Photo: DTU Space
Photo: DTU Space

First MSc graduates in space technology

Space research
The first MSc students with a BSc and MSc in Earth and Space Physics and Engineering have just graduated from DTU. The study programme focuses on developing technologies for monitoring and mapping the Earth and exploring space—technologies which are destined to have a major impact on our lives in the future.

The two graduates are Lukas Christensen and Ricard Llado Grove, both of whom started in 2012 and completed their studies within the prescribed time. Moreover, they have both been on exchange stays in the USA at CalTech and Clarkson University, respectively. Yesterday, a celebratory reception was held for them at DTU Space.

“The event marks the first graduates completing the entire programme from Bachelor to Master. This is a milestone in the history of the study programme,” says Henning Skriver, Head of Studies for the MSc programme in Earth and Space Physics and Engineering.

Popular study programme
Earth and Space Physics and Engineering is a brand new programme which focuses on developing, designing, and applying technological solutions for monitoring, mapping, modelling, and predicting physical structures on a large scale—on Earth and in space. And the programme is popular.

Today, approximately 235 students are enrolled. The admission requirement for the BSc programme in quota 1 has risen from 6.5 to 8.5 between 2014 and 2016. The 35 students who already completed an MSc in the subject before summer 2017 are much sought-after. Today, they work in such areas as the aerospace industry—e.g. for Airbus and French CNES—as well as for COWI, Rambøll, Grundfos, the Danish Meteorological Institute, upper secondary schools, the Danish Ministry of Defence, and as PhD students. Among other things, MSc graduates are helping to exploit the available satellite data to monitor the Earth.

According to Henning Skriver, the entire space industry will undergo major changes in the coming years. Here, new techniques and missions to monitor the Earth and explore the universe will see the light of day:

“With more accurate data from navigation satellites, images from Earth observation satellites, and improved communication facilities, the number of new navigation and mapping systems and their applications is set to explode. Among other things, we will see a need for new methods and systems to monitor the environment and climate so we can map changes and assess the effect of the implemented initiatives.”

“The growing interest in the exploitation and exploration of space will also see a corresponding need for engineers who can develop new techniques and instruments.”