2019-2020

Spacecraft System Design

Lectures I-VI

Prof.Dr. A. Rüstem Aslan

Email: aslanr@itu.edu.tr
NINOVA
Mondays , Z08, 09:30-11:30
Thursdays , Z08, 09:30-11:30
 Text Books
• Elements of Spacecraft Design, Charles D Brown, AIAA Education
Series, 2003
• Space Mission Engineering: The New SMAD (Space Technology
Library, Vol. 28) Paperback – July 29, 2011 by 65 Authors from the
Astronautics Community, James R. Wertz, David F. Everett, Jeffery J.
Puschell (Editors)
• International Handbook of Space Technology, Malcolm Macdonald,
Viorel Badescu, Editors, Springer Praxis Books Astronautical
Engineering, ISBN 978-3-642-41101-4 (eBook), 2014
• Handbook of Space Technology, Wilfried Ley/Klaus Wittmann/Willi
Hallmann (Editors), Wiley, 2009
• Space Vehicle Design, Michael D. Griffin, James R. French, AIAA
Education Series, 2004
• Journal and Conference Papers
• MOST OF MATERIAL IN THIS PPT IS TAKEN FROM ABOVE REFERENCES and WEB
Space Mission Engineering: The New SMAD
(Space Technology Library, Vol.
28) Paperback – July 29, 2011
by 65 Authors from the Astronautics
Community, James R. Wertz, David F.
Everett, Jeffery J. Puschell (Editors)
Elements of Spacecraft Design,
Charles D Brown,
AIAA Education Series, 2003
 Plan for the Course

• Pre-requisite: Attitude Determination and Control

Contents
• Review of Topics for Spacecraft Design
• Capstone Design Experience
• Project Topic: Lunar Basecamp

• 3 HW, 1 Midterm and presentations

 Grading

• 3 Homework Assignments (each worth 10%).

• One midterm, worth %20
• One final Design Project (worth 50%)
• All the material may be submitted electronically.
Instructor Info.

Prof.Dr. A. Rüstem Aslan

Email: aslanr@itu.edu.tr

NINOVA

Mondays , Z08, 09:30-11:30

Thursdays , Z08, 09:30-11:30

 Spacecraft Design

Prof.Dr. Alim Rustem Aslan

Manager, Space Systems Design and Test Laboratory
Istanbul Technical University, Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics,
Istanbul, Turkey
aslanr@itu.edu.tr
 Prof.Dr. Alim Rüstem ASLAN
Astronautical Engineering Department
Istanbul Technical University, Turkey

• Manager, Space Systems Design and Test Laboratory

• Manager, SmallSat Communication Laboratory
• UNISEC-GLOBAL SC Member
• IAA Corresponding Member
• IAF Correspondant
• CSO-STO AVT Panel Member

Area of expertise: Design, analysis and development of pico- and nanosatellite

(5 in orbit – 2 deorbited), manned and unmanned rotorcraft systems (including
prototypes), computational fluid dynamics and aerodynamics, propulsion and,
defense and education technologies.
 SPACE TECHNOLOGY
Technology required
• To access space,
• To use all kind of tools and systems in space and to sustain
them,
• To return to earth

Major source of wealth and driving force

for developed and developing countries
It is of paramount importance, to have space technology
development capability to increase national wealth and
quality of life through exposure to cutting edge
technology, knowledge and education
• Acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan speaks
April 9, 2019 at the 35th Space Symposium:

• We need to ensure the United States stays ahead of

adversaries that are advancing their space capabilities.

• The issue as a matter of both national and economic

security.
 Aerospace Projects
• Multinational

• Multidisciplinary (aerospace, mecahnical,electric-

electronics, chemistry, geomatics, ...)

• Innovative materials (light, strong, heat resistant, ...)

• Strategic sectors (transportation, energy, defence,....)

• High added value

• High quality-high return
 High Added Value of
Space Products
• 1kg satellite ~ $ 100 000

• 1kg fruit ~ $5

• 1kg copper-berilium ~ $ 50

• 1kg smart phone ~ $ 5000

• 1kg gold ~ $ 50 000

 World Trends
Economy!!!
• Growing ComSats (increased coverage)

• Manned space exploration (space

commerce, mining, colonization)

• Increased involvement of commercial

companies (NEW SPACE)

• Increased importance of small sats

(affordable and fast development of
satellite constellations)

• Reusable launch vehicles (SpaceX, Blue

Origin, SLS)
• Space debris
DSG and RLSAV
DEEP SPACE GATEWAY
RLSAV
AIAA SPACE DESIGN 3rd PLACE
 Next Century
• Space Fussion Plants established
• Electricity from space to earth
• Minining from moon and asteroids
• Colonies, Industrial centers at LEO
• Main goal: To be a civilization living in the Solar System:
develop reliable, capable, affordable spacecraft and
space access to space (DO NOT STAY BEHIND!)
Spacecraft Design
Preliminary Remarks
TOTAL SPACE SYSTEM
TOTAL SPACE SYSTEM
SPACE MISSION ARCHITECTURE
 8 Mission Elements + Mission Users
• All must work together to meet the mission objectives
and needs of the end user at a resonable cost

