space environments on equipment and astronauts – and the topics of living, and exploring and assessing resources on the Moon and Mars. This area aligns with international space endeavours such as the NASA Artemis program that includes permanent human presence on the Moon, and the Australian Moon to Mars initiative.In addition to gaining the knowledge for innovation and operation of space industries, you can tailor your degree for technical careers that incorporate, for example, mechatronic engineering, space system design, AI, software development, data science and geospatial technology, by studying a second major or a minor and specialisations. During your studies, you’ll also have opportunities for work-integrated learning and research-based projects at the forefront of space and planetary science disciplines.
