Learning Outcomes:
- Describe and analyse the key components of a full space system, including operational concepts, software, and mission architectures
- Assess the main psychological and technical risks of spacecraft operations, and identify how these risks can be mitigated
- Recall the essential elements of spacecraft communications, including coding schemes, frequency bands, regulation, packetisation and framing standards
- Calculate a link budget and spacecraft pass times using standard tools
- Create a ground segment flow chart using Gnuradio
- Create and execute a spacecraft pass plan
- Write Python code to extract, unpack, decode, apply calibrations, and analyse, raw spacecraft telemetry
- Formulate a recovery plan when an anomaly is encountered
- Demonstrate practical problem-solving and troubleshooting skills
Indicative Module Content:
An introduction to space mission architectures is followed by a deep dive into spacecraft communications and on-board software. Accompanying lab experiments will allow students to become familiar with these concepts in practice using the CubeSatSim. The principles of spacecraft operations are then introduced, including safety, testing, procedures, defined team-roles and assessment of risk. An overview of the operational aspects of EIRSAT-1 leads into pass planning, data management and anomaly investigation, with direct insights from the team about how spacecraft anomalies have been handled.