Course syllabus

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RRY016 Space science and techniques lp2 HT24 (7.5 hp)

Course is offered by the department of Space, Earth and Environment

 

Contact details

Lecturers and examiner:

Arto Heikkilä (AH), lecturer and examiner, group work supervision, arto.heikkila@chalmers.se, tel. 031–772 5723

Rüdiger Haas  (RH),  lecturer, rudiger.haas@chalmers.se, tel. 031–772 5530

 

Teaching assistant:

Rimsky Wolfs (RW), tutorials and group work supervision, rimsky@chalmers.se

 

 

Offices:

Arto has an office ("Rum 4320") at the Department of Space, Earth and Enviroment, in the EDIT-buildning, 4th floor. Rüdiger and Rimsky have their main offices at the Onsala Space Observatory, but also have offices at the Department of Space, Earth and Enviroment.

 

Student representatives and course evaluation

Ashish Krishna Murthy Adiga, Peiwen Du,  Oscar Karlsson, Johannes Hermann Kopf, Pooja Udayakumar Rejani

                  

The student representatives have been randomly selected by the programme administration.

The course will be evaluated using the standard procedure at Chalmers, see information about the course evaluation procedure: Course evaluation at Chalmers

There will be a short meeting between teachers and student representatives in the middle of the course. There will be a questionnaire and a meeting after the course.

 

Aim of the course

After the course, the students will be able to understand the complexity of spacecraft systems, the space environment and its effect on spacecraft, and how spacecraft are used for scientific and commercial purposes. Students will be able to perform basic calculations in spacecraft systems engineering, and be ready for deeper studies of various aspects of space science and technology.

 

Schedule

Time Edit RRY016

 

Course literature

              

  • “Spacecraft Systems Engineering”, P. Fortescue, G. Swinerd & J. Stark (eds.), Wiley, 4th edi­tion (2011). Can be bought at the "STORE" bookshop on Campus. Also available on-line as an e-book at Chalmers Library. See separate reading instructions for details. The 3rd edi­tion (2003) can also be used.
  • “Lecture notes on the space environment and its effect on spacecraft”, M. Thomasson. Available electronically in Ping Pong. See separate reading instructions for details.
  • Other material to be posted on the web site handed out during lectures (or) includes important concepts, exercises and an exercise plan, student mission instructions and fact sheet, formulae, and some notes related to satellite orbits.

 

 

Course design

The teacher supported learning activities are lectures, problem solving sessions, (compulsory) group work. Also there is an ambition to invite guest lecturers from the industry. The majority of  activities will be done on Campus.

 

A weekly schedule about the content of these activities:

RRY016-teaching-activities-plan-2024.pdf   (preliminary version, 30. October)

Changes made since the last occasion

Somewhat more introduction to the aim and the goals of the group work.

 

Learning objectives and syllabus

Learning objectives:

  • Give examples of applications of space techniques and discuss its role in the society. Discuss ethical aspects, and consequences of the digitalization of society, from a space techniques point of view. 
  • Describe which subsystems a satellite has and what they are used for.
  • Analyse satellite orbits using Kepler's laws and related equations.
  • Sketch and analyse a ground track.
  • Perform azimuth and elevation calculations.
  • Explain perturbations on orbits and how they are used or counteracted for practical orbits.
  • Describe how a rocket works and give advantages and disadvantages with different types of rockets.
  • Perform simple calculations on spacecraft propulsion.
  • Use the rocket equation for orbit transfer calculations.
  • Describe the near-Earth environment.
  • Describe the motion of charged particles in Earths magnetic field.
  • Describe space environmental effects on spacecraft and spacecraft design.
  • Perform simple calculations related to space environmental effects, in particular Single Event Effects. 
  • Calculate the equilibrium temperature of a satellite.
  • Perform a link budget calculation.
  • Perform simple calculations on electrical power systems used in spacecraft.
  • Perform calculations (in simple geometry) related to attitude control.
  • Perform reliability calculations on simple systems. Give examples of methods to increase the reliability of a spacecraft system.
  • Use computer based tools to study ground track and space environmental effects on spacecraft.

 

Link to the syllabus on Chalmers' Study Portal: RRY016 Syllabus

 

 

Examination

  • Written exam. Wednesday, 15 January 2025, 14.00–18.00 (re-exam in 16 April 2025, 8.30-12.30 and 25 August 2025, 14.00-18.00). The exam will contain both essay questions and calculations. You may use a calculator with cleared memory, Physics Handbook and Mathematics Handbook. A formula sheet (the one available on the course's Canvas page) will be provided.
  • The compulsory student mission group work with hand-in assignments (see separate information here on the course webpage).

 

Course summary:

Date Details Due