Space Commercialization and Entrepreneurship

Students enrolled in this Graduate Certificate program will study the economic drivers of sustainable space settlement and commercialization of space exploration addressing industry opportunities.

This program examines exploration enterprises in development, launch, operations and disposal to develop mechanisms to drive innovation through technological advances, facilitating social benefits, scientific progress, and breakthroughs in satellite applications.

Space Commercialization and Entrepreneurship

Choose any three of the courses listed below and one three-credit elective from any certificate program.

COM 500: Commercializing Advanced Technologies (3 credits)

This course examines methods, processes, and frameworks for commercializing nascent technologies that offer breakthrough value to the market and enable space settlement. Students will explore case studies that present real-world challenges faced by companies every day. They will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and learn from their decisions. Through interactive sessions, students shall identify, validate, and refine their business models, and learn about intellectual property invention, acquisition, development, management, and the licensing process to create diverse revenue streams. Risk management, legal, and ethical consequences are considered.

COM 501: Energy, Civilization, and Economy (3 credits)

This course addresses the theoretical and empirical energy requirements of a sustainable settlement. Using analog studies and historical perspectives of energy consumption and production, students shall examine the underlying science and technology of energy sources and solutions, including conventional, alternative, and exotic resources in the context of their advantages and limitations with respect to technological, social, environmental, and economic considerations to supporting the collective activities of a settlement over multiple time periods.

COM 502: Impact and Disruptive Innovation (3 credits)

This course focuses on new models to stimulate innovation and accelerate the development of the start-of-the-art technologies that will enable future space settlements. Topics include, but not limited to, artificial intelligence, autonomy, robotics, energy production and storage, economical space access, regenerative medicine, materials and nanotechnology, additive manufacturing, asteroid mining technologies, and in-space fabrication and servicing.