• End users: People or equipment that actually make

use of the data generated or transmitted by the
spacecraft

• Mission concept: Definition of how the mission

elements work together to meet the needs of the end
user.
 8 Mission Elements + Mission Users
1. SUBJECT: What the spacecraft observes (passive) or interacts
with (active or controllable)
2. SPACE SEGMENT: PAYLOAD (spacecraft hardware/software that
observe/interacts with the subject)
3. SPACE SEGMENT: SPACECRAFT (SC) BUS: Other SC subsystems
needed to support the payload
4. GROUND SEGMENT: Communications equipment and facilities
that communicate with and control the SC
5. MISSION OPERATIONS: People and software that run the space
mission on day to day basis
6. COMMAND, CONTROL and COMMUNICATIONS ARCHITECTURE:
How all of the parts of the space mission communicate with
each other
7. ORBIT: The path of the SC during its Operational mission.
(constellation: more than 1 SC in coordinated orbits)
8. LAUNCH SEGMENT: How the SC gets into orbit. May include
upper stages or integral propulsion systems.
PAYLOAD REQUIREMENTS
Functional Block Diagram
Relationship between the subsystems
Functional Block Diagram
Relationship between the subsystems
Satellite classifications by
mass and missions
Spacecraft Missions
 Spacecraft/Satellites (Mission)
• Communication (most of the market)
• Earth Observation (most of the market)
• Navigation
• Space Observation, astronomy
• Biological
• Space Stations, manned spacecraft
• Meteorology, weather
• Research, test (increased importance)
• Planetary exploration
TURKSAT 3A

3060 Kg
Spacebus 3000
Communication Satellite
3USAT (2013)

41
Earth Observation
3U CubeSat , Planet Labs
 ITUpSAT1 Subsystems

• Payload board
• Passive stabilization
subsystem
• Antenna mechanism
• Power subsystem
• Communications systems
• Onboard computer
• Structure

Istanbul Technical University - Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics

http://usl.itu.edu.tr
SUB SYSTEMS
QB50: BEEAGLESAT/HAVELSAT
 Satellites (Mass)
• Large : > 1 ton (Turksat 3A, 4A-B, T6A)
• Medium: 500 kg – 1 ton (Göktürk I)
• Small < 500 kg
• Mini : 100kg - 500kg (Göktürk2)
• Micro: 10kg – 100 kg (RASAT)
• Nano: 1kg – 10 kg (BeEagleSAT,
TURKSAT 3U)
• Pico : 0.1kg - 1kg (İTÜpSAT1)
• Femto: < 0.1 kg (TAMSAT SimpleSat)
 SMALL SATELLITES
• In recent years small spacecraft have become more
attractive due to lower development costs and
shorter lead times.
• There is a natural trade-off to be made between
spacecraft size and functionality, but advances in
both miniaturization and integration technologies
have diminished the scope of that tradeoff:
• MEMS: i.e. components with microscale (μm) features.
• In addition to their small size, in some cases MEMS-
based devices can provide higher accuracy and lower
power consumption compared to conventional
spacecraft systems.
 SMALL SATELLITES
• Some small spacecraft are assembled and integrated
with the same rigor as their larger counterparts, while
others are integrated within a university laboratory.
• Effectively integrating individual components can
substantially increase the system’s functionality and
density, thereby reducing unnecessary mass and
volume.
• SoA in small spacecraft integration techniques is as
advanced, if not more, than those used for larger
spacecraft.
• Commercial off the shelf (COTS) components and
consumer electronics are commonly used to build small
spacecraft at the lower end of the cost range.
• CONSTELLATIONS!
 Satellite Developments

Satellite MASS COST TIME

(kgs) Millions (years)
LARGE 1000 kg+ $ 300 M+ 10 +

MEDIUM 500-1000 $ 100 M+ 4-6

kg
SMALL 100-500 kg $ 10-100 M 3-5

Micro Sat 10-100 kg $ 2-10 M 2-4

Nano Sat 1-10 kg $ 0.1-2 M <2-3

Pico Sat < 1 kg $ 100 k <1-2

Micro-Nano Sat (Minosat: 1-50kg) new

concept (IC Tecnology and MEMS)
 Product Breakdown Structure
Example (PBS)
SAT

Platform PAYLOAD

Thermal Onboard EPS ADCS camera iXRD

Structures& Comm:
Data Comm:TMTC
Mechanisms Handling Payload
Battery Battery Magnetometer ???
heaters
Structure Storage transciever
Sun Transmitter
Power
sensor
Kapton/Mylar control and Antenna
Antenna Onboard
blankets distribution Horizon (monopol) antenna
openning Computer
mech sensor
Solar GPS
Solar MCU Panels Start antenna
Kill Switch cell/panel (PCBs) tracker
Mechs covers
Memory RBFs GPS

