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PHYC40810

Academic Year 2025/2026

Satellite Subsystems (PHYC40810)

Subject:
Physics
College:
Science
School:
Physics
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
10
Module Coordinator:
Professor Lorraine Hanlon
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
On Campus
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

One problem inherent with space projects is the length of time from concept through launch and operations.

The aim of this course is to bring each student team (3-5 students) through a complete spacecraft system development process in one trimester. The ECSS project lifecycle is followed, starting from initial design thinking activities to develop the mission concept, to preliminary design, including requirements, critical design, flight acceptance, launch, operations, post-flight analysis and lessons learned.

The experimental payload must be compatible with platform, budget, power and mass constraints. The experiments are flown on high altitude meteorological balloons. Students operate the experiments, telemeter data to ground, track and recover them.

Students are introduced to project management, project phases, space systems engineering, collaborative tools (e.g. GitHub), soldering, programming in Python, and documentation for space projects.

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of this course, students should be able to:

• Implement a tailored space system engineering development process
• Be familiar with ECSS standards for space mission development
• Prototype different instrument concepts
• Assemble, integrate and test the complete satellite
• Write code in Python to run experiments remotely and telemeter data to the ground
• Work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary team and stick to a schedule
• Take individual ownership of tasks within a team project
• Execute balloon trajectory predictions using suitable software
• Set up and operate a ground station to collect experiment data
• Track and recover the satellite
• Analyse and interpret flight data, comparing it to pre-launch predictions
• Produce high quality project documentation according to tailored ECSS standards


Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

6
Laboratories

96
Specified Learning Activities

40
Autonomous Student Learning

80
Total

222

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
This is a laboratory-based module. Within the laboratory setting there will be hands-on experimental work, computer programming and interfacing, team-working, fieldwork, presentations and report writing.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Individual Project: Oral presentation at Flight Acceptance Review that explains the student's individual role and achievements within the team project. Week 10 Graded No
7.5
 No
Group Work Assignment: Critical design review data-pack and interview Week 6 Graded No
20
 No
Group Work Assignment: Flight acceptance review data-pack including software repository Week 10 Graded No
7.5
 No
Group Work Assignment: Preliminary design review presentation, interview & data-pack
 Week 3 Graded No
10
 No
Participation in Learning Activities: Continuous assessment based on: participation in the team, motivation, listening & engagement, autonomy, quality of work, functionality of Tuppersat, test campaigns, launch campaign. Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6, Week 7, Week 8, Week 9, Week 10, Week 11, Week 12 Graded No
30
 No
Quizzes/Short Exercises: Systems Engineering quiz Week 8 Standard conversion grade scale 40% No
10
 No
Report(s): Post-flight analysis report and reflection Week 14 Graded No
15
 No

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Remediation Type Remediation Timing
In-Module Resit Prior to relevant Programme Exam Board
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment
• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Not yet recorded.

Name Role
Dr Andrew Kirwan Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr David Murphy Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Dr Ronan Wall Lecturer / Co-Lecturer

Timetabling information is displayed only for guidance purposes, relates to the current Academic Year only and is subject to change.
Spring Laboratory Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Fri 10:00 - 11:50
Spring Laboratory Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 Fri 14:00 - 16:50
Spring Laboratory Offering 1 Week(s) - 21, 23, 25, 29, 33 Mon 10:00 - 12:50
Spring Laboratory Offering 1 Week(s) - 20, 22, 24, 26, 30, 31, 32 Tues 14:00 - 16:50
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