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Postgraduate DiplomaAerospace, UAM, Drones & Space Applications open

Diploma in Planning and Management of Constellations

Online postgraduate diploma of 800 hours in constellation planning and management. 8 modules covering constellation architectures, coverage and revisit, deployment and launch, configuration maintenance, inter-satellite networks, automated fleet operations, and regulation and sustainability, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration6–8 months
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma
Enrol now View syllabus Ask an advisor

Diploma in Planning and Management of Constellations — studying from Australia

Australia's aerospace sector spans defence and commercial aviation, maintenance, repair and overhaul, and a growing space industry. Key clusters sit around Adelaide's Edinburgh Parks and the Melbourne and Sydney defence precincts, with major employers including Airbus Australia Pacific, BAE Systems Australia, Boeing Defence Australia and Lockheed Martin Australia. Recreational and commercial drone operations are increasingly regulated, and advanced air mobility is emerging as a research and policy priority. Engineers working in this area typically support airworthiness, systems integration, structures and avionics across both crewed and uncrewed platforms.

Fees for Australia: A$2,050 (AUD), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.

Relevant bodies in Australia

  • Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA)
  • Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB)
  • Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG)
  • Standards Australia

Typical roles

  • Aerospace Engineer
  • Avionics Engineer
  • Airworthiness Engineer
  • Drone Systems Engineer

Questions from Australia

Does a SEIUM qualification help me get recognised by a professional body in Australia?

SEIUM qualifications are private qualifications, not official state degrees, and they are not accredited by any Australian body. Engineers Australia accredits university engineering degrees, and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) regulates drone and aviation operations. Recognition of a private qualification is decided by the employer or the relevant body, so check with them before enrolling.

Will this course help me find work in Australian aerospace, drones or space?

Australia has aerospace and defence employers, drone operators and space-sector companies, and skills in these areas are valued. Whether a SEIUM qualification counts for a given role depends on the employer, who will usually weigh your experience and portfolio alongside any private credential. Ask prospective employers how they view it.

Can I study this part-time while working, and does the time zone suit Australia?

The programmes are fully online and taught in English, so you can study from anywhere in Australia, with no student visa needed for home study. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 hours and specialist courses 300 hours, so plan your weekly load realistically. Fees are payable in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible.

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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Design constellation geometries according to service requirements.

02

Calculate coverage, revisit and availability.

03

Plan launch and deployment strategies.

04

Maintain the constellation configuration throughout its service life.

05

Design networks with inter-satellite links.

06

Automate the planning of fleet operations.

07

Apply regulatory requirements on spectrum and space debris.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Constellation systems engineers.
  • Mission design analysts.
  • Fleet operations engineers.
  • Spectrum regulation specialists.
  • Satellite network engineers.
  • Automated operations planners.
  • Engineering or science graduates looking to enter satellite communications.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • ITU Radio Regulations (international spectrum regulation)
  • ISO 24113 (space debris mitigation requirements)
  • IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines (inter-agency debris mitigation guidelines)
  • ECSS-U-AS-10C (space sustainability: debris mitigation)
  • Regulation (EU) 2023/588 (IRIS² secure connectivity programme)
  • CCSDS 502.0-B (Orbit Data Messages)
  • STK
  • GMAT
  • Orekit
  • Python
  • MATLAB
Syllabus

