Introduction to space technologies

Data is displayed for academic year: 2023./2024.

Course Description

With the recent interest and pace of technology development, space is becoming for accessible to universities and small enterprises. Employment in the space sector has been growing for years now, and besides scientific contributions resting on experiments in space, there new companies formed providing products based on the data from space and components for space applications. This course will cover basic topics related spacecraft and communications with spacecraft: (a) orbital mechanical, orbital maneuvers, and attitude sensing and control, (b) space weather and Earth's magnetosphere, thermal equilibrium of spacecraft, and (c) communications.

Study Programmes

University undergraduate
[FER3-EN] Computing - study
Elective Courses (5. semester)
[FER3-EN] Electrical Engineering and Information Technology - study
Elective Courses (5. semester)

Forms of Teaching

Lectures

Lectures

Grading Method

Continuous Assessment Exam
Type Threshold Percent of Grade Threshold Percent of Grade
Seminar/Project 0 % 20 % 0 % 20 %
Mid Term Exam: Written 0 % 40 % 0 %
Final Exam: Written 0 % 40 %
Exam: Written 0 % 80 %

Week by Week Schedule

  1. Introductory lecture
  2. Introduction to orbital mechanics. Orbits in two dimensions. Orbit equation. Time and angle in orbit. Lagrange coefficients.
  3. Orbits in three dimensions. State vector. Orbital elements. Orbital Manoeuvres. Orbit Maintenance. Delta-v Budget
  4. Transformation between geocentric equatorial and perifocal frames. Effects of the earth's oblateness. Atmospheric drag.
  5. Introduction to attitude sensing and control system for a small satellite. Mathematical foundations and review of different methods for attitude sensing.
  6. Passive and active attitude control for small satellites.
  7. Review of actuators and circuits for attitude control.
  8. Midterm
  9. Space navigation
  10. Space weather
  11. Planck's black body radiation law and thermal equilibrium in planets and satellites.
  12. Systems for powering spacecraft and satellites: hydrogen cell, radioisotope generators and solar power. Photovoltaics.
  13. Communication technologies. Introduction to space communications. Elements of optical and microwave communications systems: frequency choices, antennas, microwave amplifiers and receivers, modulation, free space loss, atmospheric absorption, and link budget for satellites in low-earth orbit (LEO).
  14. Communication technologies. Introduction to space communications. Elements of optical and microwave communications systems: frequency choices, antennas, microwave amplifiers and receivers, modulation, free space loss, atmospheric absorption, and link budget for satellites in low-earth orbit (LEO).
  15. Final exam and poster delivery deadline

Literature

Howard D Curtis (2015.), Orbital Mechanics, Elsevier
David A. Vallado, Wayne D. Macclain (2013.), Fundamentals of Astrodynamics and Applications, Springer
J. J. Lissauer, I. de Pater (2019.), Fundamental planetary science, Cambridge University Press
M. Richharia (2017.), Satellite Communication Systems, Macmillan International Higher Education

For students

General

ID 223397
  Winter semester
5 ECTS
L0 English Level
L1 e-Learning
40 Lectures
5 Seminar
0 Exercises
0 Laboratory exercises
0 Project laboratory
0 Physical education excercises

Grading System

90 Excellent
80 Very Good
65 Good
50 Sufficient

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