Faculty Projects
Space Engineering Program

David Zaretsky headshot

Faculty

David Zaretsky, ECE

Amount Requested

$50,000

Summary

The Northwestern Space Engineering Initiative has established a multidisciplinary educational ecosystem to prepare students to address the technological, scientific, and societal challenges associated with humanity's expanding presence in space. The initiative includes a new Introduction to Space Engineering course, taught by Prof David Zaretsky (PI), an Undergraduate Certificate in Space Engineering, and a Graduate Minor in Space Engineering (for BS/MS students), creating an integrated pathway for students from multiple engineering and science disciplines.

Funding will support the development of hands-on laboratory experiences, interdisciplinary student projects, and the acquisition of specialized equipment used throughout the program. Students will gain practical experience with autonomous robotic systems, software-defined radios, environmental sensing platforms, wearable health technologies, optical communication systems, and computational simulation tools that reflect modern aerospace and space technologies.

The primary objective is to provide students with the technical foundation, systems-level thinking, and critical decision-making skills required to solve complex challenges in space and other extreme environments. Through team-based projects and experiential learning, students will integrate concepts from artificial intelligence, robotics, communications, sustainability, materials, sensing, and human performance while learning to evaluate trade-offs, assess risk, and develop innovative engineering solutions.

Expected outcomes include the launch of a sustainable interdisciplinary space engineering program, increased student participation in space-related coursework and research, enhanced collaboration across departments, and the development of a pipeline of graduates prepared for careers in aerospace, robotics, autonomous systems, satellite technologies, advanced manufacturing, and emerging commercial space ventures. By providing access to cutting-edge technologies and hands-on learning opportunities, this initiative will significantly enrich the educational experience of our students while positioning Northwestern as a leader in space-focused engineering education.

Planned Activities/Investments

The proposed activities establish a hands-on, interdisciplinary Space Engineering learning ecosystem spanning undergraduate and graduate students through coursework, a certificate/minor pathway, and project-based learning.

At the center is the Introduction to Space Engineering course, which integrates lectures, computational labs, and team-based design projects. Students work through applied modules in orbital mechanics, spacecraft systems, autonomous robotics, communications, sensing, human factors, and sustainability, using software-based simulations and data-driven analysis to evaluate real engineering trade-offs under constraints such as power, mass, latency, and uncertainty.

A major component is team-based design projects in which students develop and prototype space-relevant systems such as autonomous rovers, sensor-based monitoring systems, software-defined radio communication links, and remote sensing applications. These projects emphasize integration of hardware and software, including AI-enabled perception, control, and decision-making.

To ensure scalability, the program emphasizes software-first workflows supported by computational tools and simulation environments, complemented by optional edge-compute platforms (e.g., NVIDIA Orin-class developer kits) that enable students to deploy and test algorithms in realistic embedded settings.

Impact

The project will impact undergraduate and graduate students in engineering and related disciplines by providing access to a new interdisciplinary Space Engineering curriculum that emphasizes hands-on, systems-level learning. Students will gain practical experience in simulation-based design, autonomous systems, communications, sensing, and AI-driven decision-making, preparing them for careers in aerospace, robotics, and advanced technology sectors.

Impact will be evaluated through enrollment and participation across the course and certificate/minor programs, assessment of student project outcomes using technical rubrics (systems integration, design quality, and trade-off analysis), and pre/post evaluations of student self-reported competency in core skill areas such as systems thinking, computational modeling, and engineering decision-making under uncertainty.

Deliverables

Major deliverables for the project include a set of structured, reusable computational labs and homework platforms supporting the Introduction to Space Engineering course. These will include simulation-based modules in orbital mechanics, autonomous systems, communications, sensing, and systems engineering trade-off analysis.

The project will also produce a portfolio of student project outputs, including technical reports, design documentation, and prototype results from team-based space systems projects.

A final deliverable will be an end-of-year student showcase, where teams present their projects and demonstrate system-level integration of software, simulation, and (where applicable) edge-compute hardware such as embedded AI platforms.

Sustainability

Sustainability will be supported through integration with McCormick's cross-departmental initiatives in robotics, AI, and systems engineering, where there is already strong alignment and interest in expanding space-related education. We anticipate partial ongoing support through departmental contributions as the program demonstrates student demand and instructional impact.

In parallel, the Space Engineering initiative is positioned as a foundational component of a broader, long-term effort to develop a formal space engineering program at Northwestern. Continued growth will be enabled by scaling course enrollment, leveraging shared computational infrastructure, and integrating the curriculum with existing research and experiential learning activities across multiple departments.

Budget Overview

  • Robotics hardware and software ($10K hardware, $10K software licenses): $20,000 — Education partnership with companies such as Fanuc, Epson, and Kawasaki on robotics and autonomous systems for manufacturing, excavation, and remote habitats.
  • NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano Super Developer Kits ($250, 50 units): $12,500 — Edge AI compute platforms enabling student development of autonomous systems, robotics, perception, navigation, and embedded space computing applications.
  • Software-Defined Radio (SDR) Kits ($150 each, 50 units): $7,500 — RF communication platforms for hands-on experimentation in satellite communications, signal processing, and space networking systems.
  • IoT / Environmental & Motion Sensor Kits ($100 each, 50 units): $5,000 — Modular sensing systems for habitat monitoring, robotics, environmental data collection, and autonomous systems.
  • Student Project Materials & Prototyping Funds: $5,000 — Consumables and build resources for interdisciplinary team projects, including power systems, wiring, structural components, and rapid prototyping materials.

Total Budget Amount: $50,000

Matching Funds

The ECE Department is expected to provide up to $5,000 in matching funds to support initial equipment and course deployment.

Additional matching support is anticipated from the McCormick School of Engineering, reflecting the project's cross-departmental scope and alignment with strategic priorities in robotics, AI, and systems engineering.

These combined contributions will help offset startup costs and support early-stage implementation of the Space Engineering initiative. We expect much of the initial investment by the Murphy Grant will build sustainable infrastructure that will carry forward from year to year.