8 modules

  1. 1.1Walker delta and star constellations
  2. 1.2Flower constellations
  3. 1.3Polar and inclined orbits
  4. 1.4MEO and GEO constellations
  5. 1.5Altitude and number of satellites
  6. 1.6Hybrid constellations
  7. 1.7Examples of commercial constellations
  8. 1.8Cost-performance trade-offs
  9. 1.9Scalability
  10. 1.10Workshop: comparison of geometries for broadband
  1. 2.1Minimum elevation angle
  2. 2.2Footprint and swath width
  3. 2.3Continuous and global coverage
  4. 2.4Revisit time
  5. 2.5Service availability
  6. 2.6Coverage simulation
  7. 2.7Metrics by latitude
  8. 2.8Coverage with optical sensors
  9. 2.9Sensitivity to satellite failures
  10. 2.10Practical exercise: coverage of a Walker constellation in STK
  1. 3.1Multiple launches and dispensers
  2. 3.2Injection and dispersion
  3. 3.3Differential nodal drift
  4. 3.4Orbit raising
  5. 3.5Batch commissioning
  6. 3.6Deployment schedule
  7. 3.7Spare satellites
  8. 3.8Failure management during deployment
  9. 3.9Launch costs
  10. 3.10Case study: deployment plan across six planes
  1. 4.1In-plane phase control
  2. 4.2Node control
  3. 4.3Effect of solar activity
  4. 4.4Station-keeping strategies
  5. 4.5Propellant budget
  6. 4.6Satellite replacement
  7. 4.7Constellation reconfiguration
  8. 4.8End-of-life deorbiting
  9. 4.9Manoeuvre automation
  10. 4.10Practical exercise: phase control strategy
  1. 5.1Optical and RF inter-satellite links
  2. 5.2Network topologies
  3. 5.3Dynamic routing
  4. 5.4Latency and capacity
  5. 5.5Ground gateways
  6. 5.6Integration with 5G NTN networks
  7. 5.7Interference management
  8. 5.8Network security
  9. 5.9Traffic management
  10. 5.10Lab: latency analysis in a LEO network
  1. 6.1Fleet operations centres
  2. 6.2Automated planning
  3. 6.3Anomaly management at scale
  4. 6.4Large-scale telemetry and analytics
  5. 6.5Machine learning in operations
  6. 6.6Fleet health indicators
  7. 6.7Conjunction coordination
  8. 6.8Software configuration management
  9. 6.9Shifts and staffing
  10. 6.10Case study: automation of routine operations
  1. 7.1ITU network filings
  2. 7.2Bringing-into-use milestones
  3. 7.3Frequency coordination
  4. 7.4National licensing
  5. 7.5Debris mitigation requirements
  6. 7.6European IRIS² programme
  7. 7.7Satellite brightness and astronomy
  8. 7.8Space insurance
  9. 7.9Long-term sustainability
  10. 7.10Workshop: regulatory roadmap for a constellation
  1. 8.1Service requirements
  2. 8.2Geometric design
  3. 8.3Coverage analysis
  4. 8.4Deployment plan
  5. 8.5Station-keeping strategy
  6. 8.6Concept of operations
  7. 8.7Regulatory plan
  8. 8.8Conclusions
  9. 8.9Report and presentation
  10. 8.10Final project: final review with the tutor
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

Training is 100% online on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within each intake, so it fits around your job.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is STK, GMAT, Orekit, Python and MATLAB, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practical work is based on real procedures for constellation coverage and revisit analysis, deployment planning by orbital plane and preparation of spectrum coordination filings. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final project.

Standards covered: ITU Radio Regulations, ISO 24113, IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines, ECSS-U-AS-10C, Regulation (EU) 2023/588, CCSDS 502.0-B.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of the ITU Radio Regulations, ISO 24113 and the IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:STK, GMAT, Orekit, Python and MATLAB, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Final project:A constellation project covering geometric design, coverage analysis, deployment plan, station-keeping, operations and regulatory plan, reviewed by your tutor.
Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Service requirements and geometry
Translate the service requirements into a constellation geometry.
Coverage analysis
Simulate coverage, revisit and availability in STK.
Deployment and maintenance
Plan deployment by orbital plane and the phase-control strategy.
Operations and regulation
Define the fleet concept of operations and the ITU regulatory roadmap.
Final project
A complete constellation design, reviewed by your tutor.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Constellation systems engineerMission design analystFleet operations engineerSpectrum regulation specialistSatellite network engineerAutomated operations planner
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector. No university degree is required.
  • Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
  • English sufficient to read technical standards.

Ready to start?

Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme totals 800 hours over 6–8 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.

You work with STK, GMAT, Orekit, Python and MATLAB, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.

A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the final project. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.

Yes. Modules passed are recognised in a higher programme in the same area (postgraduate diploma or master's). Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.

Prior technical training or professional experience in the sector (no university degree required), a computer able to run the software and English sufficient to read technical standards.

Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.

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