Portfolio Projects That Get You Hired for Space Jobs (With Real GitHub Examples)

1. Why a Space Portfolio Is Crucial

Working in the space sector demands a blend of engineering, physics, software, and mission-critical standards. Recruiters want to see:

• Hands-on skill: Have you coded flight software for satellites? Designed rocket nozzles? Developed GNSS-based navigation?

• Integration of multiple domains: From propulsion to orbital mechanics, from electronics to data handling.

• Problem-solving under constraints: Space hardware faces extreme temperatures, radiation, vacuum, and weight limits.

• Regulatory and standards awareness: Missions must adhere to safety, reliability, and often ITAR or ESA rules.

A strong portfolio, featuring real or simulation-based projects, proves you can meet these rigorous demands. It doesn’t matter if it’s a small-scale rocket test or a satellite simulator—detailed, well-documented work shows you’re ready for the next big leap.

2. Matching Portfolio Projects to Space Roles

Space jobs come in many flavours, each requiring distinct skill sets. Tailor your projects to the sub-field that interests you most:

2.1 Aerospace Engineer (Launch Vehicles)

Typical Responsibilities: Designing rocket engines, stages, aerodynamic profiles, ensuring structural integrity.

Ideal Portfolio Focus:

• Rocket design: Demonstrate thrust calculations, mass budgets, or multi-stage conceptual designs.

• Propulsion tests: If you built a small liquid or solid rocket motor, detail performance data and safety protocols.

• CFD / FEA: Show how you used computational tools (ANSYS Fluent, COMSOL) to model fluid flow or structural stresses.

2.2 Satellite Systems Engineer

Typical Responsibilities: Overseeing satellite design, power management, thermal control, radio communications, and mission planning.

Ideal Portfolio Focus:

• CubeSat or small satellite designs, possibly using open-source frameworks.

• System architecture: Summaries of how you integrated subsystems (EPS, ADCS, Payload).

• Mission simulations: Tools like GMAT or STK for orbital analysis, or a custom Python script for TLE-based tracking.

2.3 Flight Software / Ground Control Engineer

Typical Responsibilities: Writing and testing onboard software, data handling, communication protocols, mission ops.

Ideal Portfolio Focus:

• Command & control: Possibly show how you used or extended open-source ground station software.

• Flight firmware: If you built real-time code for a microcontroller, or integrated a flight OS (e.g., NASA cFS).

• Telemetry: Summaries of how you stored or analysed data from simulated or real spacecraft signals.

2.4 Space Robotics / Rovers

Typical Responsibilities: Designing robotic arms for microgravity, building planetary rovers, ensuring autonomy on uncertain terrain.

Ideal Portfolio Focus:

• Rover prototypes: Show mechatronics, sensor fusion (LiDAR, cameras), wheel traction design.

• Autonomy software: Path planning, obstacle detection, referencing NASA or ESA approaches.

• Environmental testing: If you tested for vacuum, dust, or temperature extremes in smaller, controlled setups.

2.5 Earth Observation / Remote Sensing

Typical Responsibilities: Processing satellite imagery, building data pipelines for geospatial insights, applying machine learning.

Ideal Portfolio Focus:

• Satellite image analysis: Projects using open data (e.g., Landsat, Sentinel).

• AI-based classification: Show how you detect deforestation, ice melt, or agricultural patterns.

• Data pipelines: Summaries of how you handled large geospatial datasets, referencing tools like GDAL or NASA’s Earthdata.

By targeting roles with the right project focus, you ensure recruiters immediately see the relevance of your portfolio work.

3. Anatomy of a Great Space Project

Every portfolio piece should demonstrate technical excellence, mission-critical mindset, and big-picture understanding:

1. Objective

   • Why is this relevant? “Designing a CubeSat for remote sensing” or “Building a rocket stage testbed.”

2. Mission / System Requirements

   • Show constraints: mass, power, temperature range, cost, reliability goals.

   • Summarise trade-offs considered.

