“It is difficult to say what is impossible, for the dream of yesterday is the hope of today and the reality of tomorrow.” With these words, Dr. Robert Goddard, the physicist-inventor who is considered the father of modern rocketry, continues to inspire millions of people to reach for the stars.
Aerospace engineers rank among the ten highest-paid professionals in the world, making this career path highly attractive. But modern aerospace engineers do more than just design and launch rockets and satellites. They also develop technologies that enable telescope operations and space weather forecasting and may even facilitate the exploration of other planets. Considering that the number of satellite launches has increased tenfold since the 2010s, humanity is already pushing forward with its ambitious plans for returning to the Moon and going to Mars.
If you want to join a community of inventors changing the world, the most obvious step is to pursue an education in aerospace engineering. Here’s where you can do it in Ukraine.
What do aerospace engineers do?
Aerospace technology encompasses aircraft, launch vehicles, and spacecraft, and aerospace engineering involves everything related to the design, production, operation, and maintenance of space infrastructure. Accordingly, aerospace engineers design, build, operate, and maintain aerospace vehicles and ground-based systems for spaceflight control. Additionally, they can specialize in structural design, navigation and guidance systems, or spaceflight safety issues.
The term “rocket scientist” is synonymous with a highly educated individual, an impression reinforced by the rigorous standards of institutions that train future aerospace engineers. The phrase “it’s not rocket science” is often used to indicate that something is not as complicated as it might initially seem.
In addition to aerospace engineering, there are several other related, and equally fascinating, professions:
- Aircraft designers develop aviation systems and components using advanced software tools to create efficient, safe, and reliable designs.
- Flight test engineers plan, conduct, and document flight tests whose results confirm the performance and safety of new or modified aircraft.
- Aviation engine design engineers specialize in designing and testing engines for airplanes and spacecraft.
- Avionics engineers design, study, and commission navigation equipment and systems for aircraft.
- Spacecraft designers create various types of space vehicles, from satellites to interplanetary probes.
- Space researchers develop and study various technologies directly related to spaceflight.
These brief descriptions, of course, do not cover the full range of tasks associated with these professions. For instance, aircraft designers also determine safe operational lifespans for aircraft, while avionics engineers service aircraft after they receive flight certification. Meanwhile, researcher-astronauts monitor the health of crew members during space missions. Furthermore, some graduates in these fields remain in academia, conducting research and training new generations of aerospace engineers.

Source: https://www.teg.london/job-profiles/aerospace-engineer-job-profile/
Where to get an education as an aerospace engineer in Ukraine
As of the end of 2024, it is possible to obtain an education as an aerospace engineer in several colleges and universities in Ukraine. Let’s start by looking at higher education institutions.
National Aviation University (NAU)
At the Aerospace Faculty of NAU, students can pursue a degree in Specialty 134, Aviation and Rocket-Space Technology, which is part of the Aircraft Equipment master’s program. Another available route is Specialty 174, Automation, Computer-Integrated Technologies, and Robotics, which focuses on information support and engineering of aviation computer systems, as well as automation in transportation.
The Aerospace Faculty at NAU was established as part of the Mechanics Faculty, which for a long time was the only one at the university. Today, the faculty conducts teaching across several different departments. The oldest, the Aircraft Continuing Airworthiness Department, was founded in 1934 as the Department of Technical Operation and Repair of Aircraft and Aircraft Engines, changing to its current name in 2002. The Department of Automation and Energy Management was established in 2000, and the Department of Hydro-Gas Systems followed in 2001.

Source: aki.nau.edu.ua
Several groups of students study entirely in English. On a competitive basis, students in NAU’s Flight Operations program who specialize in Aircraft Operation can participate in the Academic Mobility Program, which includes an internship at the Polytechnic Institute of Tomar in Portugal. The university also operates an Aerospace Lyceum, which admits students in grades 8–11. The vast majority of lyceum graduates go on to become NAU students.
In 2025, the tuition fees for Specialty 134 are 25,900 UAH and 18,000 UAH for full-time and part-time Bachelor’s programs, respectively. The Master’s program costs 28,900 UAH and 20,200 UAH for full-time and part-time study, respectively. At NAU and all other institutions that train aerospace engineers in Specialty 134, state-funded places are also available for applicants.
National Technical University of Ukraine, Igor Sikorsky Kyiv Polytechnic Institute (KPI)
The structure of KPI includes the Institute of Aerospace Technologies (IAT), founded in April 2019, on the eve of Cosmonautics Day. IAT includes three departments: Aircraft and Rocket Engineering, Aircraft Control Systems, and Space Engineering, the Interdisciplinary Research Center “RHITM”, and the Educational and Scientific Center of Space Technology and Technologies (ESCSTT).

