Space Tech Entrepreneurship
Launch Texas – a graduate specialization open to all technical areas
Space is an emerging marketplace.
Morgan Stanley’s Space Team estimates that the global space industry will grow to over $1 trillion by 2040, thus creating opportunities in space access, satellite communications and navigation, deep space exploration, space colonization, earth observation, asteroid mining, space debris management, space tourism, space research, and manufacturing. Aviation is also seeing major transformations with the rise of advanced air mobility and sustainable aviation. Developing these technologies will require the world’s brightest and most courageous minds who dare to think beyond the tangible everyday boundaries. UT Austin is at the center of actualizing this new economy for Texas.
Launch Texas is a graduate specialization in aerospace tech entrepreneurship that is open to M.S. and Ph.D. students. Students pursue regular M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in aerospace engineering, but their technical coursework is supplemented with coursework in business and entrepreneurship. Graduating students will learn entrepreneurial methodologies and how to think about solving our aerospace tech’s biggest problems.
M.S. candidates earn a master of science degree in aerospace engineering. Ph.D. candidates participate in the program through additional coursework. Launch Texas is a collaboration among the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics, the Texas Innovation Center and the McCombs School of Business.
When you apply online to the ASE graduate program you will be able to check a box to express interest in Launch Texas. Checking the box does not commit you joining, but rather tells us that you would like to receive more information before formally applying. Further questions on the specialization can be directed to professor Noel Clemens at clemens@mail.utexas.edu.
You can also express interest in Launch Texas by filling out the informal application at the link below.
Space Tech Entrepreneurship Curriculum
Engineering: Anchoring with core aerospace engineering courses like astrodynamics, systems engineering, guidance, navigation and control, robotics, autonomous systems and remote sensing
Business and Entrepreneurship: Academic coursework in business and entrepreneurship is provided by the McCombs School of Business.
M.S. students will follow a 10‐course non‐thesis curriculum, which is taken over three to four semesters. The degree received will be an M.S. in Engineering, which will comprise 5-6 technical courses and 4-5 business/entrepreneurship courses. We allow some flexibility on the number of business courses depending on the student’s background. For Ph.D. students, the program requires no additional technical courses but requires three courses in business and entrepreneurship.
Students engaged with Launch Texas are expected to participate in Texas Innovation Center seminars and networking events.
M.S. Program Elements and Requirements
- Technical/Engineering Courses: At least six courses (18 credit hours)
- Business & Entrepreneurship Courses: At least two courses (6 credit hours)
- Texas Innovation Center Activities & Events: Attend a minimum of two per semester
Engineering Courses
Please refer to the Aerospace Engineering catalog for available courses. At least five 3 credit hour courses are required.
Business and Entrepreneurship Courses
At most, five three‐credit‐hour courses are required from the following list:
MAN 385 (McCombs School of Business)
- Opportunity Identification and Analysis
- Entrepreneurship and Incubation
- Leading Innovation and Change- A. Davern
- New Venture Creation
- Entrepreneurial Growth
FIN 394 (McCombs School of Business)
- New Venture Finance
ASE 389 (Cockrell School of Engineering)
- Startup Consulting Practicum (Also, MAN 385)
- STEM Innovation and Technology Commercialization
What type of preparation is expected of Launch Texas students?
This program terminates in the degree of Master of Science in Engineering, and so we expect the student to come into the program having demonstrated technical competence in the field of aerospace. The ideal student will come into the program with a bachelor’s in aerospace, although related fields, and work experience, will be considered.
I have a non-technical undergraduate degree. Am I eligible for Launch Texas?
Launch Texas students will need to be knowledgeable about the aerospace technologies that they commercialize, and so we expect incoming students to have a Bachelor’s degree in engineering, and preferably, aerospace engineering. The less aerospace engineering competence that a student has will increase the number of remedial classes that need to be taken and will lengthen the duration of the master’s program.
Do I need to have business training as an undergraduate?
No. However, we do have a requirement that students take undergraduate-level accounting before they graduate, but this does not count toward the M.S. degree. You can take accounting at UT, or even during the summer at your local community college.
Is the program highly competitive?
Success in business requires a different skill set than what would lead to success in a research career. As a consequence, we are looking for students that have demonstrated basic competence in aerospace engineering, but importantly, that have an interest in business, networking, and starting a business upon graduation. We will take a holistic view of each student’s background in the admissions process. As a general rule, Launch Texas students may have a broader spectrum of undergraduate academic performance than in traditional research-focused programs.
Can I apply for the spring semester?
Yes, you may apply for either spring or fall. Note that the course selection will vary depending on which semester you enroll in. Enrolling in the fall is generally preferable to maximize course offerings.
What are the types of entrepreneurial and technology commercialization engagements specific to Launch Texas?
Launch Texas students will be organized into a cohort, and will engage with startups, investors, and established Fortune 500 companies to learn about the interplay of their technical education with the nuance of business and market creation. Students will hear from aerospace student/faculty startups on their experience, attend lunch and learns with investors to get insights on startup investment strategies, and network with UT startup founders in various market sectors to widen their foundation of entrepreneurial experience.
About Launch Texas
Launch Texas is a specialization in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin that integrates world-class technical and entrepreneurial education, fundamental and applied aerospace research and outreach in a collaborative environment.
Ready to Apply?
The Space Tech Entrepreneurship program is currently accepting applications.
Contact Us
(Aerospace Academic Lead)
(Entrepreneurship Lead)