3. Methodology

   • If it’s a satellite, mention bus vs. payload design, orbit selection, power budgets.

   • For a rocket, detail thrust calculations, nozzle design, staging logic.

4. Toolchain & Simulations

   • Could be MATLAB or Python for orbital calculations, STK for mission analysis, ANSYS for structural, or open-source rocket flight software (KSP mods sometimes for concept demonstration!).

   • Show how you validated results or cross-checked with real data.

5. Hardware / Software Implementation

   • If you built hardware, share photos, diagrams, or schematics.

   • For software, highlight code structure, protocols, or real-time aspects.

6. Testing & Results

   • Provide logs, flight test data, or simulation outputs.

   • Summarise performance vs. initial requirements. Did you meet delta-v goals? Achieve stable comms link?

7. Challenges & Lessons Learned

   • e.g., overcame thermal issues, dealing with sensor noise in microgravity, or debugging ground station comm delays.

8. Future Improvements

   • Suggest next steps: “Add star tracker integration,” “Scale to LEO orbit,” or “Implement advanced GNC algorithm.”

By covering these aspects, you paint a picture of systemic thinking crucial in space engineering.

4. Real GitHub Examples to Explore

While much of the space sector is proprietary, several open projects illustrate best practices:

4.1 NASA cFS (Core Flight System)

Repository: nasa/cFS
Why it’s great:

• Flight software: NASA’s open-source OS for spacecraft.

• Modular: See how flight apps, command, and telemetry are structured.

• Active development: Watch or contribute to see how mission-critical code is managed.

4.2 Open Mission Control / Ground System Example

Repository: BallAerospace/COSMOS
Why it’s great:

• Ground control software: COSMOS (Commanding and Logging System) provides a framework for sending commands to and collecting telemetry from embedded systems—perfect for satellite or spacecraft mission operations.

• End-to-end workflow: Demonstrates how to structure configuration files for different subsystems (telemetry, command dictionaries) and a GUI‑driven approach to viewing real-time data.

• Active user community: Frequent commits and issues showcase how professionals handle version control, bug fixes, and new feature requests.

• Flexible architecture: Designed to support a variety of hardware configurations, which can be adapted or extended for custom space missions or ground stations.

Tip: If you’re aspiring to build or integrate ground control solutions, clone COSMOS and experiment with creating mock telemetry streams or custom device definitions. Document any enhancements you make—such as improved data visualisation or interfacing with simulated satellites—and include screenshots or logs in your portfolio for a tangible demonstration of your ground control expertise.

4.3 Polymetl/OpenRocket (Rocket Sim Tools)

Repository: openrocket/openrocket
Why it’s great:

• Rocket design & simulation: Plan flights, track stability, thrust curves.

• Educational: Perfect if you want to simulate a custom rocket.

• Active user base: Great for insight into model rocket physics and software design patterns.

Studying these shows how space projects handle reliability, version control, and community collaboration—all essential in real missions.

5. Six Portfolio Project Ideas to Supercharge Your Space CV

Need inspiration? Here are practical projects that highlight space-related know-how:

5.1 CubeSat Power & Thermal Analysis

• Key focus: System engineering for a small satellite, focusing on power generation (solar panels) and thermal management.

• Implementation steps:

  1. Define a hypothetical CubeSat mission profile (LEO orbit, daily sun exposure).

  2. Use STK or a Python-based orbital model to estimate power availability.

  3. Add a thermal budget analysis (MATLAB or custom script) for day/night cycles.

  4. Summarise final design decisions: battery capacity, radiator or insulation choices.

5.2 Rocket Stage Mass & Thrust Calculator

• Key focus: Basic rocketry mathematics, demonstrating Tsiolkovsky rocket equation usage.

