Explore the Final Frontier with MIT Open Learning!

Star trail across the MIT dome. Photo: Evan Kramer

Updated March 2023

At MIT, we always have an eye on the stars. So we’ve put together a list of free MIT resources you can access to explore the cosmos, right from your computer.

Listen to space-themed episodes of MIT OpenCourseWare’s Chalk Radio podcast:

• “Visualizing the Future of Spaceship Earth” with Prof. Dava Newman
• “Seeing the Big Picture from Space” with astronaut Jeff Hoffman
• “Searching for the Oldest Stars” with Prof. Anna Frebel

Explore courses and materials from MIT’s space experts:

MITx courses:

• Introduction to Aerospace Engineering: Astronautics and Human Spaceflight
• Engineering the Space Shuttle

MIT OpenCourseWare materials:

• Aerospace Dynamics
• Astrodynamics (graduate course)
• Estimation and Control of Aerospace Systems
• Feedback Control Systems (graduate course)
• Introduction to Aerospace Engineering and Design
• Introduction to Propulsion Systems
• Rocket Propulsion (graduate course)
• Satellite Engineering (graduate course)
• Space Policy Seminar (graduate course)
• Space Propulsion (graduate course)
• Space Systems Engineering (undergraduate course and graduate course)

Outreach and Engagement:

Space is for everyone

• The HUMANS Project: submit a voice message to be sent to the ISS using MIT nanotechnology
• Space Exploration Initiative: find activity prompts, instructables, and facilitation guides

Especially for pK-12 learners

Dive into one of Full STEAM Ahead’s interactive, Earth-and-space-themed Learning Packages:

• Exploring and Living in Outer Space!
• The World Around Us
• Other Scratch games

Follow along:

• Operating in the Lunar Environment, MIT AeroAstro and MIT Media Lab’s joint course offering, providing an in-depth, hands-on exploration into the design and engineering challenges posed by operating in the lunar environment.
• Prototyping Our Sci-Fi Space Future, the Space Exploration Initiative’s course on project development, prototyping, and deployment readiness for parabolic flights.