Space Tourism Managers

High School

In high school, take courses in business management, marketing, computer science, mathematics, social studies, physics, and engineering. Space tourism managers must be excellent communicators, so English, writing, and speech courses will be useful. Managers may need to communicate with colleagues or potential customers who do not speak English fluently, so learning a foreign language will come in handy.

Postsecondary Education

Space tourism managers have diverse educational backgrounds. Some have degrees in business management, logistics, or marketing, while others major in technical fields such as aerospace or other engineering specialties, mathematics, or computer science. Since there are so few STM positions, it’s a good idea to earn at least a master’s degree in one of the aforementioned fields to improve your chances of landing a job. Some schools offer specialized master’s degrees in areas such as space operations or aerospace business analytics. In college, take as many aerospace-related courses as possible. Some schools—such as Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University—offer courses in space tourism.

Participation in internships or cooperative education programs will provide participants with excellent preparation and experience for lower-level positions in the aerospace industry.

Certification

Certificate programs are available from colleges and universities, professional associations, and online learning platforms (OLPs). Topics include aerospace, project management, aerospace engineering, materials engineering, and data analytics. Some schools offer specialized aerospace-related certificates. For example, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University offers a space operations graduate certificate.

Other Education or Training

Continuing education (CE) classes and webinars are provided by postsecondary institutions, OLPs (such as Coursera, Udemy, and edX), and professional associations. The American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) is a major provider of CE opportunities. Recent courses included Business Development for Aerospace Professionals; Space Mission Operations; Spacecraft Design, Development, and Operations; and Human Spaceflight Operations: Lessons Learned from 60 Years in Space.

The AIAA offers an aerospace recruitment webinar series that provides an introduction to aerospace employers and advice on landing an internship or job. Recent employers that were discussed include SpaceX, The Aerospace Corporation, and Ball Aerospace. Visit https://www.aiaa.org/events-learning for more information.

Many companies require applicants to receive security clearances, and some employers only hire U.S. citizens or those who have lawful permanent residency or refugee/asylee status.