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Master’s in Supersonic and Hypersonic Aerothermodynamics Engineering

Online master's programme of 1,900 hours in supersonic and hypersonic aerothermodynamics engineering, structured in 12 modules covering compressible flow, supersonic aerodynamics, hypersonics, high-temperature gases, aerothermal heating, CFD and DSMC, thermal protection, high-speed air-breathing propulsion, re-entry and testing, with an assigned technical tutor.

Duration1900 h
ModeOnline
LanguageEnglish
Start datesSet by the faculty
AwardSEIUM Institute diploma
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Learning outcomes

What you will be able to do

01

Understand the fundamentals of compressible flow.

02

Analyse the supersonic aerodynamics of configurations.

03

Apply hypersonic and high-temperature gas theory.

04

Calculate aerothermal loads.

05

Simulate high-speed flows with CFD and DSMC.

06

Design thermal protection systems.

07

Analyse atmospheric re-entry trajectories.

Profile

Who it's for

  • Aerothermodynamics engineers working on launchers, capsules or high-speed aircraft.
  • High-speed CFD specialists dealing with shocks, chemistry and rarefied flow.
  • Thermal protection engineers designing ablative or reusable heat shields.
  • Re-entry systems engineers analysing trajectories and loads.
  • Hypersonics researchers in universities and research centres.
  • Wind tunnel test engineers working with blowdown, shock and arc-jet facilities.
  • Engineering or science graduates aiming to join the space sector.
Standards & tools

What you'll work with

  • ECSS-E-HB-32-26A (spacecraft mechanical loads analysis handbook)
  • ECSS-E-ST-31C (space thermal control general requirements)
  • ECSS-Q-ST-70C (materials, mechanical parts and processes for space)
  • ICAO Annex 16 Volume I Chapter 12 (noise standards for supersonic aeroplanes)
  • 14 CFR §91.817 (civil aircraft sonic boom)
  • ISO 2533 (standard atmosphere)
  • NASA-STD-3001 (NASA space flight human-system standard)
  • ANSYS Fluent
  • SU2
  • DSMC SPARTA
  • Cantera
  • MATLAB
Syllabus

12 modules · 1900 h

  1. 1.1Conservation equations
  2. 1.2Isentropic flow and stagnation relations
  3. 1.3Normal shock waves
  4. 1.4Oblique shock waves
  5. 1.5Prandtl-Meyer expansions
  6. 1.6Nozzle flow
  7. 1.7Fanno and Rayleigh flow
  8. 1.8Method of characteristics
  9. 1.9Small perturbation theory
  10. 1.10Lab: nozzle design using the method of characteristics
  1. 2.1Linear supersonic theory
  2. 2.2Supersonic double-wedge aerofoils
  3. 2.3Wave drag
  4. 2.4Area rule
  5. 2.5Supersonic swept wings
  6. 2.6Shock-boundary layer interactions
  7. 2.7Supersonic air intakes
  8. 2.8Sonic boom and its mitigation
  9. 2.9Civil supersonic aircraft
  10. 2.10Practical exercise: wave drag and the area rule
  1. 3.1Characteristics of the hypersonic regime
  2. 3.2Thin shock layer
  3. 3.3Newtonian and modified Newtonian theory
  4. 3.4Viscous interaction at high Mach
  5. 3.5High-temperature effects
  6. 3.6Entropy and the entropy layer
  7. 3.7Hypersonic similarity laws
  8. 3.8High-lift waverider configurations
  9. 3.9Re-entry vehicles
  10. 3.10Case study: Newtonian coefficients of a capsule
  1. 4.1Dissociation and ionisation
  2. 4.2Thermodynamics of reacting mixtures
  3. 4.3Chemical non-equilibrium
  4. 4.4Thermal non-equilibrium
  5. 4.5Park models
  6. 4.6Radiation in the shock layer
  7. 4.7Surface catalycity
  8. 4.8Transport models
  9. 4.9Thermochemical databases
  10. 4.10Lab: chemical equilibrium of air at 6,000 K
  1. 5.1Convective wall heating
  2. 5.2Fay-Riddell correlation
  3. 5.3Stagnation point
  4. 5.4Laminar-turbulent transition in hypersonics
  5. 5.5Radiative heating
  6. 5.6Heating in shock interactions
  7. 5.7Ablation of protective materials
  8. 5.8Transient conduction in the structure
  9. 5.9Engineering methods
  10. 5.10Practical exercise: stagnation-point heat flux
  1. 6.1High-resolution hypersonic CFD
  2. 6.2Upwind schemes and shock capturing
  3. 6.3Chemistry modelling in CFD
  4. 6.4DSMC for rarefied flow
  5. 6.5Shock-adapted meshes
  6. 6.6Turbulence in hypersonics
  7. 6.7Verification and validation
  8. 6.8Conjugate fluid-thermal coupling
  9. 6.9Reference codes
  10. 6.10Lab: simulation of a blunt body with chemistry
  1. 7.1Reusable protection systems
  2. 7.2Ablative protection systems
  3. 7.3UHTC ceramic materials
  4. 7.4C/C and C/SiC composites
  5. 7.5Heat shield design
  6. 7.6Joints and gaps
  7. 7.7Material characterisation
  8. 7.8Plasma arc testing
  9. 7.9Lessons from re-entry missions
  10. 7.10Case study: sizing an ablative heat shield
  1. 8.1Subsonic-combustion ramjets
  2. 8.2Supersonic-combustion scramjets
  3. 8.3Mixing and combustion in supersonic flow
  4. 8.4Intakes and isolators
  5. 8.5Combined turbine-ramjet cycles
  6. 8.6X-43 and X-51 experimental programmes
  7. 8.7Endothermic fuels and regenerative cooling
  8. 8.8Air-breathing propulsion performance
  9. 8.9Technological and materials challenges
  10. 8.10Practical exercise: ramjet cycle analysis
  1. 9.1Ballistic and lifting trajectories
  2. 9.2Re-entry corridor
  3. 9.3Deceleration loads
  4. 9.4Communications blackout
  5. 9.5Capsule stability
  6. 9.6Supersonic deceleration parachutes
  7. 9.7Mars entry
  8. 9.8Stage recovery
  9. 9.9Space debris re-entry
  10. 9.10Lab: re-entry trajectory simulation
  1. 10.1Supersonic blowdown wind tunnels
  2. 10.2Shock tunnels
  3. 10.3Arc-jet tunnels
  4. 10.4Heat flux instrumentation
  5. 10.5Schlieren visualisation and shadowgraphy
  6. 10.6Temperature-sensitive paints
  7. 10.7Flight testing
  8. 10.8Test scaling
  9. 10.9Numerical-experimental correlation of results
  10. 10.10Workshop: design of a Schlieren test
  1. 11.1Civil supersonic transport
  2. 11.2Reusable space vehicles
  3. 11.3Crewed return capsules
  4. 11.4Planetary entry probes
  5. 11.5Winged spaceplanes
  6. 11.6Launchers with reusable stages
  7. 11.7Commercial suborbital flights
  8. 11.8Supersonic environmental regulations
  9. 11.9Sector outlook
  10. 11.10Case study: aerothermal analysis of a return capsule
  1. 12.1Vehicle definition
  2. 12.2Trajectory analysis
  3. 12.3Supersonic or hypersonic aerodynamics
  4. 12.4Thermal load estimation
  5. 12.5Numerical flow simulation
  6. 12.6Thermal protection system
  7. 12.7Test plan
  8. 12.8Validation of results
  9. 12.9Master's Thesis report
  10. 12.10Master's Thesis: defence before a panel
Methodology, software & labs

