Space Mission Design and Operations

Unit 0 - Introduction to the Course

• Course objectives
• Motivation behind space exploration and utilization
• The space pioneers, and brief history of human space exploration
• The main space agencies in the world
• Space utilization and exploration

Unit 1 - Introduction to Space Environment

• Review of laws of mechanics
• Introduction to the space environment including the transition from the atmosphere to space, microgravity, the electrical and thermal environments, orbital lifetime, space debris and asteroids/comets collision threats

Unit 2 - Introduction to Orbital Mechanics (I and II)

• Orbital Mechanics I - dynamics of spaceflight; concept of gravitational well; orbital motion; Kepler's Laws; the case of circular orbits
• Orbital Mechanics II - elliptical orbits; reference frames; orbital maneuvers; perturbations of orbital motion; peculiar orbits

Unit 3 - Orbital Mechanics Part III

• Rendezvous in Low Earth Orbit (LEO); relative motion of the chaser vs. the target. Strategy to successfully achieve a rendezvous in LEO

Unit 4 - Orbital Mechanics Part IV

• Interplanetary trajectories; Gravity Assist or Slingshot maneuvers
• Propulsion in space - law of propulsion; concept of specific impulse; types of thrusters; electric propulsion; ascent into space, and re-entry

Unit 5 - Introduction to Space Systems and Space Tethers

• Attitude measurement and control; attitude change; electrical power generation and distribution (overview); thermal balance (overview)
• Space tethers (or cables) as an alternate method to generate electrical power on orbit; Dynamic applications of space tethers, Shuttle-based tether missions
• Reliability; systems redundancy; risk management; safety design for space systems; human rating concept

Unit 6 - The Space Shuttle and the International Space Station (ISS)

• Space Shuttle - concept; design; operations; Challenger and Columbia accidents
• ISS; Soyuz and Progress; Logistic supply to ISS with ATV, HTV, and commercial vehicles

Unit 7 - Special Subjects on Human Spaceflight, and Future of Space Exploration

• Extravehicular Activity (EVA) and space suits, space robotics
• Astronaut training , commercial space , suborbital flights
• Orion and the Space Launch System (SLS)
• Future of Space Exploration and Conclusion