Deployables Interfaces Kill ADCS computer and

Switchs software

ADCS software

Magnetotorquers

Reaction wheels
 Example SAT PBS

SAT

Platform iXRD CAMERA

STRUCTURE
OBDH EPS ADCS COMMUNICATION
THERMAL

SOFTWARE BATTERY ADCS SOFTWARE BEACON

VHF/UHF
OBC PD&C ADCS EQUIPMENT
TRANSCIEVER

SOLAR PANELS
 TECHNOLOGY READINESS LEVELS

SAT may be comprised of different

TRL equipment
TRL 9: Previously flown successful
equipment
TRL 8: Equipment qualified in
simulated relevant environment on
Earth
TRL 2-3: Hosted payloads initial
levels targeting TRL 8 before launch
TRL 7: Equipment’s first testing in
space fallowing launch
 Project Teams

The design teams will be formed of about 10-12 students based on the ‘NASA System
Engineering Approach’ (NASA. Systems Engineering Handbook, NASA/SP-2007-6105 Rev1, NASA
Headquarters, Washington, D.C., 20546, 2007). An example management structure is shown
above:
 SYSTEM ENGINEERING
and SPACECRAFT DESIGN
 System Engineering

• Comprehensive engineering task

• Make susbsystems work together
• Make whole greater than the parts
1. Requirements definition
2. Resource allocation and management
• e.g. Power and mass budgets
3. System level TRADE STUDIES
4. Integration: spacecraft, LV and GS
TOTAL SPACE SYSTEM
PAYLOAD REQUIREMENTS
 TOP LEVEL MISSION REQUİREMENTS

Requirement Factors Impacting Requirement Example

FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS

Primary objective, payload 4 temperature levels, 30m

Peformance size, orbit, pointing resolution, 500 m location accuracy
orbit, swath width, number of Daily coverage of 750 million m2 in
Coverage satellites, scheduling CONUS

Communications architecture, send registered mission data within

responsiveness processing delays, operations 30 min up to 50 users
4 temperature levels for past
Secondary mission As above management
 Requirement Factors Impacting Requirement Example
OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS
experiment or operations, level
Duration of redundancy, altitude mission operational at least 10 years
Availability Level of redundancy 98% excluding weather, 3 day max ou
Survivability Orbit, hardening, electronics natural environment only
Up to 500 fire monitoring offices +
2000 rangers worldwide (max of
Data Distribution communications architecture 100 simultaneous users
Location and extent of fire on any
user needs, level and place of 12 maps bases, average
Data content, form and format processing, payload temperature for each 30 m2 grid
 Requirement Factors Impacting Requirement Example
CONSTRAINTS
Manned flight, number of
spacecraft, size and
cost complexity, orbit <$20M/year+ R&D
Initial operating capability within 5
Technical readiness, program years, final operating capability
schedule size within 6 years
Regulations Law and policy NASA mission
sponsor, international Responsive for public demend for
Political program? action
Environment Orbit, lifetime Natural
level of user and operator Comm. Relay and interoperable
Interfaces infrastructure through NOAA ground stations
Launch on expandable. No unique
operations people at data
Development Constraints Sponsoring organization distribution nodes
 Spacecraft Life Cycle
• First Step: IDEA, most important
• Get pictures of Venus through clouds with SAR
• Advertisment from space using LASER
• Fire detection and prevention from space
• Look for far away starts, Gamma-ray burst(Earth's
atmosphere is very effective at absorbing high energy
electromagnetic radiation such as x-rays and gamma rays, so
these types of radiation would not reach any dangerous
levels at the surface during the burst event itself)
• Investigate Sun coronal mass ejections
• Be creative
• provide useful and sustainable capabilities, services or
data.
 Spacecraft Life Cycle

• Second Step: feasibility Check

• SAR images from 1000m altitude, 100m resolution
• Can provide enough power for LASER
• What sensor is most efficient for detecting fire, how many
satellites?
• X Ray levels?

• provide useful and sustainable capabilities, services or

data.
Space Program Development
Phases (Brown, 2002)
Space Program Development Phases
Project Milestones
 Phase A: Preliminary Analysis
• Concept Trades with customer oversight
• Customer mission statement
• Customer budget
• Answers to:
• Reasonable SC configuration for the mission?
• Tall poles (cost, schedule, technical risks)
• Trade studies?
• Cost?
• Time?
 Phase A: Preliminary Analysis
• Conceptual Design
• Meet mission statement
• No technical flaws
• Internally consistent

• NOT the BEST DESIGN

but
• A WORKING DESIGN
 Phase B: Definition
• Answers to:
• Best SC Design for the mission and why?
• Risks?
• Implementation Plan?
• Cost estimate?
• Project Time?
• Long lead actions to protect schedule?

=> Technical and business baselines

 Phase C/D:
Full-scale Development
• Winning design to contractor
• Changes to mission statement and budget
• A quick and short review of Phase B
• Preliminary Design Phase
Define requirements and performances to the point detailed
design drawings can be made
• Functional performance,
• Requirements definition, Interface definition
=> PDR (subsystem and system levels)
 PDR

• Formal customer review to evaluate

• Adequacy of Pre Design
• Compliance with Customer Requirements

• Design is partially frozen

• control of change of specifications
 Design Phase

• Build drawings
• Software coding
• Component subcontracts (reaction wheels,
computers, valves, etc.)
• Buy items
• Sub system level build and test

• => CDR
 CDR

• Formal customer review to evaluate

• Adequacy of the Design
• Interface definitions

• Design is frozen
 Assembly, Test, and Launch
Operations (ATLO)
• ASSEMBLY
• Qualification model assembly
• Identical to flight systems
• Qualification failures
• Flight model assembly
• Flight qualified sub assemblies
 TEST (ATLO)

• System level functional tests

• Thermal testing simulating space
• Solar thermal vacuum
• Infrared vacuum
• Acoustics (launch environment)
• End to end communications check with GS
• Mission simulations and enviromental tests
 SSDTL Clean Room

• Class 1000 Clean

room
• Includes thermal
vacuum chamber
• 25 meter square
Also,
• Experimental Clean room
• 8 meter square
• For educational and
experimental
purposes only

Istanbul Technical University - Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics

http://usl.itu.edu.tr
 Thermal Vacuum Testing

•350 lt. Thermal Vacuum Chamber

•10e-6 torr pressure,
•60 C – 125 C temperature
range
•1 deg per second control
•Opens into clean room

Istanbul Technical University - Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics

http://usl.itu.edu.tr
TVAC
Vibration Testing

• Up to 300kg of
spacecraft
components can be
tested for launch
vibration
 Pre-Shipment Review

• Acceptability of SC based on system test data

 Launch Phase

• Reassembly
• Shipment to launch site
• Further Testing

• Flight readiness assesment (FRR)

Rubin 9.1, Rubin 9.2, UWE-2, Beesat,
ITUpSAT1 and Swisscube
PSLV C-14
PSLV
Launch
Configuration
 Phase E: Mission Operations

• Right after launch

• MOS Team training during assembly and test
• Remote control and command of SC
• Size of MOS
 Project Elements

3 5
1 2 4
 Science Payload

• Set of instruments to perform mission

• SAR
• Various probes
• Optics
• Payload interfaces with SC: power, data
management, command, thermal, machanical, and
field of view
• Built in capabilities
Earth Observation
 Launch System

• Placement of SC in orbit about Earth

• Escape trajectory to a planet
• LV is a primary interface
• LV Shroud: max. SC dimensions (constraint)
• Launch conf. to mission conf.
• LV interfaces: Power, command, telecomm, command
and data system
• Launch system selection
PSLV C-14
 Architecture of On-Board Systems
Hardware Design Flow
High level tasks Power
Satellite Orbit
identification Mech./Thermal
HW design, step-by-step e.g. C&DH, ACS ...
Lifetime
Environmental

• Input
• High level tasks CDH SPECIFICATION:

• Radiation environment (given the

Core (performance etc), Memory, Radiation analysis
Interfaces, Housekeeping, Components selection
DC/DC Converter etc.
orbit, lifetime and epoch) Problem area
number one!
• Max power, mass, envelope etc.
• External interface requirements Architectural Design

• Power and data

• Output
Could essentially be
any Satellite subsystem
Engineering
• Specification Bread-Board Model

• Component selection EM Satellite

Testing

• Architectural design
Engineering Model
• Detailed design SW
Development

Flight Model

Satellite SW changes
Integration
 Tracking and Data

• After lift off, Link to SC through tracking and data

stations

• Receive SC downlink, relay to MOS

• Uplink commands to SC
• Radio link for range, azimuth, elevation
 Mission Operations
• MOS for the launch
• MOS for the SC
• SC performance from downlink
• SC commands for uplink
• Normal performance parameters
• Anomalous behaviour
• Time delay in planetary distance (Jupiter 1hr, Mars and
Venus (15 to 30min): On board fault protection system
• Spacecraft simulators for training
UUBF Ground Station MOS
SC Subsystems
Functional Block Diagram
Relationship between the subsystems
Magellan Spacecraft Subsystem Block Diagram Shows
Some of its Communications Interfaces

112
 Controlled MASS Properties

• SC Moment of Inertia
• SC Mass
• Center of Mass
• Spacecraft mass generally increases during the
course of the project

