America’s Space University is launching a new online space MBA program to meet the expanding needs of the booming space industry on Florida’s Space Coast and around the world.
A national leader in online education and the top supplier of talent to the nation’s aerospace and defense industries, the University of Central Florida established the new MBA program to support the space commercialization industry and a global space economy that is projected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035.
“We have world-class researchers, direct connections to the space industry and the very best location,” says Greg Autry, associate provost for space commercialization and strategy at UCF and President Trump’s nominee to become NASA’s chief financial officer. “I want students to come to UCF knowing they can participate in an industry that’s about to take off, no matter what field they’re interested in. This is the place to launch the next stage of your career.”
The UCF space MBA brings together UCF’s excellence in space and online education and is designed to develop forward-thinking leaders who will shape the future of the commercial space sector. With a curriculum focused on space commercialization, business strategy and innovation, graduates will be ready to lead in fast-growing and high-impact roles across the commercial space, aerospace, government, startups and emerging tech industries.
The MBA will be a fully online, part-time graduate business program spanning 24 months in which students will take a set of core MBA courses plus four electives focused on space entrepreneurship, governmental and commercial space finance, space leadership and the global space domain. With a flexible, asynchronous format, this program allows students to learn from anywhere on Earth — or even in orbit.
With more than 25 years of experience providing top online degrees, UCF is a trusted source for innovative education technology and is recognized among the nation’s leaders in online education. Classes in more than 130 fully online degree programs are led by world-class faculty with extensive industry and academic experience who prepare students well to thrive and advance in their careers.
“The space industry isn’t the future. It’s happening now. Our new space MBA will put talent at the center of that movement,” says Paul Jarley, dean of the UCF College of Business, which will be offering the new program. “Under Dr. Autry’s leadership, the space MBA will develop business pioneers ready to drive innovation in space commercialization. This is an important step in the business school becoming a key asset in supporting UCF’s mission to be Florida’s Premier Engineering and Technology University.”
Autry leads the college’s efforts to deliver executive and MBA programs in space commercialization while helping America’s Space University craft and implement a roadmap for its space efforts. Before joining UCF in 2024, he was the director and clinical professor of space leadership, policy and business at the Thunderbird School of Global Management at Arizona State University. He serves as the vice president for space development at the National Space Society and chairs the Business Case sub-committee for NASA’s In Space Production Applications program, which sends manufacturing experiments to the International Space Station.
Applications are open now until Dec. 1, with classes beginning in Spring 2026. Visit business.ucf.edu/spacemba to learn more and apply.
