Despite the widespread disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the UK Space sector are committed to bringing in new and fresh talent. This summer, 50 paid space internships were offered by the 'Space Placements in Industry' scheme managed and funded by the UK Space Agency. The SPIN Scheme provides unique opportunities for undergraduate students to work on a space flight or satellite funded project.

This summer, I was fortunate enough to be selected as one of the 50 interns. The whole internship from start to finish was absolutely phenomenal and I encourage anyone considering a career in the space sector to apply. The internship was eight weeks long and during that time I had the chance to work on sensors, atmospheric science and radars while programming in Python. In addition, I had the opportunity to write my own research paper where I explored the specifics of FMCW Doppler Radar Post Processing.

What kind of projects does the SPIN Scheme offer?

The SPIN Scheme offers a whole variety of different projects. Specifically, they are focused towards space flights or satellites but the projects can cover a whole variety of different areas. No matter what undergraduate degree you’re studying, you will find an internship for you!

If you’re interested in what types of projects are available, the list of projects held in 2020 can be found here.

What did the internship involve?

My project was focused on sensors and atmospheric science where I explored the specifics of FMCW (Frequency Modulated Continuous Wave) Doppler radars. A typical day would include researching into the specifics of FMCW and Doppler radars, the mechanisms and results produced by a Doppler Radar Cloud Profiler and exploring this by programming in Python. I spent every day of my internship programming in Python which I absolutely loved; I was able to explore elements in Python I’d never touched upon before whilst also producing some amazing visualisations.

I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to produce my own research paper too. In addition, I created a poster that will be presented in November for the big SPIN Showcase event. I love that I am able to share the work I have done over the eight weeks with fellow SPINterns, supervisors and space companies.

Would you recommend applying? If so, how would I go about applying?

Yes! If you are interested in pursuing a career in the space sector, this internship is perfect for you! I would encourage everyone to look at the projects listed this year (you can find them here) and see if any are suited to you.

The internship provides such a great insight into the space sector whilst also offering you the chance to work on an incredible project. Applications open in January every year and you can apply here. To further encourage students to apply, I created two YouTube videos that talk in depth about the SPIN internships, the application process, hints and tips on the application process and what I get up to on a typical day. You can find these videos here.