• Current Best Estimate (CBE): measure of how the

design team is doing
 MASS Definitions
• Science-payload mass: includes all equipment in direct
support of instruments (mounting structure, power
cabling, eng. instrumentation, thermal control heaters,
blankets, radiators, data system)

• Bus or platform mass: total, on-orbit, dry mass of SC

subsystems (except the payload and propellants, gases)

• Launch vehicle adaptor/POD mass : Structure,

separation devices, cabling and thermal control
equipment necessary to adapt the SC to the LV (may be
provided by the SC team, but left on the LV after
deployment)
Mass Def.s
Mass Def.s
Mass Maturity and Contingency
 Mass Properties
Viking Orbiter (1975-1983)
Viking Mars Mission Profile
 Weight Estimation

• Early estimates of on-orbit dry mass

• Based on statistics from prior SC
• NO latest state of the art
• Replace historical estimates by subsystem level
ones, asap.
 7 GEO COMM SATs

On orbit dry mass = 3.6 x payload mass

(İncludes payload mass)
Turksat‐4A
Platform: Mitsubishi Electric DS-2000
Payloads: Ku-band BSS
Ka-band/Ku-band FSS
X-band (non commercial)
Mass: ~1,740 kg (dry)
~4,770 kg (Launch)
Power: 8.6 kW (EOL)
Launch Vehicle: ILS Proton/Breeze-M

Turksat‐4B 30.4 years (propellant life)

Platform: Mitsubishi Electric DS-2000
Payloads: Ku-band FSS
Ka-band Multi Beam
C-band (non commercial)
Mass: ~1,800 kg (dry)
~4,910 kg (Launch)
Power: 8.6 kW (EOL)
Launch Vehicle: ILS Proton/Breeze-M
46 EO, Nav, Comm, Meteo, Science SC

On orbit dry mass = 3-7 x payload mass

(average 4.8)
 11 Planetary SC

On orbit dry mass = 7.5 x payload mass

 Mass Growth
SC mass always increases

Have adequate mass margin!!!

Mass Growth for 11 Programs
 Why Mass Grows?

• 1. Improved understanding:
historical data=>stress analysis=>
final analysis=>build drawings=>actual weighing=>weight
after thermal coatings..
Strurtural weight, cable weight,
• 2. Make-play changes: structural test failure,
substitute equipment...
• These two can not be avoided
 Why Mass Grows?

• 3. Improvement changes:
Better ideas=> cost and weight issues

Can be managed!

Weight increases with design maturity!

Intelligent provision of mass margine!

 AIAA Recommended Mass Margin
Allowance for mass growth resulting from design definition and
development:

Class 1: A new SC, 1st generation

Class 2: Next Gen SC based on a previously developed family
Class 3: Production level development based on an existing
design
Allocating Subsystem Dry Mass
 Max. SC Launch Mass

• Derives from LV capability

• Function of mission design
• Key requirements by the customer
• Data from Space Launch Systems information or
• From individual manufacturers
 Launch Vehicle Adapter

• Adapts LV structure to SC structure

• Provides for SC separation
• Left with the LV
• Adapter mass is strong function of SC mass
 Propellant and Pressurant Mass

• If the SC will performa translational velocity change

maneuvers, such as orbit insertion, the prop.
weight may be substantial
Total Allowable Subsystem
On-Orbit Dry Mass
 Allocating Subsystem Mass Budgets

Subsystem weights are as % of SC dry weight

 Example 1: Subsystem Mass Allocation

A new design Comm. SC in BID phase, conditions:

Propellant required is 1027 Kg, given

Example 1
Example 1
 Launch Mass Prediction

• Budget allocation

• Budget monitoring

• Actual launch weight estimation

 Mass Monitoring-Maturity

• Estimated: historical data

• Calculated: Drawing dimensions*material densities

• Actual: measured mass following built

 Monthly mass tables

• Current SC mass estimate

• Launch mass estimate
• % of total mass in each maturity level
• Report card on the mass status of each subsystem
• Mass growth remaining to launch
Projected Launch Mass
Report Card: Magellan
 Moments of Inertia

• Propellant required to maintain stability or

• To make rotational maneuvers is proportional to MI

• Spin axis of a spinning SC must be the axis of

highest MI, for stability
• Active control of MI for spin stability
MI about an axis
 Power Estimates

• SC design <= working definition of Payload

requirements
• No idea on total SC power but a strong function of
PL power
• Statistical analysis of past SC designs
• Better estimates
 No contingency,
Careful setting of PL power
 Heaters in PL Instruments

• Replacement heaters: thermal control. Equipment

is off when heater is on. Similar power level. No
need to add to the EP.

