Into space via Freiberg: new space technology subject at university

Space technology can also be studied at the TU Bergakademie Freiberg in future. With the Space Resources Bachelor's degree course, the world's first mining university is breaking new ground in Germany, according to information released on Thursday. Interested students can enrol from June 1 - and learn how geoscientific and engineering principles can be applied to conditions in space.

"Our innovative research, which is successfully applied on Earth, will be an important building block for future space projects," said Rector Klaus-Dieter Barbknecht. As a broad-based resource university, the Bergakademie offers the perfect framework conditions for the new course of study.

According to the TU, it is designed for seven semesters and is directly linked to NASA's current Artemis program to return humans to the moon and establish a permanent presence there. The foundation course covers a spectrum ranging from astro- and geo-engineering, chemistry, robotics, automation and AI to law, economics and ethics. The vision is that the TU Bergakademie Freiberg logo will one day be seen on machines and systems on the moon and that astronauts will have made their way via Freiberg, said Carsten Drebenstedt, who developed the course.