This course examines methods, processes, and frameworks for commercializing nascent technologies that offer breakthrough value to the market and enable space settlement. Students will explore case studies that present real-world challenges faced by companies every day. They will have the opportunity to apply their knowledge and learn from their decisions. Through interactive sessions, students shall identify, validate, and refine their business models, and learn about intellectual property invention, acquisition, development, management, and the licensing process to create diverse revenue streams. Risk management, legal, and ethical consequences are considered.

This course addresses the theoretical and empirical energy requirements of a sustainable settlement. Using analog studies and historical perspectives of energy consumption and production, students shall examine the underlying science and technology of energy sources and solutions, including conventional, alternative, and exotic resources in the context of their advantages and limitations with respect to technological, social, environmental, and economic considerations to supporting the collective activities of a settlement over multiple time periods.

This course focuses on new models to stimulate innovation and accelerate the development of the start-of-the-art technologies that will enable future space settlements. Topics include, but not limited to, artificial intelligence, autonomy, robotics, energy production and storage, economical space access, regenerative medicine, materials and nanotechnology, additive manufacturing, asteroid mining technologies, and in-space fabrication and servicing.

This class will examine some of the best-known tools and methods for technology management that are important for both entrepreneurship in small firms and within large organizations. Particular topics for discussion will include technology readiness levels (TRLs) and their application in conducting technology readiness and risk assessments (TRRA) in evaluating new concepts and new ventures, mission and system project design, and innovation portfolio development and management.

This course will contribute to understanding better how new and existing technologies have been and may in future be commercialized in new space ventures can benefit from being explored in some depth. 3-4 case studies will be examined; candidates include space solar power (SSP), in situ resource utilization (ISRU) and space transportation.

Entrepreneurial space commercialization occurs within the framework of legal, regulatory and policy decisions in the US and internationally, including the Outer Space Treaty, bilateral agreements (such as the International Space Station bilateral agreements), the recently announced Artemis Accords proposed by NASA, the rules of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) regarding spectrum management and orbital slot allocations, and other terms for international cooperation.

This course introduces and reinforces concepts and skills to engage and lead a team. Through self- assessments, simulations and experiential exercises, students shall gain a deeper understanding of leadership styles and their impact. Students will apply new competencies to address change and conflict, through strategic communication and influence, critical thinking, and effective decision- making processes. The course challenges students to identify and create a collaborative, resilient, and robust organization that meets ongoing demands of dynamic environments.

This course explores the policy cycle – from problem identification, policy formulation and strategy development, through to support for implementation, evaluation, and impact assessment. Students shall be exposed to topics and policies related to space exploration and development, including trends, models, and best practices in a diverse range of policy fields. They will be asked to address pressing challenges facing governments today and prospective issues in future space settlements through an interactive setting simulating the policy development process.

This course is intended to examine key governance structures and institutions in a comparative perspective. Students shall consider the viewpoints of global governance on Earth to facilitate cooperation, governance of space settlements, and the nature and extent of relations of the governance of Earth via outer-space and vice-versa. Students will explore emerging challenges to existing frameworks, propose models to address the relative roles of public and private systems and the procedural issues in a variety of policy areas such as trade, security, health care, environment, infrastructure, and transportation.

This course surveys the resources available in asteroids and other planets and considers the technologies required to identify and mine material for space exploration. Topics shall include autonomous technology, robotics, material sciences, prospecting and target selection, extraction techniques, processing materials, additive manufacturing, nanotechnology, miniaturization, regulations, and safety.

This course focuses on the physics and chemistry of potential space settlement locations. Topics shall include origin and fate of the universe, solar system formation and evolution, the space radiation environment, absorption and emission by the sun and stars, plasma physics applied to the interplanetary medium and planetary magnetospheres, stellar structures and winds, interstellar medium, dynamics of stars, galactic nuclei and quasars, gas and dark matter, black holes and physical cosmology.

This course examines the physiological, environmental design, and organizational criteria requirements for space settlements. Students will explore architectural design including, but not limited to, the following considerations: population size, agriculture, lighting industry, transportation terminals for arrivals and departures access, differentiated gravity areas, weather conditions, radiation shielding, energy generation, life support systems, waste processing, research and development facilities, textiles, and recreational areas.

This course examines how space settlements can be constructed and considers various arrangements of space habitats. Students shall evaluate and analyze design methodologies, process of in-situ resource utilization for extracting, harvesting, and processing materials for components of space infrastructure, including propellants, tankage, thermal management, radiation shielding, and additive manufacturing facilities in space. Students will explore the fundamental configurations of spheres, cylinders, tori, dumbbells, rings, and shapes that enable optimal build and assembly to withstand the space environment.

This course will introduce students to the fundamental concepts of mission planning for various mission types and their impact on logistics and operations. Students examine drivers of habitat mass and volume requirements such as crew size, mission objectives and duration. They also consider evolutionary and adaptive planning for long term viability of space settlements, the effects of environmental factors with respect to safety, location, gravity and radiation, and explore active and passive methods of control and autonomy.

This course surveys the most advanced space architecture designs. Topics include, but not limited to: space vehicles, stations, habitats and lunar, planetary bases and manufacturing of infrastructure; free space structures, and space based and earth based control, experiment, launch, logistics, payload, and test facilities.

This course examines the principles and concepts of designing an analog on Earth. Students will incorporate the challenges faced by unique locations in space, and evaluate structures that replicate those environments, these may include extreme destinations such as: polar regions, airborne, desert, rugged terrain, high altitude, underground, undersea environments and closed ecological systems.

Independent study courses are student initiated projects, open to Kepler Space University students, which allow students to work one-on-one with a faculty member. The student and supervising faculty member will develop a learning plan for the semester within the first week of term. Enrollment is limited.