Also called: Spacecraft Operator, Satellite Controller
Sits in an operations center sending commands to satellites and watching their health around the clock.
You check temperature and battery readings as each satellite passes over, send a command to fire thrusters, and call an engineer at 3 a.m. if something looks off. Shift work, but you are literally flying spacecraft.
Approximate: anchored on Bureau of Labor Statistics data for a broader job group.
Bachelor's degree (4-year), about 4 years after high school. Bachelor's in engineering or science, or military space operations experience.
Ways in: 4-year college, Military, On-the-job training. Training cost: Get paid while you train.
Majors to look at: Aerospace Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering.
Growing much faster than average (about 8% over 10 years).
Medium risk in 5 years, high in 10. Constellations now run mostly on automation, with one operator watching many satellites; fewer seats for newcomers.
Classes: Physics, Computer science, Algebra, Geography.
Official data: O*NET occupation 17-3021.
Career Universe is an early version. Pay, training and AI-risk figures are estimates to start your own research, not verified facts. The research was written with AI research assistants, checked by validation scripts and spot-checked by hand. Check anything important with schools, employers and official sources. How the numbers work.