Space Mission Analysis and Design (SMAD) Training Series

Systems Tool Kit (STK) is a digital mission engineering application that features an accurate, physics-based modeling environment in which you can analyze platforms and payloads in a realistic mission context. With STK, you can design your satellite, model constraints, vary parameters, and analyze the performance within the entire space system. It’s exactly the kind of tool you need for space mission analysis and design because it enables you to continually validate your design against the operational environment in which it will need to perform.

This training series will be divided into three parts, each focusing on a crucial aspect of space missions, as follows:

SMAD Training Series

Part 1: Orbit Design (December 4, 2024, 12-1 p.m. EST)

In the first part of this series, we will focus on orbit design and optimization. You will learn about the types of orbits and orbital elements, the relationship between satellites and ground targets, and determine how to optimize observation time between them. In this class, you will:
- Conduct orbit trades to determine the optimal orbit for a spacecraft given various constraints
- Abide by fuel, mass, and launch vehicle constraints
- Explore trajectories from launch to orbit
Register
Part 2: Solar Power & Design (December 11, 2024, 12-1 p.m. EST)

In part 2 of this series, we will take a closer look at how successful that orbit would be from the perspective of power generation. Before even launching a satellite, engineers need to understand how much power their solar panels can generate and how much power the on-board systems will consume. They must also consider if the batteries will be able to supply the systems at peak power draw. This part of the series will focus on analyzing the solar and power design of a satellite. In this class, you will:
- Calculate the total power generated and consumed by the onboard system and learn how power generation changes over time
- Determine the optimal solar panel and battery combination to satisfy mission requirements
- Learn about the types of orbits and orbital elements, the relationship between satellites and ground targets, and determine how to optimize observation time between them
Register
Part 3: Communication Design (December 18, 2024, 12-1 p.m. EST)

In this final class, we will explore an end-to-end communication system design. The goal is to characterize a communication link between our space and ground assets, to choose the spacecraft components that best satisfy the link requirements. We will establish a link and telemetry budget for the mission as well as examine the effects of environmental losses. The conclusion of this analysis will tell us which transceivers will best satisfy the link requirements. In this class, you will:
- Model a complete RF link between a ground station and your recently designed spacecraft
- Create a custom antenna in Ansys HFSS and integrate your antenna design into STK
- Perform trade studies on properties such as power and modulators to optimize the RF link
- Model environmental losses on the RF link
Register

Try us out

Contact us

AGI: