Program Overview

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Introduction to the Space Resources Program

The Space Resources program at Colorado School of Mines is a multidisciplinary graduate program that offers a Graduate Certificate, Master of Science (Non-Thesis), and Doctor of Philosophy degrees. The program focuses on developing core knowledge and gaining design practices in systems for responsible exploration, extraction, use, and stewardship of resources in the Solar System.

Program Description

The program brings together many fields in which Mines has a strong presence, including remote sensing, geomechanics, mining, materials/metallurgy, robotics/automation, advanced manufacturing and construction, electrochemistry, solar and nuclear energy, resource economics, and public policy. The program is designed to train recent graduates and professionals interested in expanding their knowledge and skills to address the opportunities and challenges in space resource exploration, extraction, and utilization.

Degree Options

The Space Resources program offers the following degree options:

• Graduate Certificate: a 12-credit-hour online program that provides a panoramic view of space resources.
• Master of Science (Non-Thesis): a 31-credit-hour online program that provides knowledge and skills to make immediate contributions to government agencies or companies pursuing technical activities related to space resources.
• Doctor of Philosophy: a 72-credit-hour program that can be completed on campus or online, providing the necessary knowledge and research skills to pursue academic positions or contribute as a space-resources specialist in industry or government agencies.

Graduate Certificate

The Graduate Certificate is intended to give students a broad understanding of space resources, including scientific knowledge, engineering systems, economic analyses, business cases, and legal and policy aspects. The certificate requires students to take a minimum of 12 credits online, including:

• 3 credits from Space Resources Fundamentals (SPRS501)
• 9 credits chosen from other courses, such as planetary geology, space operations, remote sensing, resource economics, materials extraction, advanced manufacturing, space law and policy, and other topics.

Master of Science (Non-Thesis)

The Master of Science program is designed to provide students with the knowledge and skills to make immediate contributions to government agencies or companies pursuing technical activities related to space resources. The program requires 31 credits, including:

• 13 credits from five courses (SPRS501, SPRS502, SPRS503, SPRS591, and SPRS592)
• 18 credits from elective courses, such as remote sensing, planetary geology, extraction, processing, and resource utilization, power and energy, robotics, autonomy, and communications, and economics, law, and policy.

Doctor of Philosophy

The Doctor of Philosophy program is designed to provide students with the necessary knowledge and research skills to pursue academic positions or contribute as a space-resources specialist in industry or government agencies. The program requires 72 credits, consisting of at least 36 credits of courses beyond the BS and at least 24 research credits. Students must also complete a Qualifying Exam, defend a written Dissertation Research Proposal, submit at least one publication to a peer-reviewed journal, deliver conference and program seminar presentations, and write and defend a Doctoral Dissertation.

PhD Qualifying Exam

The PhD Qualifying Exam is administered at specific dates during the year and assesses attributes expected of a successful PhD student, including basic knowledge of the field of space resources, ability to review, synthesize, and apply fundamental concepts, creative and technical potential to solve open-ended problems, and verbal and written communication skills.

PhD Dissertation Committee

After passing the Qualifying Exam, the PhD student will meet with their advisor and select a Dissertation Committee, which must have at least four members, including the advisor, at least two members from the Space Resources Program, and at least one member from outside the program.

Research Proposal

The student will prepare a written Research Proposal, which consists of a document and a presentation, and defend it in front of the Dissertation Committee. The proposal must demonstrate a thorough familiarity with the background and motivation of the research problem, enumerate specific aims and/or hypotheses, identify preliminary techniques and analyses, and explain the merit of the proposed work to the existing body of knowledge.

Degree Audit and Admission to Candidacy

PhD students must complete the Degree Audit form and the Admission to Candidacy form by the posted deadlines. Students must also complete all prerequisite and curriculum course requirements, demonstrate adequate preparation for and satisfactory ability to conduct doctoral research, and be admitted into candidacy for the degree.

Reduced Registration

Students become reduced registration eligible once they have earned 72 credit hours, paid for 54 credit hours, and achieved candidacy.

Required Number of Publications and Presentations

PhD students must submit at least one first-author paper accepted or published in a peer-reviewed journal and deliver at least one research presentation at an external technical conference before the Dissertation Defense.

Dissertation Defense

The student will write a Dissertation and make a formal presentation and Defense of their research, which should be scheduled for at least 2 hours. The Dissertation Committee will perform a post-presentation review of the Dissertation, technical contributions, and publications with the student.

Unsatisfactory Progress

If a student's progress is unsatisfactory, the Advisor must provide the student and the Committee a brief, written progress evaluation, and the student will go on academic probation.

Time Limit

A candidate for a doctoral degree must complete all requirements for the degree within nine years of the date of admission into the degree program.