1. Basics of Spaceflight
Fundamentals & Applications
of Space Systems
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald
dachwald@fh‐aachen.de
Aerospace Technology Department
Hohenstaufenallee 6, 52064 Aachen, Germany
FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences
Winter 2009 / 2010
v1.2

2. Overview and Introduction The Solar System
The Solar System – Space Mission Targets
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 2

3. History of Spaceflight
The Beginning of the Space Age
• 04 Oct 1957 : Sputnik launched from
Baikonur on a modified intercontinental
rocket R‐7 (USSR)
• 01 Feb 1958: Explorer 1 launched from
Cape Canaveral on a Jupiter‐C rocket (USA)
Sputnik (USSR)
Launched 04 Oct 1957
William Pickering, James Van Allen, and
R‐7 (USSR) Wernher von Braun with a model of
Explorer 1
Jupiter‐C (USA)
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 3

4. History of Spaceflight
The Space Race Between the USA and the USSR
Wernher von Braun Sergej Koroljow
1912 ‐ 1977 1907 ‐ 1966
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 4

5. History of Spaceflight
The Early Days of Human Spaceflight
Juri Gagarin
• 12 Apr 1961: First human spaceflight
(Juri Gagarin, USSR)
• 05 May 1961: First American in space
(Alan Shepard, USA)
1961‐1963
• 18 Mar 1965: First EVA („spacewalk“,
Alexander Leonow, Woschod 2, USSR)
• 19 Apr 1971: First Space Station
Mercury capsule with (Salyut 1, USSR)
launch escape tower
Gemini 6 during rendezvouz
with Gemini 7
Salyut 1
1965‐1966
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 5

6. History of Spaceflight
The Exploration of the Solar System
• 04 Jan 1959: First lunar flyby (Lunik 1, • 01 Sep 1979: First flyby of Saturn
USSR) (Pioneer 11, USA)
• 14 Dec 1962: First flyby of Venus • 24 Jan 1986: First flyby of Uranus
(Mariner 2, USA) (Voyager 2, USA)
• 15 Jul 1965: First flyby of Mars (Mariner • 14 Mar 1986: First flyby of a comet
4, USA) (Giotto, ESA)
• 03 Feb 1966: First soft lunar landing • 25 Aug 1989: First flyby of Neptune
(Luna 9, USSR) (Voyager 2, USA)
• 15 Dec 1970: First landing on Venus • 29 Oct 1992: First flyby of an asteroid
(Venera 7, USSR) (Gaspra, Galileo, USA)
• 30 May 1971: First orbiter around Mars • 13 Jul 1995: First orbiter around Jupiter
(Mariner 9, USA) (Galileo, USA)
• 03 Dec 1973: First flyby of Jupiter • 14 Feb 2000: First orbiter around an
(Pioneer 10, USA) asteroid (NEAR, USA)
• 29 Mar 1974: First flyby of Mercury • 01 Jul 2004: First orbiter around Saturn
(Mariner 10, USA) (Cassini/Huygens, USA, ESA, ASI)
• 20 Aug 1975: First landing on Mars … to be continued
(Viking 1, USA)
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 6

7. History of Spaceflight
Apollo: The Race to the Moon
• 25 May 1961:
John F. Kennedy: “I believe that this nation
should commit itself to achieving the goal,
before this decade is out, of landing a man on
the moon and returning him safely to the earth.“
• 21 Jul 1969: Apollo 11,
first human on a celestial body
• 14 Apr 1970: Apollo 13,
farthest travel from
Earth, near catas‐
trophic failure due
to explosion of an
oxygen tank
• 14 Dec 1972:
Apollo 17,
last human on a
celestial body
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 7

8. History of Spaceflight
The Space Shuttle Program
• Officially, the Space Shuttle
is called STS, Space
Transportation System
• Oct 1969: Preliminary
Studies
• 05 Jan 1972: Formal launch of the
program
• 17 Sep 1976: Roll‐out of the Enterprise
• 12 Apr 1981: Maiden flight of Columbia
(STS‐1)
• 28 Jan 1986: Challenger disaster
• 29 Sep 1988: Return to flight
• 01 Feb 2003: Columbia disaster
• 26 Jul 2005: Return to flight
• 2010: Last space shuttle flight (?)
The maiden flight of Space Shuttle Columbia
on 12 Apr 1981
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 8

9. History of Spaceflight
Europe’s Way Into Space
• Early 1960s: Formation of the
European Launcher Development
Organisation (ELDO) and the
European Space Research
Organisation (ESRO)
• 06 Jun 1970: First successful launch
of an ELDO rocket (Europa 1, the
first launch on 30 Nov 1968 and the
second launch failed) Europa 1
• 1975: Establishment of the
European Space Agency (ESA),
merging ELDO and ESRO
• 24 Dec 1979: First launch of an
Ariane 1
• 30 Oct 1997: First successful launch
of an Ariane 5 (the first launch on 04
Jun 1996 failed)
Ariane 1 Ariane 5
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 9

10. Space Mission Elements
Space Mission Elements
Payload
Orbit
Spacecraft Bus
Space Segment
Launch Segment Ground Segment
Launcher Ground Station Network
Launch Site Control Center
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11. Space Mission Elements
Spacecraft Project Elements
Space Segment
Ground Segment
Launch Segment
Adapted from [Br02]
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12. Space Mission Elements
Spacecraft Subsystems
Adapted from [Br02]
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 12

13. Space Mission Elements
Spacecraft Subsystems
Adapted from [Br02]
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 13