Source: arb.kpi.ua
Initially, IAT trained specialists in two fields. The first is Specialty 134, described above, which at KPI offers educational programs including Aircraft and Helicopters, Rocket and Space Systems, and Engineering of Aviation and Rocket-Space Systems. The second is Specialty 173, Avionics, which includes the Control Systems for Aircraft and Complexes program. All specialties offer the opportunity to earn Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD degrees.
In 2025, the tuition for Specialty 134 is 33,900 UAH for the Bachelor’s program and 39,900 UAH for the Master’s program, with no option for part-time study.
National Aerospace University N. E. Zhukovsky Kharkiv Aviation Institute (KhAI)
The Faculty of Rocket and Space Engineering has been at KhAI since 1979 and trains graduates in six areas, including Specialty (134), Aerospace Engineering. Here, students can also get education in related specialties: Earth Science (103), System Analysis (124), Industrial Machinery Engineering (133), Electrical Power Engineering, Electrical Engineering and Electromechanics (141), Geodesy and Land Management (193).

Source: tour.khai.edu
In 2025, tuition fees for Specialty 134 are 35,000 UAH for full-time Bachelor’s programs and 47,000 UAH for full-time Master’s programs. For part-time studies, the fees are 28,500 UAH for Bachelor’s programs and 38,000 UAH for Master’s programs.
Oles Honchar Dnipro National University (DNU)
The history of the Faculty of Physics and Technology at Oles Honchar Dnipro National University, which is dedicated to training specialists for the rocket and space industry, spans over 70 years, having been established in 1951. However, the Department of Space Information Technologies was founded more recently, in 2016, with the support of Noosphere Ventures USA, Inc. The corporation also helped renovate lecture and laboratory facilities and equipped them with necessary computing and multimedia technologies. Currently, the department offers a new Master’s program in Specialty 134, with a focus on Space Information Technologies.

Source: dnu.dp.ua
In 2025, the tuition fees for Specialty 134 are 18,000 UAH for the Bachelor’s program and 23,000 UAH for the Master’s program, with no option for part-time study.
Zaporizhzhia Polytechnic National University
Since 2005, the Department of Aviation Engine Construction Technology has been operating here, where training is conducted in Specialty 134 with two educational and professional programs: Aircraft Engines and Power Plants and Production Technologies of Aviation Engines and Power Plants. Students can receive Bachelor’s, Master’s, and doctoral degrees.

Source: zp.edu.ua
In 2025, tuition for Specialty 134 will cost 19,900 UAH for the full-time Bachelor’s program and 13,900 UAH for the part-time Bachelor’s program. The full-time Master’s program costs 21,000 UAH and the part-time Master’s program costs 14,700 UAH.
Other colleges and universities
The Institute of Mechanical Engineering and Transport at the Lviv Polytechnic National University offers a program in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles as part of Specialty 134. This part-time course was launched in 2024 and is primarily aimed at those participating in combat operations. Training is funded by the state.
Since 2019, the Admiral Makarov National University of Shipbuilding has offered a Bachelor’s degree in Specialty 134 with a focus on the Design and Manufacturing of Composite Material Structures.
At the Ivan Kozhedub Kharkiv National University of the Air Force (KNUAF), students are trained in areas like military aircraft, helicopters and aircraft engines, aviation equipment, and radio-electronic equipment for airplanes, helicopters, and rockets as part of the Aviation Transport and Avionics specialties.
In addition to higher education institutions, applicants wishing to become aerospace engineers in the future can start their studies at different Ukrainian colleges. Aviation and Rocket Technology is taught at the H. A. Ivchenko Zaporizhzhia Aviation College, the Kyiv Aviation Professional College, and the Professional College of Rocket and Space Engineering at Oles Honchar Dnipro National University. However, graduates of such programs hoping to start a career may need further training in areas such as design, management, systems, flight mechanics, aerodynamics, avionics, strength engineering, materials and structures, and sustainable aircraft design. In all cases, employers are also interested in IT competencies, the ability to work effectively in teams, creative problem-solving skills, project management, and demonstrable leadership qualities.
Where to get additional education in the field of space engineering
In Ukraine, the Noosphere Engineering School operates a network of 14 scientific and technical laboratories based at higher education institutions in eight cities. Each laboratory, equipped and supported by the Noosphere Association, serves as a startup platform for young specialists aiming to become engineers and create world-class technological products that combine scientific knowledge and business acumen.
The Noosphere Engineering School has already implemented many exciting projects, created by talented high school and university students. These include the development of the PancakeSat mini-satellite, the CanSat micro-satellite model that included a payload, mobile applications and platforms to improve communication between medical institutions, law enforcement agencies, and the general public, and augmented and virtual reality projects for the Dnipro Planetarium and the Dnipro History Museum.
The Noosphere Association is also the organizer of the NASA Space Apps Challenge Dnipro, which is part of a global community and the largest annual hackathon in the world, which has been held under NASA’s auspices since 2021 in various countries, including Ukraine. During the 48-hour hackathon, participants gather at real or virtual locations to demonstrate their technical and creative abilities aimed at solving problems on Earth and in space.

