Page 13 - Intro to Space Sciences Spacecraft Applications

space science topics include orbital mechanics (Chapter 2), propulsion
(Chapter 3), and a description of the space environment (Chapter 4).
These chapters prepare the way for discussing spacecraft applications.
The most common uses of systems in space include communications
(Chapter 5), remote sensing (Chapter 6), and navigation (Chapter 7).
Finally, the basic systems required by most spacecraft (Chapter 8) and a
methodology used to design a spacecraft (Chapter 9) are presented.
In a four-year, semester-oriented undergraduate institution, it is recom-
mended that this text be used for a 3-credit-hour (2 hours classroom, 2
hours laboratory) course given at the end of the sophomore year or begin-
ning of the junior year. By this time the student should be familiar with
most of the helpful subjects discussed above and will be ready to take this
course and, if desired, any of the follow-on space topic courses. Early in
the course, the laboratory hours can be used for additional classroom
hours and problem solving; however, as the course progresses, laboratory
hours could include orbital mechanics computer simulations, Estes rock-
et firings, an “outside” environmental lab, a communications lab, review
of some remote sensing materials or films, a GPS navigation demonstra-
tion, or other demonstrations that help the student get a feel for the sub-
jects discussed. Later in the course, the laboratory hours should be devot-
ed to the formulation of an idea for a space-based application and the
top-level conceptual design of a system to fit the need.
This text could also be used for a 2- or 3-hour classroom-only course
which might be more suitable to the nonengineering student or two-year
institution.

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