Ethics in Dual-Use Satellite Integration Course
Online 300 h course in ethics in dual-use satellite integration. 6 modules covering the Outer Space Treaty (1967), Regulation (EU) 2021/821 (dual-use) and STK (Systems Tool Kit). Assigned tutor and open enrolment.
Ethics in Dual-Use Satellite Integration Course — studying from Ireland
Ireland maintains a small defence force, the Defence Forces, which operates its own engineering corps and equipment maintenance capabilities. Defence procurement and development are handled through the Department of Defence, while much of the wider defence-related industrial activity involves dual-use technologies, electronics and communications systems supplied by domestic and international firms. Engineers in this area typically work on land vehicle maintenance, military communications, protective equipment and systems integration. Policy and procurement are governed by national and European frameworks, including EU defence initiatives.
Fees for Ireland: €797 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Ireland
Typical roles
Questions from Ireland
Which Irish bodies oversee defence engineering and does a private qualification count?
Defence in Ireland is overseen by the Department of Defence, and the Defence Forces run their own training and technical structures. Engineers Ireland sets general professional engineering standards. SEIUM's qualifications are private and not state-awarded, and they are not accredited by any national body, so recognition for any defence-related role is decided by the relevant authority or employer.
Do Irish defence and land-systems employers hire people with private online qualifications?
Irish defence-related hiring is limited and often subject to security vetting and specific qualification requirements, so employers set their own criteria. A private online qualification may be taken into account alongside experience, but we cannot say how any employer will view it or guarantee any result. Check requirements for particular roles directly.
Can I study this from Ireland while working, and what is the workload?
Yes, the programme is 100% online and taught in English, so you can study from home without travel or a student visa. Master's programmes total 1,900 hours, postgraduate diplomas 800 and specialist courses 300. Each student has an assigned technical tutor, fees can be paid in instalments, and employer sponsorship may be possible. Plan your weekly hours realistically around your job.
Take the controls.
Run a real engineering trade-off from this field. Move the sliders, watch the model react in real time and beat the challenge.
What you will be able to do
Explain why dual-use character complicates decisions in space missions.
Apply the legal framework for space activities and export control.
Integrate ethical criteria into mission design.
Assess the risks to privacy posed by Earth observation.
Apply debris mitigation and orbital sustainability requirements.
Analyse the governance of shared civil and military payloads.
Develop an integrating project on a dual-use satellite.
Who it's for
- Space systems engineer looking to specialise in Ethics in Dual-Use Satellite Integration.
- Export control manager looking to specialise in Ethics in Dual-Use Satellite Integration.
- Space policy analyst looking to specialise in Ethics in Dual-Use Satellite Integration.
- Mission engineer looking to specialise in Ethics in Dual-Use Satellite Integration.
- Legal adviser in space law looking to specialise in Ethics in Dual-Use Satellite Integration.
- Space sustainability specialist looking to specialise in Ethics in Dual-Use Satellite Integration.
- Engineering or science graduates seeking to enter the space industry.
What you'll work with
- Outer Space Treaty (1967)
- Regulation (EU) 2021/821 (dual-use)
- COPUOS Guidelines for the Long-Term Sustainability of Outer Space Activities (2019)
- ISO 24113 (space debris mitigation)
- Convention on International Liability for Damage Caused by Space Objects (1972)
- ITU Radio Regulations
- International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR, USA)
6 modules · 300 h
1.1What dual-use technology is and examples in the space sector1.2Earth observation, communications and navigation as dual-use services1.3Civil benefit and military use risk on the same platform1.4Actors involved: agencies, private operators and end users1.5The indirect customer and the loss of control over data1.6Ethical frameworks applicable to engineering work1.7The engineer's responsibility versus the organisation's responsibility1.8Vocabulary of the debate and how to avoid euphemisms1.9Public cases and what was learned from each1.10Exercise: classifying a mission according to its degree of dual use
2.1Space treaties and the principle of peaceful use2.2Object registration and liability of the launching State2.3Technology export control regimes2.4Control lists and classification of components2.5Licences, end user and end-use certificates2.6Penalties and consequences of non-compliance2.7Technology transfer and international collaboration2.8Data protection applied to satellite imagery2.9Resolution limits and distribution restrictions2.10Practice: assessing the exportability of a subsystem
3.1Technical requirements arising from an ethical decision3.2Transparency about the system's actual capabilities3.3Deliberate technical limitations and how they are justified3.4Data traceability and access logging3.5Governance of access to the information generated3.6Use agreements and contractual clauses3.7Rights impact assessment3.8Involvement of independent third parties in the review3.9Documenting the decision so it can be defended years later3.10Practice: drafting the ethical requirements of a mission
4.1Earth observation and reasonable expectation of privacy4.2Persistent surveillance and its effect on the population4.3Humanitarian use and emergency management4.4Use in conflicts and protection of the civilian population4.5Disinformation and image manipulation4.6Open access versus restricted access to data4.7The gap between countries with and without space capability4.8Public communication of system capabilities4.9The role of the press and civil society4.10Practice: ethical analysis of a real use case
5.1Space debris and operator responsibility5.2Debris mitigation and deorbiting at end of life5.3Orbital congestion and manoeuvre coordination5.4Constellations and their cumulative impact5.5Impact on astronomy and the night sky5.6Environmental footprint of launch5.7Voluntary standards and their real level of compliance5.8Insurance, liability for damage and jurisdiction5.9International governance of space traffic5.10Practice: end-of-life plan for a constellation
6.1Choosing the mission and its customer6.2Map of foreseeable and unforeseen uses6.3Export control analysis6.4Ethical and social impact assessment6.5Design requirements derived from the analysis6.6Data governance model6.7Transparency and accountability plan6.8End-of-life and orbital sustainability plan6.9Project report6.10Defence before a panel
How you'll learn
Fully 100 % online study on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. There are no fixed timetables: students progress at their own pace within the intake, which makes it possible to combine study with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is STK (Systems Tool Kit), GMAT (NASA), ESA DRAMA (debris assessment), QGIS, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Case studies are based on real mission analysis procedures with debris mitigation requirements, export classification of components and privacy assessments of satellite imagery. Assessment is continuous, module by module, plus the final integrating project.
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Explain why dual-use character complicates decisions in space missions.
Apply the legal framework for space activities and export control.
Integrate ethical criteria into mission design.
Assess the risks to privacy posed by Earth observation.
Apply debris mitigation and orbital sustainability requirements.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior degree is required.
- Internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme's software.
- A level of Spanish sufficient to follow technical regulatory texts.
Ready to start?
Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.
Frequently asked questions
The programme comprises 300 hours in total, spread over 3 to 5 months. That is an average of 10 to 15 hours a week, compatible with a full-time job.
The programme works with STK (Systems Tool Kit), GMAT (NASA), ESA DRAMA (debris assessment) and QGIS. Free, academic or evaluation versions are used, and the tutor indicates the free alternative where one exists.
An own diploma from SEIUM upon passing the continuous assessment and the integrating project. It is in-house training, not an official qualification from the Ministry.
Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area can be credited towards the advanced programme. Please check the credit transfer policy when you enrol.
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