At the Space Universities Network, we believe that collaboration is key to advancing space education. To support this, we recently funded a visit that brought together two of our members to exchange ideas on course development and space materials teaching.

 

Dr Katy Voisey from the University of Nottingham travelled to the University of Birmingham to meet Dr Leah-Nani Alconcel for a focused half-day meeting. The visit provided a valuable opportunity to explore Birmingham’s facilities, discuss ongoing research projects, and compare approaches to teaching space materials.
 

A Tour of the CubeSat Lab: Where Theory Meets Practice

 

The visit kicked off with a tour of Birmingham’s CubeSat lab, an essential hub for hands-on space engineering. The group explored key facilities, including the laminar flow hood and the CubeSat platform, getting a first-hand look at the equipment that supports cutting-edge research and student projects.

 

A highlight of the discussion was the 3U drag sail project, which aims to develop a deployable sail to aid satellite deorbiting. Katy and Leah-Nani examined both the hardware and poster presentations created for the sail structure and deployable struts, gaining insight into the engineering process. Another fascinating project involved the disassembly and logging of a previous REXUS assembly, a mission where the team worked without traditional engineering drawings.

 

These discussions underscored the unique constraints of CubeSat engineering—where limitations on mass and volume drive innovative, space-efficient solutions. Importantly, such challenges instil transferable skills that students can apply across a range of engineering disciplines, from aerospace to mechanical and materials science.

 

How Are Space Materials Taught? A Cross-University Comparison

 

Space materials are a critical yet sometimes underrepresented area in engineering education. Katy and Leah-Nani took the opportunity to compare how the subject is covered at their respective institutions.

 

At Birmingham, space materials are taught as part of a dedicated MSc module, with additional coverage within the undergraduate aerospace engineering programme. By contrast, Nottingham does not yet have a standalone space materials module, though some content is included in an optional Year 3 aerospace materials module. There is also scope to integrate space-related case studies into the core Year 2 mechanical engineering materials module.

 

The discussion raised an important point: should space materials have greater prominence in undergraduate courses? With the growing demand for expertise in space engineering, expanding course content to reflect real-world industry needs could be a valuable step forward.

 
Sharing Knowledge: Strengthening Teaching Across Institutions

 

One of the most practical outcomes of the meeting was the potential for sharing teaching materials between institutions. While reviewing Birmingham’s virtual learning environment (VLE), three lectures stood out as particularly relevant to developing Nottingham’s teaching provision, with the sharing of these ideas central to the collaboration visit.

 

Beyond simply sharing materials, the discussion highlighted a crucial teaching point: the importance of students understanding the flight qualification process for space materials. Materials used in a laboratory or for a demonstration model are often vastly different from those that must withstand the harsh conditions of space. The conversation reinforced the need to educate students about flight heritage, qualification processes, and material selection for actual space missions.

 

Expanding Space Materials Teaching: What’s Next?

 

The meeting also prompted discussions about how Nottingham might expand its teaching in this area. The module ‘Aerospace Materials: Airframes and Aeroengines’ already covers shuttle heat protection tiles and briefly touches on Al-Li alloys as space materials. However, there is significant scope to introduce more case studies that would allow students to apply their materials knowledge to space-specific challenges.

 

Looking ahead, there is even potential to rename the module to better reflect its evolving focus or to advocate for the introduction of a dedicated space materials module in the future.

Strengthening Ties Across the Space Universities Network

This visit is a fantastic example of how the Space Universities Network fosters collaboration, helping universities share knowledge, resources, and expertise to enhance teaching and learning. The discussions between Nottingham and Birmingham have paved the way for closer alignment in space materials education, ensuring students are better prepared for careers in the rapidly growing space sector.

 

By working together, we can continue to inspire the next generation of space engineers, ensuring they have the skills, knowledge, and practical experience needed to push the boundaries of space technology.

 

We look forward to seeing how this collaboration evolves—and to supporting many more exchanges like this in the future!