• Implementation steps:

  1. Build a Python script or small web tool that calculates delta-v based on engine Isp, prop mass, and staging.

  2. If possible, integrate with a small open-source thrust curve library or real rocket data.

  3. Provide scenarios (satellite launch to LEO, suborbital test).

  4. Show how minor design changes (payload mass, fuel fraction) shift feasible orbits.

5.3 Satellite Image Processing for Earth Observation

• Key focus: Remote sensing data analysis, data pipelines, potential AI.

• Implementation steps:

  1. Acquire open imagery (Sentinel-2, Landsat).

  2. Apply basic correction (atmospheric, geometric).

  3. Implement a classification or change detection script (e.g., deforestation, urban sprawl).

  4. Summarise results with metrics (precision/recall if using ground truth) and visual maps.

5.4 cFS or ROS Integration for Space Robots

• Key focus: High-level autonomy software using NASA cFS or a space-ready version of ROS.

• Implementation steps:

  1. Create a mock “lunar rover” environment in Gazebo.

  2. Integrate cFS or a specialised ROS distro for space-grade reliability.

  3. Implement basic nav or manipulator logic.

  4. Demonstrate robust error handling or fallback modes if sensors fail.

5.5 Star Tracker or GNSS Simulation

• Key focus: Attitude determination or satellite positioning.

• Implementation steps:

  1. Implement a star tracker algorithm: match star patterns to known constellations for orientation.

  2. Or build a simulated GNSS receiver approach, showing how you’d do orbital geometry.

  3. Document accuracy, computational loads, or potential hardware constraints.

  4. Evaluate trade-offs: camera resolution, algorithm complexity, or multi-frequency GNSS usage.

5.6 Launch or Reentry Trajectory Planning

• Key focus: Orbital mechanics, reentry heat concerns, path optimisation.

• Implementation steps:

  1. Use a Python library (poliastro) or MATLAB to define a rocket ascent trajectory to LEO.

  2. Consider atmospheric drag, staging events, or possible reentry path to minimise G-forces.

  3. Evaluate final orbit insertion accuracy or landing zone constraints.

  4. Show charts of altitude vs. velocity vs. time, any advanced solver usage.

Each project can be scaled to your time and resources. The essential part is detailed approach + metrics illustrating real or near-real conditions.

6. Best Practices for Showcasing Your Space Projects

6.1 Repository Organisation

• Project name: e.g., cubesat-power-thermal-analysis, rocket-deltav-calculator.

• Folder structure: /src for code, /docs for design docs or references, /data for input datasets or test results.

• README: Summarise mission concept, approach, findings, future steps.

6.2 Visuals & Diagrams

• Orbit plots: If simulating orbits, show 3D or 2D ground tracks.

• CAD / 3D: For rocket or satellite structure, embed screenshots or renders.

• Graphs: Power vs. time, velocity vs. altitude, yield vs. TLE changes, etc.

6.3 Flight / Simulation Logs

• Data logs: If you have sensor or flight data, share in CSV or simple formats.

• Analysis: Provide scripts that parse and produce interesting metrics or visualisations.

6.4 Thorough Documentation & Safety

• System diagrams: Summarise subsystem interactions (EPS, Comms, ADCS, Payload).

• Risk assessment: For rocket or hardware builds, mention safety concerns, mitigations.

• Compliance: If relevant, highlight ITAR-free approach or ESA standard references.

A polished, professional approach shows recruiters you handle mission-critical design properly.

7. Amplifying Your Portfolio Beyond GitHub

While GitHub is vital for code, you can diversify how you share your projects:

• Personal Website / Blog

  • Post narrative articles with pictures, data plots, or embedded animations.

  • Summarise your design and testing steps.

• LinkedIn Articles

  • Publish short overviews of a rocket engine test or satellite simulator.

  • Link back to GitHub for deeper technical details.

• Conference Presentations

  • If your project is novel, propose short talks or posters at small space or engineering conferences.

  • Attending events like UKSEDS, smallsat symposiums, or local industry meetups can open doors.

• YouTube / Vimeo

  • Record 2–5 minute demos: rocket test stands, 3D orbit visualisations, or hardware prototypes in action.