How you'll learn

100% online training on the SEIUM campus, with downloadable material, recorded classes and an assigned technical tutor. No fixed timetables: you progress at your own pace within the intake, so it fits alongside your job.

Each module combines theory, guided reading of the original standard and applied exercises. The working software is ANSYS Fluent, SU2, DSMC SPARTA, Cantera and MATLAB, in free, academic or evaluation versions. Practice is based on real procedures for blunt-body simulations, Schlieren testing in a supersonic tunnel and thermal protection sizing. Assessment is continuous by module, plus the final Master's Thesis.

Standards covered: ECSS-E-HB-32-26A, ECSS-E-ST-31C, ECSS-Q-ST-70C, ICAO Annex 16 Volume I Chapter 12 (supersonic aeroplanes), 14 CFR §91.817, ISO 2533, NASA-STD-3001.

Assigned technical tutor:every module ends with a deliverable that your tutor marks individually.
Standards-based learning:guided reading of ECSS-E-HB-32-26A, ECSS-E-ST-31C and ECSS-Q-ST-70C applied to real cases, not as a theoretical annex.
Industry software:ANSYS Fluent, SU2, DSMC SPARTA, Cantera and MATLAB, in free, academic or evaluation versions.
Master's Thesis with defence:A complete aerothermodynamic study of a supersonic or hypersonic vehicle, from trajectory and aerodynamics through thermal loads, numerical simulation and thermal protection to the test plan and validation, defended before a panel.
Flexible format:100% online, no fixed timetables, compatible with full-time work.
Capstone project

Build it end to end

Your final project follows the real engineering workflow, step by step, reviewed by your tutor.

Define vehicle and trajectory
Set the vehicle configuration and simulate its re-entry or flight trajectory.
Estimate aerothermal loads
Calculate aerodynamic coefficients and stagnation-point heat flux.
Simulate the flow
Run CFD with chemistry, or DSMC, on the vehicle.
Design the TPS
Size the thermal protection system and plan validation tests.
Master's Thesis
A full high-speed vehicle aerothermodynamic project, defended before a panel.
Career opportunities

Where this takes you

Aerothermodynamics engineerHigh-speed CFD specialistThermal protection engineerRe-entry systems engineerHypersonics researcherWind tunnel test engineer
Admissions & scholarships

Requirements

  • A university degree in engineering, science or architecture, or equivalent demonstrable professional experience.
  • An internet connection and a computer capable of running the programme software.
  • English sufficient to read technical standards.

Ready to start?

Send your application today. Our admissions team replies within 72 hours with your study plan and funding options.

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FAQ

Frequently asked questions

The programme totals 1,900 hours over 12–14 months. You set your own pace within each intake, and your tutor helps you plan the workload around your job.

You work with ANSYS Fluent, SU2, DSMC SPARTA, Cantera and MATLAB, using free, academic or evaluation versions. Your tutor indicates the free alternative wherever one exists.

A SEIUM Institute diploma, awarded on passing the continuous assessment and the Master's Thesis. It is SEIUM's own qualification, not an official state degree; its recognition depends on the programme completed and the regulations of each country.

Yes. Modules passed in a course or postgraduate diploma in the same area are recognised in the higher programme. Ask about the recognition policy when you enrol.

A university degree in engineering, science or architecture (or equivalent professional experience), a computer able to run the programme software, and English sufficient to read technical standards.

Start dates are set by SEIUM's faculty for each intake. Our admissions team will confirm the next available date when you apply.

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