Source: noosphereengineering.com
The NASA Space Apps Challenge has no entry restrictions: participants of all ages and professions, from schoolchildren and students to programmers, engineers, and scientists, can present their projects. Every year, the event involves tens of thousands of participants from over 150 countries. The NASA Space Apps Challenge 2024 was the eighth time Dnipro participated, and the ninth time for Kyiv (local hackathons are held only in two Ukrainian cities). In the 2024 Dnipro hackathon, 247 participants from several Ukrainian cities and three other countries—Poland, the Czech Republic, and Canada—joined in. They formed 58 teams and presented a total of 48 projects. The Kyiv hackathon saw 157 participants who created 33 teams and presented 26 projects.
As a result of the October 2024 hackathon, three Ukrainian teams reached the finals: two from Kyiv and one from Dnipro. These teams were the authors and developers of the NVS-knot project that uses Earth observation data to make decisions in agriculture, LazyVarenyky, a realistic visualization of the starry sky, and Craft Lab, which chronicles exoplanet exploration. The winners, selected by a jury from 40 teams worldwide, will be announced in January 2025. In 2023, Ukrainians won the space hackathon when Team Storm Prophet’s project, Space Weather Oracle, outpaced 58 participants from around the world. This AI-based tool is designed for accurate geomagnetic storm forecasting.
To participate in the 2025 hackathon, just visit the official NASA Space Apps Challenge website, choose a suitable location, and join an existing team or create a new one by gathering participants in advance.
Where can aerospace engineers apply their skills?
Specialists with an education in space engineering most often seek positions as aerospace technicians, aircraft designers, compliance officers, space mechanical engineers, and aviation engineers. Looking at NASA’s workforce needs, the agency is particularly interested in talented engineers who “turn dreams into reality.” These engineers design, research, and maintain space transportation systems and equipment that takes it beyond Earth’s orbit. A typical NASA engineer is a Systems Engineer III, which requires at least 2 to 6 years of experience in the field, depending on the academic degree obtained. It is expected that the ongoing commercialization of space will increase the demand for qualified personnel: according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. will need an additional 3,800 aerospace engineers annually by 2030.
But NASA is not the only organization where aerospace engineers from around the world, including Ukraine, aspire to work. According to a study by Insider Monkey, the highest salaries, with an average of $180,000 per year, are offered in Switzerland, home to companies like RUAG Space, Pilatus Aircraft, and Swiss Space Systems. The U.S. ranks second in the list, followed by the UK, Canada, and Belgium.
While there is no open data on the average salaries of aerospace engineers in Ukraine, they can apply their skills at the State Space Agency, the KB Pivdenne rocket enterprise, and the state-owned Pivdenmash in Dnipro. Additionally, in 2019, Law No. 1071 was passed, which effectively allowed private companies to engage in space activities in Ukraine. This law enables such firms to manufacture, test, and launch rockets into space. Top managers from Firefly Aerospace were involved in the development of this bill.