Spacecraft Avionics Systems Design and Applications

spacecraft-avionics














 
  • This new practical course taught by a mission/system expert offers a rare deep dive into spacecraft avionics systems engineering and design
  • All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion at the end of the course.

OVERVIEW
This comprehensive course offers a detailed look at basic spacecraft avionics systems engineering and design processes and principles. All spacecraft avionics systems are similar, but not all are the same. This course addresses the up-front systems engineering process, requirement levels, trade studies, requirements allocation/linking requirements derivation, requirements verification, risk and risk assessment, safety, integration, and test, costing, and scheduling. This is all applied to the avionics system level design on a subsystem-by-subsystem basis. Attendees will learn about avionics subsystem designs that are utilized on satellite buses. The course contents include a discussion of terms, nomenclature, and rules of thumb that are used in the development process. Each avionics subsystem is explained in detail to gain insight into manpower and cost requirements. In addition to spacecraft avionics equipment, the design, fabrication, and qualification of the electrical ground support equipment required to operate satellites are discussed in detail.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

  • Systems engineering processes and principles for avionics system design
  • Developing overall and subsystem architectures
  • Evaluation and determination of risks, safety and trade studies
  • Development of avionics system requirements
  • Design techniques for satellite avionics systems
  • Emerging technologies for the future

AUDIENCE
Satellite and launch vehicle systems engineers, avionics subsystem designers, managers, business development personnel, system safety engineers, risk engineers and managers, electrical ground support equipment engineers, integration and test engineers, and environmental test engineers. Technologists who wish to expand their knowledge base in spacecraft subsystems. Systems engineers who need to know how the avionics system fits into the overall satellite operational makeup. Program managers needing more data on current developments in spacecraft technologies. Educators who teach related satellite topics at the university level. In summary, this is a must course if you are an engineer or hands-on manager in system engineering, electronic component design and integration and test.

COURSE INFORMATION
Type of Course: Instructor-Led Short Course
Course Level: Fundamentals
Course Length: 2-3 days
AIAA CEU's available: Yes

This course is also available on-demand. Register here.

Outline
  1. Definitions. Fundamental definitions and terms for spacecraft avionics systems and subsystems.

  2. Systems Engineering Process. Exploration of the classic systems engineering “V” process and how it is applied at the mission, systems and subsystem levels, for both spacecraft and instrument to deliver a system that meets stakeholder expectations.
    • Systems Requirements: Starting at the customer/stakeholder level 1, allocating down to Level 2, performing trade studies within levels 1 & 2 refining the mission requirements for optimum level 2 requirements. Allocating requirements to level 3 with trade studies refining level 2 & 3 for optimum spacecraft and/or instrument architecture. Further requirements allocation and derivation, requirements management, verification and validation. Using the Concept of Operations to further refine Level 1 & 2 requirements.
    • Requirements documentation: Generating the Program/Project level documentation.
    • Mission Assurance: Correlation of the radiation environment and radiation analysis, risks and safety assessments to the importance of system and subsystem architectures and requirements.

  3. Scheduling. Understanding the scheduling process from Program/Project Milestones, to mission, to system, to subsystem levels. The correct allocation, linking and resource loading too enable successful program execution and cost control.

  4. Costing. Understand how costing your activity is closely coupled to the scheduling, requirements, verification and validation processes.

  5. System Architecture. How high-level trade studies, requirements, requirements verification, and mission validation process lead to a concise system level architecture; allocation to subsystem level requirements and architecture, derivation and linking back to mission level 1 requirements.

  6. Testing. How testing to lower level requirements leads to higher-level verification and mission validation. The overall test flow and pitfalls. Electronic ground support equipment for board-to-box-to-system level and environmental testing-to-operations.

  7. Subsystem Level Architecture. In-depth subsystem level architecture for Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C), Command and Data Handling (C&DH) including Flight Software (FSW), RF Communications (RF Comm), Electrical Power (EPS) and Propulsion (Prop).
Instructors
George N. Andrew has over 43 years of experience relating to spacecraft, space instrument and launch vehicle avionics architecture, design, manufacturing, integration and testing and program management.
 
In addition, Mr. Andrew has extensive mission / systems engineering, and program/project management experience. He has consulted with start-up launch vehicle and spacecraft companies, managing the flight and ground hardware/software architecture, design, development, manufacturing, test, and launch. Mr. Andrew has been the program/project manager for several spacecraft program contracts and the Avionics Department Manager for two start-up launch vehicles. He is currently supporting the NASA Explorers Program Office in the Program Systems Engineering office as the Mission Systems Engineer for the MUSE Project and as the Safety Engineer for 2 other Projects, all located at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD.
 
Mr. Andrew is the President of GNA Aerospace Consulting Group and is an Associate Fellow within the AIAA.

 

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