Space Debris Management Course
Online course of 300 hours in space debris management, structured in 6 modules covering the space debris population, debris mitigation, re-entry and ground risk, active debris removal, protection and surveillance, and a final project, with an assigned technical tutor.
Space Debris Management Course — studying from Malta
Malta's aerospace activity is concentrated around Malta International Airport at Luqa, where aircraft maintenance, cabin interiors and aviation services form a significant part of the local economy. The island's aviation sector is supported by a long-established regulatory framework and a growing interest in drone operations and advanced air mobility. Engineers here commonly find work with aircraft maintenance organisations, aviation services providers and companies engaged in unmanned systems testing. Expertise in airworthiness, systems integration and regulatory compliance is particularly valued by employers operating within this niche but internationally connected market.
Fees for Malta: €448 (Euro), with instalments and employer sponsorship available.
Relevant bodies in Malta
Typical roles
Questions from Malta
Which professional bodies in Malta recognise engineers working in aerospace, UAM, drones and space, and how does that affect my title?
Malta's Chamber of Engineers (KSU) regulates the use of the title 'engineer' under the Engineering Profession Act. Aviation safety is overseen by the Malta Competition and Consumers Affairs Authority's aviation counterpart, Transport Malta's Civil Aviation Directorate, which licenses operators and certain technical staff. A private SEIUM qualification does not itself grant a regulated title; recognition depends on the employer or the relevant body.
Which employers in Malta might hire someone with an aerospace or drone engineering background?
Malta has an aviation sector centred on Malta International Airport, aircraft maintenance and MRO activity, and a growing drone and space-related presence at the University of Malta and in private firms. Employers vary in their hiring criteria. A private qualification can support a application, but employers will weigh it against experience and any formal credentials they require.
Can I realistically study this 1,900-hour programme while working full time in Malta, and do I need a visa?
Programmes are fully online and taught in English, so you can study from home in Malta or elsewhere without a student visa. Each student gets an assigned technical tutor. Workload should be planned around your job; 1,900 hours is substantial, so most working professionals spread it over a long period. Ask about employer sponsorship and instalment fee options before enrolling.
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
Characterise the space debris population and its evolution.
Apply the international mitigation guidelines.
Assess re-entry risk and fragment survival.
Analyse active debris removal concepts.
Design protection against impacts.
Use debris analysis tools.
Produce a debris management plan for a mission.
Who it's for
- Space debris engineers.
- Space sustainability analysts.
- Satellite systems engineers responsible for end-of-life compliance.
- Space regulation consultants.
- Re-entry engineers.
- Space surveillance analysts.
- Engineering or science graduates aiming to enter the space industry.
What you'll work with
- ISO 24113 (space debris mitigation requirements)
- IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines (Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee guidelines)
- COPUOS Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines (2007) (UN Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space guidelines)
- ECSS-U-AS-10C (adoption notice of ISO 24113 space debris mitigation requirements)
- NASA-STD-8719.14 (process for limiting orbital debris)
- ISO 27875 (re-entry risk management for unmanned spacecraft and launch vehicle orbital stages)
- ISO 16164 (disposal of satellites operating in or crossing low Earth orbit)
- ESSB-ST-U-007 (ESA Space Debris Mitigation Requirements) (ESA space debris mitigation requirements)
- ESA DRAMA
- ESA MASTER
- NASA DAS (Debris Assessment Software)
- NASA ORDEM
- ESABASE2
6 modules
1.1Origin and types of debris1.2Historical evolution of the population1.3Fragmentations and explosions1.4Kessler syndrome1.5MASTER and ORDEM population models1.6Small, non-catalogable objects1.7Distribution in LEO and GEO1.8Annual environment reports1.9Tracking of objects in GEO1.10Workshop: analysis of debris flux with MASTER
2.1International guidelines2.2Passivation of stored energy2.3Limiting the release of objects2.4End-of-life disposal2.5The 25-year and 5-year rules2.6Graveyard orbits2.7Disposal reliability2.8Design for demise2.9Deorbit tethers and drag sails2.10Practical exercise: compliance analysis with DRAMA
3.1Re-entry dynamics3.2Fragmentation and survival of parts3.3Casualty area3.4The 1 in 10,000 risk threshold3.5Controlled re-entry3.6Re-entry prediction3.7Materials and demisability3.8Historical cases3.9Uncontrolled re-entries of launcher stages3.10Lab: re-entry risk assessment
4.1Target selection4.2Capture with nets and harpoons4.3Capture with robotic arms4.4Magnetic capture4.5Towing and deorbiting4.6ClearSpace-1 and ELSA-d missions4.7Costs and business models4.8Legal aspects4.9Propulsion systems for deorbiting4.10Case study: target selection for active removal
5.1Micrometeoroid and debris impacts5.2Whipple shields5.3Ballistic limit equations5.4Surveillance and tracking5.5Catalogues and data sharing5.6Sustainability indicators5.7Agency policies5.8Future trends5.9Impact risk assessment tools5.10Case study: impact risk analysis with ESABASE2
6.1Mission selection6.2Environment analysis6.3Mitigation plan6.4Re-entry assessment6.5Disposal plan6.6Impact analysis6.7Regulatory compliance6.8Conclusions6.9Report and presentation6.10Final project: final review with the tutor
How you'll learn
100% online training 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 the intake, so the programme can be combined with work.
Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is ESA DRAMA, ESA MASTER, NASA DAS (Debris Assessment Software), NASA ORDEM and ESABASE2, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Testing is studied through real procedures: assessment of a satellite's compliance with debris mitigation requirements, estimation of re-entry casualty risk and micrometeoroid impact risk analysis. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final integrating project.
Standards covered: ISO 24113, IADC Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines, COPUOS Space Debris Mitigation Guidelines (2007), ECSS-U-AS-10C, NASA-STD-8719.14, ISO 27875, ISO 16164, ESSB-ST-U-007 (ESA Space Debris Mitigation Requirements).
Build it end to end
Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.
Where this takes you
Requirements
- No prior qualification 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.
Frequently asked questions
The programme totals 300 hours over 3 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.
You work with ESA DRAMA, ESA MASTER, NASA DAS (Debris Assessment Software), NASA ORDEM, ESABASE2, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.
A SEIUM Institute certificate, 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.
No prior qualification is required; you need an internet connection, a computer able to run the programme 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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