Learn about space from industry professionals and project work for NewSpace companies
If you’re curious about the space industry and entrepreneurship, you’ve come to right place. Our two-semester decal will cover the basics of the modern space economy, dynamics of the NewSpace industry, and basics of entrepreneurship both in and out of industry. In addition, you’ll be able to further deepen your knowledge through project work with our course partners.
Learn from a dynamic, in-person lecture series featuring Harvard Business School case studies, world-renowned guest speakers, and in-class exercises and workshops led by our course partners.
Outside the classroom, you’ll directly apply what you learned through cross-disciplinary project work with our course partners.
Students are developing an existing capabilities report along with a report detailing the status of current development efforts. They are creating a business plan to outline how small satellites would be a vital platform to achieve initial technology demonstration missions required to perform proof-of-concept evaluations.
Students are developing a plan for implementing a small satellite technology gap assessment to include a process to track and assess the technology gaps that are required to accomplish current and future capability requirements. They will incorporate the technology gap assessment results into the State of the Art Web App.
Students are developing a market research report along with a recommendation on the launch market and a corresponding commercialization plan. They will also develop a list of features that the camera and compute system should possess. Additionally, they will present their sensor and lens selections with Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) Specs.
Students are developing a research report on emerging remote sensing applications in space and aviation, as well as the inevitable challenges these innovations will face. They will finalize an international, political and technological analysis including recommendations to regulate satellite imagery observation in space.
Students are developing an existing capabilities report along with a report detailing the status of current development efforts. They are creating a business plan to outline how small satellites would be a vital platform to achieve initial technology demonstration missions required to perform proof-of-concept evaluations.
Students are developing a plan for implementing a small satellite technology gap assessment to include a process to track and assess the technology gaps that are required to accomplish current and future capability requirements. They will incorporate the technology gap assessment results into the State of the Art Web App.
Students are developing a market research report along with a recommendation on the launch market and a corresponding commercialization plan. They will also develop a list of features that the camera and compute system should possess. Additionally, they will present their sensor and lens selections with Size, Weight and Power (SWaP) Specs.
Students are developing a research report on emerging remote sensing applications in space and aviation, as well as the inevitable challenges these innovations will face. They will finalize an international, political and technological analysis including recommendations to regulate satellite imagery observation in space.
We’ve already had the opportunity to partner with leading innovative companies in the space industry as part of our Entrepreneurship in NewSpace DeCal.
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Feel free to contact us via email or Instagram if your question isn't answered below!
No! The NewSpace Entrepreneurship DeCal is open to students of all majors and backgrounds, with no specific prior experience required. We seek students who are curious and passionate about the subject, although some projects may be
We expect students to commit at least 5 hours of work each week to their company project on top of attending a weekly 1.5 hour lecture.
We encourage students to apply regardless, but when reviewing applications their ability to attend the full in-person lecture will be taken into consideration.
The DeCal is a year-long commitment as students work on the same project for both the fall and spring semesters. Under extreme circumstances, we will look to fill an empty spot if an enrolled student cannot participate during the spring semester.
Fall 2023 - Spring 2024
Deloitte explored AI applications for space operations. The Fall semester involved identifying AI use cases in the space industry and conducting a market scan. In the Spring, students developed a prototype AI tool demonstrating its feasibility. Deliverables included a research report and an AI prototype showcasing automation or data analysis improvements in space operations.
Deloitte sought strategies to integrate non-space companies into the growing space economy. The Fall semester involved market analysis and strategic recommendations for industries leveraging space technologies. The Spring semester focused on developing practical solutions, including prototypes demonstrating business viability. Deliverables included a strategic report and prototype showcasing potential space applications for non-space industries.
USRA aimed to develop a lightweight air quality sensor for deployment via crewed and uncrewed aircraft. The Fall semester involved defining technical specifications and initial sensor testing. The Spring semester focused on flight experiments, market research, and commercialization strategies. Deliverables included a technical report, test results, and a market-driven pitch deck
USRA explored AI-driven foundation models for satellite and drone imagery. The Fall semester involved market research on existing models and use cases in disaster response. The Spring semester focused on fine-tuning AI models, developing validation methods, and potentially creating AI tools for geospatial analysis. Deliverables included a research report, an AI training approach, and software prototypes.
