The non-profit Saylor Foundation is teaming up with NASA to offer a free six-week online course in Space Systems Engineering. The massive open online course, or MOOC, begins Monday, March 3, 2014.

The Space Systems Engineering MOOC examines basic systems engineering and teamwork as well as project life cycle, scoping, requirements, and trade studies. Course content is based on existing and augmented NASA materials.

Video lectures from personnel at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center form the backbone of the lessons. NASA project manager Jeff Volosin, NASA mission systems engineer Mike Menzel, and Nobel Laureate Dr. John Mather will provide the lectures.

The content for the MOOC was derived from a more extensive course developed by NASA engineer Lisa Guerra during her tenure at The University of Texas at Austin. The original space systems engineering course was designed for undergraduate engineers as a supplement to their capstone design work.

“This [course] is a good way to understand the big picture of what system engineers do; you have to understand how you fit into the team,” said Jeff Volosin, project manager for the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite mission. “Whether you are going to be a systems engineer or work with them you have some background because every engineer has to work in an area where systems engineering is a part of their life.”

Students can enroll prior to March at the course registration page or join the course at any point thereafter. Each week, registered students will receive an email detailing assignments, questions for discussion, and opportunities to interact with one another and course designers, including NASA staff, through discussion forums.

Live Google+ Hangouts will provide a chance to engage with instructors, beginning with Jeff Volosin on Friday, March 7.

Students who successfully complete the course and pass the final exam will receive a certificate of completion. There will be an optional project, and the winners of the project competition will be receive a tour of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD.

The contributing materials for this course are all in the public domain and will remain on the Saylor Foundation’s website indefinitely. Registered students will be able to revisit the materials whenever they wish and can incorporate the resources into other learning objects. The Saylor Foundation intends for the materials to serve as open courseware built entirely of open educational resources.