ASU’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering announces ninth school, first in low Earth orbit
The School of Planetary And Celestial Engineering will welcome its inaugural cohort in fall 2027.
The new Tooker House Space Habitat. The Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at Arizona State University has created the world’s first degree-conferring engineering school operating fully in space. The School of Planetary And Celestial Engineering, or SPACE, will develop a campus in low Earth orbit and prepare students for emerging careers in interstellar exploration and the development of off-world settlements. Photographer: Erika Gronek/ASU
Thank you for playing along with our 2026 April Fools’ Day fun! Enjoy this article about the fictional future of the Fulton Schools.
Arizona State University’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering today announced the establishment of its ninth academic unit, the School of Planetary And Celestial Engineering, or SPACE, a first-of-its-kind school located in low Earth orbit, approximately 400 kilometers above the Tempe campus.
The school will welcome its inaugural cohort in fall 2027, marking a significant expansion of the Fulton Schools academic and physical footprint.
“This is a natural next step for an institution that has never been content to keep its ambitions earthbound,” says ASU Regents Professor Douglas C. Montgomery, who has been appointed founding director of SPACE. “We are extending access to engineering education beyond traditional geographic constraints, including those imposed by gravity.”
Kyle Squires, senior vice provost of engineering, computing and technology and dean of the Fulton Schools, says the initiative reflects the university’s continued focus on innovation at scale.
The creation of SPACE represents a bold, yet measured, investment in the future of engineering education,” Squires says. “We are pleased to have Doug Montgomery, a seminal figure in industrial engineering, leading this effort as we expand our reach into low Earth orbit.
Kyle D. SquiresDean, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering at ASU
Success at scale and at altitude
The new school builds on the strengths of the existing academic units in the Fulton Schools, each of which will contribute expertise to support the design, construction and operation of the orbital campus.
The School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy will lead materials development efforts for the station, including advanced two-dimensional semiconductor technologies. These atomically thin materials, engineered layer by layer, offer high performance with reduced energy demands.
The School of Computing and Augmented Intelligence will provide the station’s artificial intelligence, or AI, backbone, supporting autonomous systems, robotics operations and cybersecurity infrastructure. AI-enabled robotics will assist with routine maintenance and inspection tasks in microgravity, while advanced cybersecurity protocols will safeguard communications and critical systems operating beyond terrestrial networks.
The Polytechnic School will expand its aviation programs to include space piloting, preparing students to operate and navigate orbital transport systems, including the Fulton Lift™, a carbon nanotube tether designed to transport students and materials between the Tempe campus and the SPACE station.
Additional contributions from the remaining Fulton Schools will support systems integration, human-centered design, sustainable energy management and large-scale infrastructure development in orbit.
Preparing students for the final frontier
SPACE will offer a range of degree programs designed to prepare students for engineering challenges beyond Earth. Undergraduate students may pursue a Bachelor of Science in orbital infrastructure engineering, a program developed by the School of Sustainable Engineering and the Built Environment, focused on designing and maintaining the physical systems that enable sustained human presence in orbit.
Graduate offerings include a Master of Science in celestial systems design, which emphasizes complex systems engineering in non-terrestrial environments, and a doctoral degree in exoplanetary resource extraction, a research-intensive program exploring asteroid mining, deep-space robotics and emerging policy frameworks, led in the School of Manufacturing Systems and Networks. A graduate certificate in space policy and extraterrestrial communication will also be available.
Graduates of SPACE programs are expected to enter a rapidly evolving workforce spanning both public and private sectors. Career pathways include roles such as orbital infrastructure engineer, responsible for maintaining critical habitat systems; debris mitigation specialist, addressing the growing challenge of orbital debris; and resupply chain logistics manager, overseeing high-stakes cargo operations between Earth and space-based facilities.
Additional opportunities include training in habitat electrical systems engineering from the School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, managing significant energy fluctuations inherent to orbital structures and ensuring human-machine interfaces remain functional in extreme environments.
Doctoral students may pursue careers in asteroid mining systems research, deep-space robotics engineering or policy development for resource extraction beyond Earth, which is expected to become necessary.
SPACE degree options
Orbital infrastructure engineering, BS
The Bachelor of Science in Orbital Infrastructure Engineering is a four-year undergraduate program preparing students to design, construct, and maintain the physical systems that make sustained human presence in low Earth orbit possible. Coursework integrates structural engineering, materials science and systems thinking with the unique constraints of operating in a vacuum at 17,500 miles per hour.
Celestial systems design, MS
The Master of Science in Celestial Systems Design prepares graduates to engineer, optimize, and maintain complex systems operating in non-terrestrial environments. Drawing on core principles of orbital mechanics, structural dynamics, human factors engineering and thermodynamic management in vacuum conditions, graduates are equipped to lead the next generation of infrastructure beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Exoplanetary resource extraction, PhD
The Doctor of Philosophy in exoplanetary resource extraction is a research-intensive doctoral program for students committed to solving one of humanity’s most pressing long-term challenges: we will eventually need more stuff than Earth has. Doctoral candidates will conduct original research in asteroid mining feasibility, deep-space robotic extraction systems and the geopolitical frameworks that do not yet exist but will need to.
Space policy and extraterrestrial communication graduate certificate
The graduate certificate in space policy and extraterrestrial communication is designed for students in any major who recognize that the most sophisticated orbital engineering means nothing without someone who can explain it to a senator, or possibly, an alien. This 6-credit interdisciplinary certificate sits at the intersection of public policy, international law, communication and the rapidly evolving question of who, exactly, is in charge up there.
Living and learning in orbit
Student life at SPACE will mirror many aspects of the Tempe campus, with residential communities, academic support services and student programming adapted for a microgravity environment. The orbital campus will feature dedicated living pods, student services and collaborative learning spaces designed to support both academic success and community engagement.
At it’s base the Fulton Lift™ is designed to mimic a typical elevator, creating a comfortable feel for passengers of all ages. Robots are available for those passengers who need assistance. 
While SPACE maintains standard artificial gravity, students can deploy Fulton Schools’ patented Drift-Dots™. These adhesive discs can be affixed to any object or person to instantly nullify gravity and experience the authentic free-fall of space. 
The SPACE residence facilities for students are designed to have the comforts of home with the addition of new technologies. And you can’t beat the view! 
The Fulton Schools’ robot dog, SPARK-E, and her pup, “Sparkles,” travel to SPACE to provide dog therapy for the faculty, staff and students. 
Plans are underway for incoming first-year SPACE students to attend E2 Camp on the Moon, pending agreements with agency and industry partners.
Applications for the inaugural SPACE cohort open April 31. Fulton Schools officials say priority consideration will be given to students demonstrating strong academic preparation, adaptability and a willingness to engage with complex challenges in emerging environments.
Fulton Schools also indicated that residents of Mirabella at ASU, the on-campus retirement community, will be eligible to audit select SPACE courses. Montgomery describes interest as “measured but nonzero,” with transportation logistics currently in development.
Montgomery sees the new academic unit as a natural evolution in line with ASU’s role as No. 1 in Innovation and notes that it’s the realization of his longtime dream to be an astronaut.
Engineering has always been about solving problems at the edge of what is possible,” he says. “We are simply moving that edge a few hundred kilometers higher.
Douglas C. MontgomeryFounding director of the School of Planetary And Celestial Engineering
Go to SPACE
If you would like to know more about our newest school, or want to apply to any of our SPACE degree programs, get in touch!
