Space Mission Design: A Complex Multidisciplinary Approach from Conceptualization to Execution

Humanity’s aspiration to travel beyond the Earth and explore the cosmos, driven by the desire to understand the complexity of the universe, to see the beauty of celestial bodies and step foot on them and establish human colonies on the Off-Earth, is a culmination of human curiosity about the unknown and yearning for humanity expansion beyond Earth boundaries. The curiosity led to the development of several space missions.

The space sector, previously dominated by the government, is being revolutionized by fast-moving private space companies and the product-led paradigm. This, in turn, is aiding the evolution of the new space race, an increase in public interest in space exploration activities and space tourism, is opening doors to a world of many possibilities and conceptualization of several future space missions.

Since the beginning of space exploration space mission conceptualization, design and construction has been a complex endeavor. The new space era introduced new complexities based on the desire to push further space exploration to Mars and beyond.

An increase in interest in space exploration and space missions by several governments, private space companies, organizations, and investors is necessitating the need for meticulously planned and executed space mission design and analysis. 

Space missions are complex endeavors that require adequate preparation, emerging and cutting-edge technologies, substantial financial investments, and experienced space mission team members, to achieve mission success. Data gathered during space mission activities help to advance scientific knowledge and serve as the foundation for planning future space missions to the Moon, Mars, and beyond.

Space mission design, a process that encompasses different stages of development from the initial birth of the concept to mission operations and to end-of-life disposal of spacecraft, plays an immense role in spacecraft design, resource allocations and utilization, and optimization of space mission outcomes. Space mission feasibility is made possible through meticulous analysis, efficient design approaches, and high-fidelity model simulations.

Generally, space mission design processes begin with a statement of the mission objectives, mission classification, functional, operational and constraints requirements. It requires essential team members and subject matter experts such as space mission planners, aerospace engineers, space system engineers, and astrophysicists. The team defines space mission statements, primary and secondary objectives, scope, exploration goals, critical requirements, and a host of others. To achieve a successful space mission there is the need for good team dynamics.

In this course, space mission design, a complex multidisciplinary approach from conceptualization to execution, involving the processes of planning, concept development, design, launching and in-orbit operation of space missions is described in detail. Also, space mission requirements definition, the specifications and constraints that must be met to achieve a mission’s objectives, such as functional, performance, operational, environmental, safety, reliability, and cost requirements are elaborated. Furthermore, space mission evaluation, which involves data analysis, risk assessment, and space mission success evaluation, space mission characterization, is described.

Finally, real-world examples of space mission design are described to demonstrate space mission design approaches carried out by various spacecraft designers and how the designs helped them to achieve mission successes. 

Insights you’ll gain

• Space missions, space mission design, space environments, space mission objectives definition, space mission quantitative needs, requirements and constraint.
• Space mission characterizations, space mission concepts identification, space mission architecture identification, system drivers’ identification, and space mission architecture characterization.
• Space mission evaluation, critical requirements identification, space mission analysis, space mission utility, and space mission concept selection.
• Space mission requirements definition, system development requirements, budgeting requirements analysis and performance, documentations requirements & specifications, and requirements baseline.
• Real-world examples of space mission design, hypothetical FireSat space mission design, communications satellite space mission design, and earth observation space mission design.

Skills you’ll gain

• Space mission planning strategy
• Space mission system engineering approach
• Identification of space missions’ potential problems 
• Strategies for mitigating potential space missions’ problems
• Trade-off analysis – ability to evaluate different design options and make informed decisions based on cost, performance and risk
• Collaboration with engineers, scientists, and other specialists to achieve mission objectives
• Effective communication of technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences.

Target audience

• Space mission planners
• Space system engineers
• Students
• Industries
• Academics
• Researchers
• Governments
• Space enthusiasts