Students are given an overview of the space environment, including the vacuum environment; the neutral environment; the plasma environment; the radiation environment; and the micrometeoroid/orbital debris environment. The distinguishing characteristics of different satellite orbits and their uses for a range of space-based applications (e.g. Earth observation and astrophysics, solar system transfers) are developed. The essentials of spacecraft subsystems engineering, including rocket propulsion, are discussed.
Learning Outcomes:
On completion of this course, the student should be able to:
- construct suitable orbits for various satellite and spacecraft applications;
- compare and contrast space environments of different orbits;
- identify the main effects of the space environment on satellites, and outline mitigation strategies;
- understand and describe the critical elements of spacecraft subsystems engineering;
- apply fundamental physical principles to rocket propulsion.
