AE4871 Spacecraft Design and Integration II

A team project-oriented course on design of non-geosynchronous spacecraft systems. Provides understanding of the principles of space system design, integration, and systems engineering, and their application to an overall spacecraft mission. Considerations are given to cost, performance, and test plan. Several DoD/NASA organizations, such as Naval Research Laboratory and Jet Propulsion Laboratory, provide support in the definition of the mission requirements for the project, spacecraft design, and design reviews.

Prerequisite

AE4870 or by consent of instructor

Lecture Hours

2

Lab Hours

4

Course Learning Outcomes

At the completion of the course students will be able to: 

• Conduct a team spacecraft design project for the specifications provided by a sponsor, equivalent to a response to request for proposal (RFP). 
• Form a team with a project manager with overall responsibility for the project, including schedule, design reviews and final report, system engineer responsible for the spacecraft configurations and system trade-offs, and subsystem engineer, including cost and tests.
• Explain the specifications provided by the sponsor and identify the areas where modifications may be required and obtain final specifications approved by the sponsor. 
• Identify the primary design drivers for the spacecraft. 
• Perform system trade-offs and select spacecraft configuration, which best meets the specifications, keeping in mind the cost and reliability as important design drivers. 
• Make a presentation at a mid-term design review to the sponsor on system trade-offs and recommended spacecraft configuration and obtain sponsor approval. 
• Perform detailed subsystem designs using the design tools; include the selection of components, manufacturers, masses and sizes and location on the spacecraft, and analysis to meet the performance requirements. 
• Make a presentation of the spacecraft design at the final design review for the sponsor and reviewers from industry, NASA, and DoD; for each subsystem, include performance requirements, design trade-offs, subsystem design description, and performance verification by analyses, mass and power.
• Based on the comments from reviewers, make modifications to the spacecraft design, if necessary. 
• Write a final project report on the spacecraft design.