CranSEDS
19/02/2019
CranSEDS is Cranfield University’s local chapter of UKSEDS (UK Students for the Exploration and Development of Space), made up of students who are passionate about Space Exploration and are looking to fulfil the challenge of ESA’s Cosmic Vision 2015 – 2025 where ‘Todays science rests on the contribution of every citizen’. Our members, predominantly rising from the MSc Astronautics & Space Engineering course here at Cranfield University, embark on various projects and competitions to design the best rockets and Lunar/Martian rovers to attending and hosting national events.
The MSc in Astronautics and Space Engineering has been running for over 30 years, and ASE alumni can be found in the majority of space-related organisations in Europe and beyond, from small space start-ups created by the graduates themselves, to the likes of Airbus and SpaceX. While the course still has yet to produce its first astronaut, it can boast a former International Space Station Flight Director, in Libby Jackson (now manager of Human Spaceflight for the UK Space Agency). The course takes graduates from physics, engineering and mathematics, and equips its students with the knowledge, understanding, and skills required to contribute to the space industry and space-related academic research. With well over 700 alumni, the course continues to attract high-quality applicants and to provide a trusted resource for recruitment into the space sector.
Recently, CranSEDS hosted the national event ‘UK Space Day’ here at Cranfield that attracted over 80 industry professionals and passionate students. A variety of talks, exhibitors and a panel gave attendees some insight of where the UK space industry currently is and where it is going. This was a project that gave important exposure between students to industry that not only developed relationships but put Cranfield University and CranSEDS in the forefront for future events.
CranSEDS next project will be focusing on the Olympus Rover Trails competition, in which two teams of 15 have entered. The teams will design, manufacture and operate a Martian rover to meet real space system requirements and collect samples in a simulated Martian environment. Additionally, CranSEDS have embarked on the ambitious project to design, manufacture and launch their rocket in the 10,000ft category of the IREC Sounding Rocket Competition. All our current projects emphasis the importance of hands on engineering experience as the members of CranSEDS take their first small steps towards their future careers where they will hope to contribute to the next giant lead forward into the final frontier.
Find out more: https://www.cranfield.ac.uk/courses/taught/astronautics-and-space-engineering
Categories & Tags:
Leave a comment on this post:
You might also like…
Keren Tuv: My Cranfield experience studying Renewable Energy
Hello, my name is Keren, I am from London, UK, and I am studying Renewable Energy MSc. My journey to discovering Cranfield University began when I first decided to return to academia to pursue ...
3D Metal Manufacturing in space: A look into the future
David Rico Sierra, Research Fellow in Additive Manufacturing, was recently involved in an exciting project to manufacture parts using 3D printers in space. Here he reflects on his time working with Airbus in Toulouse… ...
A Legacy of Courage: From India to Britain, Three Generations Find Their Home
My story begins with my grandfather, who plucked up the courage to travel aboard at the age of 22 and start a new life in the UK. I don’t think he would have thought that ...
Cranfield to JLR: mastering mechatronics for a dream career
My name is Jerin Tom, and in 2023 I graduated from Cranfield with an MSc in Automotive Mechatronics. Originally from India, I've always been fascinated by the world of automobiles. Why Cranfield and the ...
Bringing the vision of advanced air mobility closer to reality
Experts at Cranfield University led by Professor Antonios Tsourdos, Head of the Autonomous and Cyber-Physical Systems Centre, are part of the Air Mobility Ecosystem Consortium (AMEC), which aims to demonstrate the commercial and operational ...
Using grey literature in your research: A short guide
As you research and write your thesis, you might come across, or be looking for, ‘grey literature’. This is quite simply material that is either unpublished, or published but not in a commercial form. Types ...