  • Provide commentary on design choices and results.

Multiple channels ensure your portfolio gets noticed by both technical and non-technical audiences—great for business or manager-level viewers.

8. Linking Your Portfolio to Job Applications

To ensure employers actually see your work:

• CV / Cover Letter

  • Under “Select Projects,” add direct links with short bullet points: “Designed a 2-stage rocket concept achieving 9.4 km/s delta-v—[GitHub Link].”

  • In your cover letter, reference the project if it matches the company’s domain (e.g., “My open-source star tracker algorithm aligns with your satellite-based Earth observation missions.”)

• Online Profiles

  • UKSpaceJobs.co.uk, LinkedIn, or Indeed often let you share external project links.

  • Summarise each project with highlights: orbit, payload, flight results, or code base.

A well-structured portfolio can shift interviews from basic qualifications to in-depth technical discussions on your achievements—impressing recruiters.

9. Building Credibility and Visibility

To rank higher in search or garner more interest:

• Open-Source Contributions

  • Contribute to NASA cFS, ESA open tools, or open rocket software.

  • Each merged PR or recognised contribution showcases your skill and collaboration ability.

• Q&A / Community Engagement

  • On forums like Space Stack Exchange, r/SpaceX on Reddit, or specialised Slack channels, link your project if it genuinely helps.

  • Provide solutions or advanced insights.

• Academic Collaboration

  • If in academia, co-author a paper or present at a local research group.

  • Link your published articles or posters.

Being active in space communities fosters trust and drives organic traffic to your portfolio.

10. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1: How many space-focused projects should I showcase?
Two to four detailed projects usually suffice. Each highlighting a different domain—e.g., rocket design, satellite analysis, flight software, or hardware build.

Q2: Do I need real flight experience?
Not necessarily. Simulation-based projects can still prove your knowledge if they’re well-validated. If you can test small-scale hardware (model rockets, stratospheric balloons), that’s a bonus.

Q3: Can I reuse code/data from past jobs or labs?
Only if it’s not proprietary or under NDAs. Otherwise, replicate the methodology in a simplified, open version. Always respect confidentiality.

Q4: Do I need advanced orbital mechanics or rocket science math?
It depends on the role. Show enough math or physics to demonstrate you understand the fundamentals, but also emphasise practical design or software aspects.

Q5: Should I show partial or incomplete projects?
Yes, if they illustrate critical concepts or attempts. Just label them as ongoing, and share your progress and next steps.

11. Final Checks Before Sharing Your Portfolio

Before sending GitHub or website links, ensure:

1. README Clarity: Each project’s aim, approach, and outcomes are clearly stated.

2. Media: Enough images, graphs, or short videos to convey results.

3. Code Quality: Organised, well-commented, minimal debug or unused code.

4. Data / Logs: If you have flight or simulation logs, show a snippet and analysis.

5. No Confidential Info: Verify no private data or restricted code is exposed.

A final polish ensures your space portfolio reflects your abilities as a professional.

12. Conclusion

From designing next-generation rockets to building CubeSats and analysing Earth observation data, the space industry demands technical excellence, innovation, and resilience. A strong portfolio with real or simulated projects helps recruiters visualise how you’d contribute to a successful mission.

Key Takeaways:

• Align your projects with specific space roles (launch vehicles, satellite systems, flight software, robotics, or Earth observation).

• Use structured documentation, visuals, and data logs to prove your engineering approach.

• Publish your work across multiple platforms—GitHub, personal blogs, LinkedIn—for broader impact.

• Finally, upload your CV on UKSpaceJobs.co.uk so companies can find your portfolio directly.

Investing time to craft and present tangible space projects is an investment in your future—one that might launch you into roles shaping our journey to the Moon, Mars, or beyond. Whether you aim to perfect miniature satellites or design large launch systems, a well-documented portfolio is your ticket to a stellar career in the fast-expanding realm of space exploration and commercialisation. Good luck—and may your trajectories always be nominal!