HOME
EMail Signup
Current Schedule
Onsite Courses
Register Online
Request Brochure
Free On-Site Price Quote
Download Catalog
Distance Learning
ATI — Who We Are
Contact ATI Courses
Search Site
Attendees Testimonials
The ATI FAQ Sheet
Suggestions/Wait List
New Courses for 2009
Become an ATI Instructor
Acoustics & Sonar
Rockets & Space
ATI Blog
ATI Space News
ATI Site Map
ATI Staff Tutorials
ATI Sampler Page
 

ATI's Space Systems Fundamentals course

Summary:

    This four-day course provides an overview of the fundamentals of concepts and technologies of modern spacecraft systems design. Satellite system and mission design is an essentially interdisciplinary sport that combines engineering, science, and external phenomena. We will concentrate on scientific and engineering foundations of spacecraft systems and interactions among various subsystems. Examples show how to quantitatively estimate various mission elements (such as velocity increments) and conditions (equilibrium temperature) and how to size major spacecraft subsystems (propellant, antennas, transmitters, solar arrays, batteries). Real examples are used to permit an understanding of the systems selection and trade-off issues in the design process. The fundamentals of subsystem technologies provide an indispensable basis for system engineering. The basic nomenclature, vocabulary, and concepts will make it possible to converse with understanding with subsystem specialists.

    The course is recommended for engineers, scientists, or managers who wish to broaden their perspectives and capabilities.
    View course sampler

Instructor:

    Dr. Mike Gruntman is Professor of Astronautics at the University of Southern California. He is a specialist in astronautics, space technology, sensors, and space physics. Gruntman participates in several theoretical and experimental programs in space science and space technology, including space missions. He authored and coauthored more 200 publications in various areas of astronautics, space physics, and instrumentation.

    Contact this instructor (please mention course name in the subject line)

What You Will Learn:

  • Common space mission and spacecraft bus configurations, requirements, and constraints.
  • Common orbits.
  • Fundamentals of spacecraft subsystems and their interactions.
  • How to calculate velocity increments for typical orbital maneuvers.
  • How to calculate required amount of propellant.
  • How to design communications link..
  • How to size solar arrays and batteries.
  • How to determine spacecraft temperature.

Course Outline:

  1. Space Missions And Applications. Science, exploration, commercial, national security. Customers.

  2. Space Environment And Spacecraft Interaction. Universe, galaxy, solar system. Coordinate systems. Time. Solar cycle. Plasma. Geomagnetic field. Atmosphere, ionosphere, magnetosphere. Atmospheric drag. Atomic oxygen. Radiation belts and shielding.

  3. Orbital Mechanics And Mission Design. Motion in gravitational field. Elliptic orbit. Classical orbit elements. Two-line element format. Hohmann transfer. Delta-V requirements. Launch sites. Launch to geostationary orbit. Orbit perturbations. Key orbits: geostationary, sun-synchronous, Molniya.

  4. Space Mission Geometry. Satellite horizon, ground track, swath. Repeating orbits.

  5. Spacecraft And Mission Design Overview. Mission design basics. Life cycle of the mission. Reviews. Requirements. Technology readiness levels. Systems engineering.

  6. Mission Support. Ground stations. Deep Space Network (DSN). STDN. SGLS. Space Laser Ranging (SLR). TDRSS.

  7. Attitude Determination And Control. Spacecraft attitude. Angular momentum. Environmental disturbance torques. Attitude sensors. Attitude control techniques (configurations). Spin axis precession. Reaction wheel analysis.

  8. Spacecraft Propulsion. Propulsion requirements. Fundamentals of propulsion: thrust, specific impulse, total impulse. Rocket dynamics: rocket equation. Staging. Nozzles. Liquid propulsion systems. Solid propulsion systems. Thrust vector control. Electric propulsion.

  9. Launch Systems. Launch issues. Atlas and Delta launch families. Acoustic environment. Launch system example: Delta II.

  10. Space Communications. Communications basics. Electromagnetic waves. Decibel language. Antennas. Antenna gain. TWTA and SSA. Noise. Bit rate. Communication link design. Modulation techniques. Bit error rate.

  11. Spacecraft Power Systems. Spacecraft power system elements. Orbital effects. Photovoltaic systems (solar cells and arrays). Radioisotope thermal generators (RTG). Batteries. Sizing power systems.

  12. Thermal Control. Environmental loads. Blackbody concept. Planck and Stefan-Boltzmann laws. Passive thermal control. Coatings. Active thermal control. Heat pipes.

Tuition:

    Tuition for this four-day course is $1790 per person at one of our scheduled public courses. Onsite pricing is available. Please call us at 410-956-8805 or send an email to ati@ATIcourses.com.