Vast sought to attract academic institutions to use its commercial space station, Haven-1. The Fall semester involved assessing academic interest in microgravity research. The Spring semester focused on business model development, partnerships, and funding strategies for academic payload integration. Deliverables included a market analysis and a commercialization plan for academic partnerships.
Fall 2022 - Spring 2023
Redwire Space, a public space infrastructure company, sought innovative concepts for in-space manufacturing utilizing 3D-printing. The project spanned two semesters: in the Fall, students explored 6-10 space structure concepts that Redwire could commercialize, evaluating their engineering and business viability. In the Spring, teams selected 1-2 promising structures for deeper economic and technological feasibility studies, ultimately creating a commercial roadmap for implementation. Deliverables included a comprehensive white paper outlining potential structures and a final proposal detailing logistics, R&D milestones, human capital needs, and operational concepts.
Space Kinetic, a startup pioneering propellant-free payload movement, aimed to refine its business strategy for the LEO and GEO economies. The Fall semester involved market assessments for sectors like in-space servicing (ISAM), space domain awareness (SDA), and active debris removal (ADR). The Spring semester focused on customer outreach, identifying technical specifications, and mitigating deployment risks. Deliverables included market assessments, revenue projections, and a business strategy outlining Space Kinetic’s entry into the inter-orbital logistics sector.
Starburst Aerospace, a strategic advisor in aerospace and defense, tasked students with analyzing how space technologies could impact non-aerospace markets. In the Fall, students assessed macro trends and investment opportunities, identifying industries that could integrate space-based innovations. The Spring semester focused on climate change solutions, evaluating space technologies’ role in sustainability and developing investment strategies. Deliverables included investment reports and presentations guiding Starburst’s venture capital strategy.
STOKE Space, aiming to enable rapid, low-cost space access, sought to develop a market-driven hardware return system for orbital assets. In the Fall, students conducted market assessments, identifying industries and use cases benefiting from on-orbit hardware retrieval. The Spring semester focused on defining system requirements and developing conceptual hardware for safe reentry, including potential prototypes. Deliverables included a market survey with commercial and government use cases and a functional prototype, either digital or physical, demonstrating the feasibility of an on-orbit hardware return system.
Xona Space Systems, a leader in commercial satellite navigation, aimed to develop a lunar PNT (Position, Navigation, and Timing) system. In the Fall, students researched lunar navigation needs and market feasibility. The Spring semester involved designing a satellite navigation architecture, including cost modeling and funding strategies. Deliverables included a market analysis and a technical proposal for a lunar satellite navigation system.
You don’t have to take our word for it. Both past students and project partners have left stellar reviews.
"The Space Foundation team worked closely with a group of students in the NewSpace program. They produced a very high-quality paper and that we have proudly shared with incoming interns and internally among our employees. The value brought to our team from their research and the opportunity to work with these passionate students made the program well worth the time investment."
"Through this DeCal I got the chance to take one of the coolest classes I’d ever taken at Berkeley. The classes were insightful and engaging, the speakers diverse and goal-oriented, and the project leaders determined and helpful. If Space is a dream of yours, don’t pass this class up!"
"Working with Berkeley’s NewSpace students was a fantastic experience for Planet. We were continually impressed by the ability and drive of the students to tackle the investigation at hand throughout the course of the academic year. They came up with novel approaches and were not afraid to dive deep into the assignment, which had a real-world impact of helping to better understand California wildfires."
The application is now closed!
Any undergraduate student can apply for this class, and there is no requirement on certain grade levels or specific majors. Slight preference is given to juniors & seniors, but passion comes first.
The course will earn you 2 units, P/NP only.
All lectures will be in-person, on Tuesday from 5 - 7 PM..
If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out by clicking “Get in touch” or messaging us on Instagram @newspaceatberkeley.
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