EE-585 / 2 credits

Teacher: Kuntzer Thibault Adrien

Language: English


Summary

This course is a "concepts" course. It introduces a variety of concepts to design and operate a space mission. These concepts cover orbital mechanics, spacecraft operation phases and critical subsystems.

Content

  • Brief review of the fundamental laws of mechanics
  • Types of space missions and their objectives
  • The space environment
  • Applied orbital mechanics, including interplanetary trajectories
  • Rendez-vous and proximity operations
  • Propulsion modules
  • Attitude determination and control
  • Satellite and constellation operations
  • Launch and early orbit phase
  • Human spaceflight and extravehicular activities
  • Risks of spacecraft operations & sustainability
  • Future trends in spacecraft operations

Keywords

  • Orbital mechanics
  • Spacecraft operations
  • Space environment
  • Space exploration

Learning Prerequisites

Required courses

  • Bachelor level courses in physics, vector analysis, and calculus

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the student must be able to:

  • Design a space mission
  • Analyze the requirements of the operations
  • Characterize the necessary different segments and subsystems

Transversal skills

  • Communicate effectively with professionals from other disciplines.
  • Communicate effectively, being understood, including across different languages and cultures.

Teaching methods

Ex cathedra and exercices supervised in classroom

Expected student activities

Actively participate in the course and exercise sessions

Resources

Bibliography

Will be provided in the course introduction

A few exemples of interesting books available from the library:

Ressources en bibliothèque

Notes/Handbook

Course notes available before each course on Moodle

Moodle Link

In the programs

  • Semester: Fall
  • Exam form: Oral (winter session)
  • Subject examined: Space mission design and operations
  • Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Fall
  • Exam form: Oral (winter session)
  • Subject examined: Space mission design and operations
  • Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Fall
  • Exam form: Oral (winter session)
  • Subject examined: Space mission design and operations
  • Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Fall
  • Exam form: Oral (winter session)
  • Subject examined: Space mission design and operations
  • Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Fall
  • Exam form: Oral (winter session)
  • Subject examined: Space mission design and operations
  • Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Fall
  • Exam form: Oral (winter session)
  • Subject examined: Space mission design and operations
  • Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Fall
  • Exam form: Oral (winter session)
  • Subject examined: Space mission design and operations
  • Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Fall
  • Exam form: Oral (winter session)
  • Subject examined: Space mission design and operations
  • Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Fall
  • Exam form: Oral (winter session)
  • Subject examined: Space mission design and operations
  • Lecture: 2 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional

Reference week

Friday, 8h - 10h: Lecture ELA1

Related courses

Results from graphsearch.epfl.ch.