• Bake-out heaters for opticals, at early stages of

flight. DO not include in TP.
• BOL vs EOL power. BOL>EOL
• EOL: power design point
 Power Allocation

• Initial subsystem level allocation: Deduct margin

and payload power, then express as % of Total
Power (TP)
• Cable losses are included

• Comm Sat: CDS or TT&C

Power Allocation
 Power Margin

• TP: max output of power source

• Distance to SUN
• Age of the panel
• At least 10% power margin at liftoff
• SOLAR PANEL SIZING!!!
 Example: Power Allocation

• Comm sat
• PL power = 1500 W, from Table 2.9
 COMM SPACECRAFT SUBSYSTEM POWER BUDGET

Subsystem Allocation % Power, w

Thermal Control 30 87,3
Attitude Control 28 81,5
Power 16 46,6
C&DH 19 55,3
Communications 0 0,0
Propulsion 7 20,4
Mechanisms 0 0,0
Total 291

Adequate SOLAR PANEL SIZE!!!

Long lead items
 SPACECRAFT DESIGN DRIVERS
DESIGN DRIVER MISSION SOURCE IMPACT THRESHOLDS
MASS Payload Mass Launch vehicle <10, <50, <100, <500, <1000,
mission duration and target
Power system, solar array location (beyond Mars, <6
POWER CONSUMPTION Payload Design configuration months)
<$100K, <$500K, <$1M,<$1M,
COST Funding Organization Ripples throughout system <$5M, <$100M, >$100M
SCHEDULE Funding Organization Development process <2 years, <3 y, <5y, >5years
LIFETIME Mission Design Redundancy, quality of parts <1 years, <3 y, <5y, >5years
Redundancy, quality of parts, Experimental, operational,
RELIABILITY Mission Design margin human rated
DELTA V Mission Design Propellant load 0, 100, 1000, >1000kg
Solar array, thermal, radiation, <410km, <600km, <1000km,
ORBIT Mission Design regulations, launch vehicle others
PAYLOAD ACCOMODATION
01-- Data Rate, Volume, Communications, data storage,
Latency Mission purpose ground system Thresholds changing
Resolution or antenna
02----Pointing Requirements beam Attitude control system <5 deg, <0.5deg, <20 arcsec
03--Mass, Volume, Field of
Views Payload constraints Mechanical design Diameter <1m, <5m

Timing accuracy, Data system, master oscillator,

04--Other contamination sensitivity cost of ground processing Mission spesific
 Propulsion Margin

• Based on max. possible SC mass

• Including unallocated reserves (LV limit)
• Min engine Isp
• Max. Possible mission DV reqs.
• Extended mission life or unplanned maneuvers
• >10oC above propellant freezing temp.
• Propellant decomposition at lower temps.
 Computer Resources

• For all computer resource parameters (memory, CPU

speed, throughput)
 Processing Time and
Data Bus Usage

• Should be less than 50% of the selected computer

capacity
 Thermal Margin

• Component level
• Stacked worst case
• Example: hot case 85oC
• Cold case: 20oC. Design tempartures:
Thermal Margin
 Battery Margin

• Battery energy margin, min, 40% at phase C/D start

Force/Torque Margin
Electronics Min Operating Time
Schedule Margin
 Redundancy

• Increase the failure tolerance of a SC.

• Electronics:
• Piece part level (transistors, diodes,..)
• Circuit level
• Box level
• Fluid systems:
• Component level (valves, regulators).
• Redundancy: additional weight and cost
 LV Interface
• LV is the most critical interface with SC
• Select LV as early as possible
• Critical tech. İnterfaces in early design
• LV capability: max. acceptable mass of SC
• Fairing dynamic envelope: max. Dims of SC in launch config.
• 2000s: Integration process with LV should start 36
months before!!! Large Spacecraft
• Known bus: Today much faster
• GKII had a contract 1 year before
LV Interface
ISIPOD
 LV Adaptor

The ring mounts up to six 400-

pound secondary satellites to
"share a ride to space" with a
primary payload up to 15,000
pounds. The ESPA, which weighs
275 pounds, attaches between
the primary payload and the
Evolved Expendable Launch
Vehicle (EELV) upper stage on
Atlas V or Delta IV.
The Cassini spacecraft is lowered onto its launch vehicle
adapter in Kennedy Space Center's payload Hazardous
Servicing Facility.
Launch Mass
Aerodynamic
fairing

