What Happens in Space Systems Engineering?

Sumana Mukherjee
Dec 4, 2025
2 min read

Space Systems Engineering Jobs are everywhere now and thanks to that, professionals and students are increasingly spending their time and resources to understand this field. There is a common theme in all the questions I receive about Space Systems Engineering : Engineering programs train us in software, mechanical, electronics, etc. which ARE the various subsystems in any spacecraft, then what is the need of systems engineering? What does a systems engineer even do?

It's a highly valid question. We talk about structure, aerodynamics, on-board computers, sensors, communication systems for rockets and satellites and they are rightly taught as THE necessary technical knowledge in Universities. Systems Engineers exist to bring all these together. Let me try to explain this with two terms that are bread and butter for systems engineers—Requirements and Trade-offs.

A satellite needs comms, thermal, solar panels, etc. The satellite company hires engineers to build these subsystems. How does the process of development begin? The company realises the need for a satellite mission in the market, they weigh the feasibility of the mission based on technical resources, budget, (scientific, tech and business) returns, availability of skilled professionals, etc. Here we have to remember that a company's objectives are NOT the same as a student project. The main priority of student teams are hands-on education and skill development, so it's natural for students to pick a lofty tech goal, whereas a company has to carefully measure business, regulatory, and other economic factors.

Suppose the objective of a satellite mission is to image the Earth. The electronics team wants to develop the state-of-the-art sensors, the software team wants use the latest AI processing tech, the structure team wants all of the satellite to fit into the palm of your hands, when suddenly the power team concludes that doing all of the above will require the satellite to have solar panels spanning across the solar system. Batteries? Sure, but how many can you fit in your palms? That's why we need systems engineers. They derive the requirements of each subsystem, makes sure they fit into the project and cost schedules, perform trade-offs to ensure the satellite development is going to fulfill the mission objectives, conduct reviews to resolve roadblocks and a lot more.

Now the question is, isn't this the job of the CTO? Short Answer: No. Just like other engineering disciplines, systems engineering also has its own language and is a field of study in itself. Which is why I am working on a Mini Guidebook on Space Systems Engineering that will help you understand why this field is necessary in space missions. Just like my previous books, this one will be directly in a handbook form that you can use in your work without getting overwhelmed. Join the waitlist here!