14. Space System Applications and Design Examples
Overview
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 14

15. Space System Applications and Design Examples Earth Observation
Disaster Mitigation
Tracking and
forecasting of
storm motion
Mapping of
wildfires
using infrared
sensors
Mapping of
floods
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16. Space System Applications and Design Examples Earth Observation
Energy Resource Management
Coastal wind mapping
using radar satellites
Solar irradiance map
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 16

17. Space System Applications and Design Examples Earth Observation
Conserving Ecosystems and Biodiversity
1975 1992
Radar instruments on board satellites
such as ESA’s ERS‐2 and Envisat can
pierce through the near‐total cloud cover
of the rainforest to identify illegal forest
clearance or settlements, data that can
be integrated with visible imagery from
satellites and with ground observations
2000 2002 provided by organizations working in the
Landsat time series images of large scale deforestation in the Amazon. area – before being supplied to local
Such images have raised global awareness of deforestation. authorities.
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 17

18. Space System Applications and Design Examples Earth Observation
Climate Change
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 18

19. Space System Applications and Design Examples Earth Observation
TerraSAR‐X
• Payload: high‐resolution radar
• Orbit: Polar LEO (520 km altitude)
• Mass: 1200 kg
• Launch: 15 June 2007
• Launcher: DNEPR‐1
• Manufactured by EADS Astrium
• Operated by GSOC
• Nominal lifetime: 5 years
• Will be complemented by a second
satellite, TanDEM‐X in December 2009
• Together, they will generate high‐precision
elevation model of the Earth
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 19

20. Space System Applications and Design Examples Communication
Communication Satellites – EUTELSAT W5
• Largest field of application for
commercial satellites
• Payload: 24 transponders
• Geostationary orbit (35 786 km altitude)
• Launch: 20 Nov 2002
• Launcher: Delta IV Medium
• Positioned by GSOC
• Nominal lifetime: 12 years
• Launch Mass: 3170 kg
• On‐station mass: 1900 kg
• Power consumption: 5900 W
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 20

21. Space System Applications and Design Examples Navigation
Navigation Satellite Systems
• GPS (USA)
• GLONASS (Russia)
• Galileo (Europe)
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 21

22. Space System Applications and Design Examples Solar System Exploration
Rosetta / Philae (Overview)
• First comet orbiter and lander
(67P/Churyumov‐Gerasimenko)
• First solar‐powered deep space
probe
• Mission: 2003 – 2015
• Launcher: Ariane 5
• Mission type: chemical (with
EMEE gravity assists)
• Mass: 3065kg
– 1135 kg dry
– 1719 kg propellant
– 165 kg orbiter science payload
– 108 kg lander
• Telemetry: 10 bit/s – 22 kbit/s
• Power consumption: 400 W at
the comet
• Cost: 1000 M€
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 22

23. Space System Applications and Design Examples Solar System Exploration
Rosetta / Philae (Science Objectives)
• Comets are the most primitive
objects in the solar system and
therefore hold many clues to its
origin and evolution
• Characterization of the comet
nucleus (determination of
Coma of comet Borelly
dynamic properties, surface
morphology, and composition)
Nucleus of comet Borelly, as
imaged by the Deep Space 1 • Determination of the chemical,
spacecraft mineralogical, and isotopic
Nucleus of comet Wild 2, as imaged by the composition of the comet
Stardust spacecraft Coma of comet Wild 2
nucleus
• Study of the development of
cometary activity and the
processes in the surface layer of
the nucleus and the inner coma
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 23

24. Space System Applications and Design Examples Solar System Exploration
Rosetta / Philae (Spacecraft Design Drivers)
• Reliability: 10 years of flight before
reaching the target
• Electric power: from solar arrays at
0.9 AU < r < 5.7 AU
(1680 W/m2 > S > 43 W/m2)
– Thermal control !
– Telecommunication !
• Autonomy: Round‐trip light time up to
90 min
• Flying close to a small body (disturbances
and risk of collision)
– Navigation accuracy !
– Autonomy !
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 24

25. Space System Applications and Design Examples Astronomy and Fundamental Physics
Astronomy and Fundamental Physics Mission
Kepler
USA, Launch 2009,
Earth‐trailing orbit
The first mission that will
be able to detect Earth‐
sized planets
Hubble Space Telescope
USA, Europe, Launch 1990, LEO
Brilliant pictures of the universe
LISA WMAP
USA, Launch 2001, L2
Europe, USA, Launch ≈2019, Earth‐trailing orbit
Measurement of gravitational waves Exact determination of the age and the topology,
and the fabric of the universe
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26. Space Mission Characteristics
Characteristics of Space Systems Development
• Broad range of requirements from different parties
• Procurement in small numbers
→ uniqueness
• Long development cycles (≈ 20 years for the ISS)
→ significant technology changes over the
development life cycle
• Inability to perform in‐space repairs and upgrades
→ reliability and redundancy
• Co‐operation between many parties
– persons
– companies
– agencies
– countries
with different backgrounds and objectives
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27. Space Mission Characteristics
General Requirements for Space Systems
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 27

28. References
References
[Ro08] Lucy Rogers:
It’s ONLY Rocket Science. An Introduction in Plain English.
Springer, 2008
[Sw08] Graham Swinerd:
How Spacecraft Fly. Spaceflight Without Formulae.
Springer, 2008
[Se05] Jerry Jon Sellers:
Understanding Space. An Introduction to Astronautics.
Third Edition. McGraw‐Hill, 2005
[Gr04] Michael D. Griffin, James D. French:
Space Vehicle Design.
Second Edition. AIAA Education Series, 2004
Prof. Dr.‐Ing. Bernd Dachwald Introduction to Space Systems FH Aachen / Winter 2009/10 / v1.2 28