Dynamic
envelope
 Text Books
• Elements of Spacecraft Design, Charles D Brown, AIAA Education
Series, 2003
• Space Mission Engineering: The New SMAD (Space Technology
Library, Vol. 28) Paperback – July 29, 2011 by 65 Authors from the
Astronautics Community, James R. Wertz, David F. Everett, Jeffery J.
Puschell (Editors)
• International Handbook of Space Technology, Malcolm Macdonald,
Viorel Badescu, Editors, Springer Praxis Books Astronautical
Engineering, ISBN 978-3-642-41101-4 (eBook), 2014
• Handbook of Space Technology, Wilfried Ley/Klaus Wittmann/Willi
Hallmann (Editors), Wiley, 2009
• Space Vehicle Design, Michael D. Griffin, James R. French, AIAA
Education Series, 2004
• Journal and Conference Papers (nanosatellite symposiums)
• MOST OF MATERIAL IN THIS PPT IS TAKEN FROM ABOVE REFERENCES and WEB and from
own projects carried out
Space Mission Engineering: The New SMAD
(Space Technology Library, Vol.
28) Paperback – July 29, 2011
by 65 Authors from the Astronautics
Community, James R. Wertz, David F.
Everett, Jeffery J. Puschell (Editors)
Elements of Spacecraft Design,
Charles D Brown,
AIAA Education Series, 2003
Spacecraft Project
Elements
 Mission Design

Orbits
Planetary -- Synchronous / Sun / Geography
Interplanetary -- Flybys
Concerns
• Launch vehicle C3 (planetary)
• Spacecraft propulsion requirement (V)
• Mission timeline
• Launch window
• Ground station coverage vs. time
• TDRSS coverage vs. time
• Launch opportunity dates (planetary)
• Orbit trim and station keeping design
• Communication distance vs. time (planetary)
• Spacecraft ground track
• Durations of occultations and conjunctions (planetary)
 Spacecraft Types

• Manned spacecraft:
• carry astronauts into space.
• crew compartment and life support systems.
• reusable, such as the Space Shuttle,
• one time use, such as Soyuz. Only the reentry module returns to Earth.
• Flyby spacecraft:
• Follows a continuous trajectory past a target object, never to be captured into an orbit.
• Capable of observing passing targets by compensating for the target's apparent motion.
• Survive long periods of interplanetary cruise
• Must be able to downlink data from long distances.
• Examples include Pioneers 10 and 11, and Voyagers 1 and 2.
• Orbiter spacecraft:
• Travel to a distant planet or moon and enter orbit.
• Substantial propulsive capability to decelerate it at the right moment to achieve orbit insertion.
• Endure periods during which it is shaded from sunlight, thus it must be resistant to extreme
thermal variation
• Require power storage capacity if equipped with solar panels.
• Examples include Magellan, Galileo and Mars Global Surveyor.
 Spacecraft Types (Continued)

• Atmospheric probe:
• Separates from the main spacecraft prior to closest approach to a planet
• Study the gaseous atmosphere of the body as it drops through it
• It is equipped with an aeroshell to protect it during atmospheric entry and a
parachute to slow its decent.
• Data is typically telemetered to the mother craft where it is recorded for later
transmission to earth.
• Examples include the US (Pioneer) and Russian (Venera) probes
• Lander spacecraft:
• Designed to reach the surface of a planet or moon
• Survive long enough to telemeter data back to earth
• Powered descent and landing or may descend to the surface suspended from a
parachute
• Examples include surveyor, viking, mars pathfinder and the soviet venera
• Surface Penetrator
• designed to penetrate the surface of a body through impact
• Surface Rover
 Payload – Remote Sensing

• Imaging instruments: wavelength dependent

• Photon counting devices
• Charged coupled devices (CCDs)
• CMOS (Active Pixel Sensors)
• Infrared Arrays
• Infrared radiometer: An optical instrument that measures the intensity of
infrared energy radiated by its targets.
• Polarimeter: An optical instrument that measures the direction and extent of
the polarization of light reflected from its targets.
• Photometer: An optical instrument that measures the intensity of light from a
source.
• Spectrometer: An optical instrument that splits the light received from an object
into its component wavelengths by means of a diffraction grating; then
measuring the amplitudes of the individual wavelengths.
• Radar
• Lidar
 Structure

General arrangement of the spacecraft

In the launch configuration (confined by the shroud)
In the mission configuration or configurations
Mechanisms
Estimating and analyzing the loads
Stress analysis
Finite element modeling
Detailed design of the structure
Detailed design of the spacecraft assembly
Modal survey
Structural test
Acoustics test
 Propulsion System

• The Propulsion System provides velocity changes

• 1) attitude control which requires short repeatable burns and
• 2) orbit changes which require energy in the most efficient way
possible i.e. high performance (Isp) and sometimes fine control.
• The choice of propulsion system type is a major impact on
the overall spacecraft and is a major trade in the preliminary
design phases.
• The basic design choices are:
• 1) solids,
• 2)Monopropellants,
• 3) bipropellants,
• 4) cold gas .
 Attitude Control

The Attitude Control System positions the spacecraft attitude

in inertial space, points scan platforms, points solar arrays
and provides thrust vector control.
The basic attitude control system choice has a fundamental
effect on the spacecraft system and is a major consideration
in preliminary design. The design choices are:
• Spin stabilized
• Three axis stabilized – biased or not
• Dual spin
• Gravity gradient
 Power Subsystem

