EPFL Minor in Space Technologies

To foster and promote the awareness of space technologies and applications among students, EPFL offers since 2005 a Minor in Space Technologies. The course is hosted by the Electrical Engineering and Electronics Section (SEL) but open to the entire EPFL student community.

The main goals of the Minor in Space Technologies are:

  • To offer students the possibility to strengthen their knowledge of space related research
  • To promote space applications, technology and science based on the large interest raised by space
  • To foster a strong educational platform in the space sector, in parallel to the development of academic and research projects at EPFL (e.g. SwissCube, Cleanspace)

guidelines

Who is eligible to register for the Minor in Space Technologies?

The Minor may be taken by EPFL students, but specifically by STI students (EL, MX, MT, GM) and the students from the Physics Section (PH). Students from other sections are more than welcome but prior authorisation from their Sections should be obtained.

The Minor is only open to Master students who have selected a Master programme with at least 90 ETCS (European Credit Transfer System).

A minimum of 30 ETCS are necessary to obtain the Minor, usually corresponding to one semester of study.

All the requirements for the Minor should be completed before the student starts his/her Master thesis (usually in the 4th semester of his/her Master studies).

What are the requirements to register for the Minor?

In order to obtain the Minor, a student will have to get at least 30 ETCS (European Credit Transfer System) that could be made out of at least:

  • 18 ETCS for courses (to be selected out of a list of 86 ETCS)
  • 12 ETCS for a project

It should be noted that the classes taken by a student in the frame of the Minor are considered as a “group”. Hence the student has to obtain a mark of at least 4.0 for each of them.

Note that the 12 ETCS project is not mandatory but is very highly recommended, especially during the 3rd semester.

When can I enroll in the Minor in Space Technologies?

The student’s choice to select the Minor should be announced no later than two weeks after the beginning of the first semester of his/her Master studies. The student’s choice should be confirmed before the end of the first semester of his/her Master studies.

What happens if I decide not to continue with the Minor course?

A student is allowed to give up the Minor after being enrolled. However, in order to obtain his/her Master degree, the student will still have to satisfy the rules relative to the Master diploma determined by the “ordonnance du Contrôle des études” as well as those applicable to his/her section.

In addition, the credits (ETCS) earned in the frame of the Minor may be transferred to the necessary requirements to earn the Master degree as long as the student’s Section allows for it. The credits earned in the frame of the Minor which are not valid for the requirements to earn the Master degree will be lost.

list of courses

2023-2024

EPFL Section: EL
Credits offered: 86

Teachers, credits and period of the classes are subjected to change.
Classes that have been taken during bachelor or master CANNOT be taken again in the minor.

Highlighted classes are "space focused" and are highly recommended.

The official EPFL Minor in Space Technologies study plan can be found HERE

 

CODESCOURSESLECTURERSPROGRAMSCREDITSCOMMENTSSEMESTER
ENV-542Advanced satellite positioningBotteron/SkaloudSIE/MT4Cancelled for 2023-2024cancelled icon
ME-445AerodynamicsMullenersGM4autumn icon with a flower
PHYS-323Astrophysique II : physics bases of astrophysicsJablonkaPH3autumn icon with a flower
PHYS-401Astrophysics IV : stellar and galactic dynamicsRevazPH4Spring 2023
ENG-411Concurrent Engineering of Space MissionsKneib, RodríguezEL2Limit: 15 peopleSpring 2023
ME-321Control systems + TPJones + SalzmannGM4autumn icon with a flower
MICRO-315Embedded Systems and RoboticsMondadaMT6spring icon with a flower
ME-372Finite element methodGallaireGM3autumn icon with a flower
ME-373 Finite element modelling and simulationBoujoGM3Limit: 90 peoplespring icon with a flower
ME-341Heat and mass transferTagliabueGM4spring icon with a flower
EE-522How to design for value for space applicationsBen HamidaEL2spring icon with a flower
ENV-540Image processing for earth observationTuiaSIE4autumn icon with a flower
EE-580Introduction to the design of space mechanismsFeusierEL2spring icon with a flower
EE-582Lessons learned from the space explorationToussaintEL2spring icon with a flower
MSE-474Materials selectionMichler J./Siegmann/VaucherMX24h lecture every two weeks, from the first weekspring icon with a flower
EE-310 Microprogrammed Embedded SystemsAtienzaEL4autumn icon with a flower
MGT-462New space economyRoettgenMTE3autumn icon with a flower
EE-589Projet in space technologiesMisc.EL12spring and autumn icon
EE-345Radiation and antennasSkrivervikEL3autumn icon with a flower
ENV-548Sensor orientationSkaloudSIE4spring icon with a flower
EE-584Spacecraft design & system engineeringRodríguezEL4autumn icon with a flower
EE-585Space mission design & operationsNicollierEL2spring icon with a flower
ENG-510Space propulsionJägerEL3spring icon with a flower
MSE-485 TribologyMischler S.MX2autumn icon with a flower

Students should note that some classes have a weekly repetition cycle (2 hours/week) but a few will be given only biweekly (4 hours every other week) in order to fit the schedule of the external lecturers.

Students will have to choose among a list of courses which are strongly recommended due to the fact they are entirely dedicated to space and a list of existing EPFL courses which will be slightly adapted to emphasise space-related aspects.

project

Each student planning to take the Minor can select a project equivalent to 12 ETCS. A list of topics provided by eSpace is available HERE.
Subjects could also be proposed by an EPFL lab or the students themselves (as long as the project is space related).
Note that if you are proposing your own project, it needs to be supervised by a lab at EPFL. The Minor project cannot be done within an external entity.

It is highly recommended to take the project after the classes, i.e. in the third semester of Master. Once the title of the project has been selected and agreed with project supervisors, the student needs to register for the project on IS-Academia and can inform us about their project via this form.
(Note that this form is not mandatory to fill in but is greatly appreciated as we do not have access to all the registrations on IS-Academia).

If you choose to do your project in an EPFL lab and are unsure how to register on IS-Academia, please contact us via the form below.

enrolment

1. The student should register on IS-Academia for the Minor and corresponding classes.
If your Section is asking for eSpace's validation before you register for the Minor, please download this form and send it back to us filled in with your chosen list.

2. They should ensure that the selected classes total at least 30 ECTS (with a highly recommended plan of 18 ECTS classes + 12 ECTS project).

3. Deadline to register: before the end of the first semester of each students’ Master studies

contact

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