New Aerospace Missions program to lift off this fall
The countdown has begun to a new degree that will see more MSU Denver students joining the space race.
He’s only 28, but Tyler Gilchrist has already made his mark in the space industry — and left his name on the moon.
Since graduating from Metropolitan State University of Denver in 2020, Gilchrist has worked as an aerospace systems engineer. This year, he was the spacecraft-payload manager for Firefly Aerospace, whose Blue Ghost lander made history in March as the first fully successful commercial moon mission.
With his name, along with that of every other team member, etched into the spacecraft, Gilchrist said it seems unreal that “my own name will literally last thousands of years up there on the surface of the moon.”
“Frankly,” he said, “I don’t think there is a pinch strong enough to wake me from such a dream come true.”
Soon, a lot of other stargazers will have the opportunity to make their space dreams come true. This fall, Metropolitan State University of Denver will launch a brand-new Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Systems and Mission Design.
Although this will be a brand-new degree, it’s also kind of a sequel: The University previously offered a customized degree in Aerospace Systems Engineering Technology as part of its Individualized Degree Program. (The IDP allows students to pursue interests that aren’t met by existing degree programs.)
But while that old degree covered a lot of important ground, this new degree makes a core commitment: By the time students graduate, they will have gained enough technical and operational experience to understand the broad architecture of the entire aerospace industry.
Michael Botyarov, assistant professor in the Aviation and Aerospace Science Department in the College of Aerospace, Computing, Engineering and Design, described the new degree’s curriculum as “holistic.”
“(It) focuses on some really big ideas: space-mission conceptualization; the design and integration of space systems; and spaceflight-mission operations and support. It’s pretty heady stuff,” he said.
Botyarov said the new degree is the result of demand from students and a growing space industry. “Put simply, this move signifies the fast-rising demand throughout the local aerospace industry for more qualified professionals,” he said. “In recent years, we have seen a high number of MSU Denver graduates go on to find productive careers in the aerospace industry. And we want to build on that.”
Rising demand
Joel Barwinski, who plans to graduate with the Aerospace Systems Engineering Technology degree this semester, can vouch for the high-caliber teaching. He also cites “freedom of choice” as the older degree’s greatest quality.
“This degree enabled me to customize my studies and focus on those specific areas that I know the aerospace industry needs most, while also exposing me to new ideas and concepts, such as (the Systems Tool Kit from Analytical Graphics) simulation software,” he said.
Before starting his degree, Barwinski had never even heard of the pioneering software. “But now, my experience with it will set me apart from other applicants,” he said. “I’ll have tangible experience of how to implement mission designs and calculate the costs of additional weight to journeys.”
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Prized internships
Colorado’s prominence as a national hub for the space industry is a boon to Aerospace students. Several major aerospace companies have their headquarters along the Front Range, which brings numerous direct industry connections.
Students can land prized internships at a wide range of nearby private, commercial and government-funded aerospace organizations, which in turn opens up a long list of specialization possibilities.
The new degree intentionally covers a diverse blend of technical and operational topics. So whether their special interest is spaceflight operations, cybersecurity, data analysis or system architecture, students will find something to suit them.
“Whatever their chosen interest — launch-service providers, satellite operators or military, for example — our students (will be) given great flexibility to pursue their own particular passion and develop specific skills within the industry,” Botyarov said.
“This degree has been custom-designed to equip students with hands-on, industry-relevant skills that emphasize real-world systems and mission design,” he said. “Unlike many other courses, it really does represent a realistic launchpad for anyone aiming toward a career or further graduate studies in the aerospace field.”
Valuable lessons and much to learn
Like the soon-to-graduate Barwinski, Gilchrist credits his time at MSU Denver for helping him prepare for extraordinary challenges once his career took off.
“MSU Denver not only gave me technical tools and a solid education; it also taught me the most important lesson: having the right attitude,” he said. “What makes Firefly’s space missions so successful now is the ability of our team to work together, stay resilient and own self-accountability. And those are definitely qualities I harnessed in Denver.”
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At Firefly headquarters in Texas, Gilchrist is aware that he’s still fairly young to have already notched an “achievement of a lifetime.” But he’s not resting on any laurels.
“You might think, ‘How do you top landing on the moon?’” he said. “But what that moon landing made very clear was just how much we don’t know,” Gilchrist said.
“There’s still so much to discover about our home planet, our moon, our solar system and beyond,” he added. “I’m more excited than ever to discover more about our universe and figure out new ways to benefit everyone on Earth.”
Learn more about Aerospace programs at MSU Denver.