The Power Subsystem provides for the

1) generation
2) storage
3) distribution of all of the electric power used by
the spacecraft

Solar arrays
Radioisotope thermoelectric generators
(RTGs)
Batteries
 Telecommunication System

Commands to (Uplink) and Data From (Downlink)

Select Equipment
(Transmitter/Receiver or Transponder
• establishing link margins
• selecting size and type for the antennas
• establishing symbol rates and error rates
• selecting a coding technique
• setting power levels
• preparing a block diagram
 Command and Data Handling

• The Command and Data System (C&DH) collects data from the payload
and data from each subsystem on the spacecraft.
• It may store the data or format it for real time transmission.
• Commands received by the communication system are checked for
validity, usually stored until a specified time, and forwarded to the
designated subsystem.
• The subsystem is also the host for the spacecraft computer and clock.
(An early trade is usually made to decide between a central computer
for the spacecraft or specialized computers for C&DH and for attitude
control.)
• The system is a digital system because it consists of digital electronics;
the spacecraft data collected is immediately converted from analog to
digital.
 Thermal Control

The Thermal Control System maintains all spacecraft equipment

within certain specified temperature limits.
Conduction and Radiation
Beginning and End Of Life (Hot and Cold)
Controlled with various mechanical devices
• Paints, Coatings
• Multilayer Insulation (MLI)
• Heaters and thermostats
• Louvers
• Thermal switches
• Radiators
• Heat pipes
Spacecraft Design and Sizing

• Big Picture: The Mission

drives the Payload and the
Orbit, which drives the
Spacecraft Design

• Source: SMAD Book

Space Mission Engineering: The New SMAD
(Space Technology Library, Vol.
28) Paperback – July 29, 2011
by 65 Authors from the Astronautics
Community, James R. Wertz, David F.
Everett, Jeffery J. Puschell (Editors)
Spacecraft Design and Sizing
Overview of Spacecraft Design & Sizing
Principal Requirements & Constraints for S/C Design
Mass Budget: percent of SC dry mass
Spacecraft Configuration Drivers
 Spacecraft Design and Sizing

• Can use
historical data for
next block of
same S/C, or to
generalize within
a mission type
Spacecraft Design and Sizing
Mass Distribution for Selected Satellites
Spacecraft Design and Sizing
Spacecraft Design and Sizing
Mass Distribution for Selected Satellites
Spacecraft Design and Sizing
Top-Down Sizing Example
• Given: navigation mission with mP/L = 50 kg
• Find: subsystem masses and mdry
mP / L
%m P / L   0.2122  mdry  235 .6 kg
mdry
%m propulsion  0.0319 m propulsion  7.5 kg 
 
 % m ADACs  0.0561 m ADACS  13 .2 kg 
 %mTT &C  0.0471 mTT &C  11.1 kg 
mbus    185 .7 kg
 %m EPS  0.3206 m EPS  75.5 kg 
 %mTCS  0.0986 mTCS  23.2 kg 
 
 %mstructure  0.2345 mstructure  55.2 kg 
Check : mbus  m P / L  mdry
Spacecraft Design and Sizing
Top-Down Sizing Example
• Still need other masses to permit eventual launch
vehicle choice

mwet or mloaded   mdry  m propellant

minjected  mwet  mkick
mboost  minjected  madapter

• mkick is apogee kick motor – if needed

• madapter counts against booster performance
#s
• Need to include margin
Spacecraft Design and Sizing
S/C Budgets
• For top-down designs, allocate so much of a
quantity or capability to each subsystem
• Types of budgets
• Mass
• Power
• Communication bandwidth
• Volume
• Reliability
• Pointing error
• Cost
• Schedule, etc
Spacecraft Design and Sizing
Mass Budget
• See previous navigation S/C example
→ Now add mass margin into calculation
mdry w / m arg in  mP / L  mbus  mm arg in

mdry w / o m arg in

• Margin covers the uncertainty in our

estimates
– Typical range from 5% to 25%
– Larger margin for new S/C, or earlier in design
phase
– Smaller margin for known S/C, or as design
progresses
Spacecraft Design and Sizing
Preparing a Power Budget
Typical Power Consumption by Module or Subsystem
Spacecraft Design and Sizing
Propellant Budget
• List v’s
• Use ideal rocket equation to convert  v to
propellant mass

 mi 
v  I sp g 0 ln  
m 
 f 
Spacecraft Design and Sizing
Propellant Budget
Spacecraft Design and Sizing
Estimating Spacecraft Equipment Compartment Dimensions
 We Look Forward To a Fruitful
Cooperation
Towards being a civilization living
in the Solar System
Alim Rüstem ASLAN
Istanbul Technical University
Department of Space Engineering
+90532 480 3449
aslanr@itu.edu.tr
http://usttl.itu.edu.tr/en/