L12 - Space Mission Planning & Operations

Question 1

What trends in space programs have an impact on space mission planning and development?

Answer 1

• Reduce funding for space missions
• Reduced number of public-funded projects
• Demands for well-intergrated missions
• “Faster - better - cheaper” or variations
• Emphasis on smaller spacecraft
• Spacecraft constellations or collocations instead of single, more complex spacecraft
• Reduction in complexity and cost of mission operations

Question 2

What are the main elements of the space mission planning process?

Answer 2

• Mission objectives + means to achieve them (space based systems, ground-based systems)
• Long term (startegic), medium term (tactical), short term (execution)
• Performance tradeoffs between mission aspects to find the “best” solution.

Question 3

What are steps must a organisations follow to plan a space mission?

Answer 3

1. Definition of main and secondary objectives, goals and constraints, potential mission users, alternative operational concepts
2. Selection of the space segment, one spacecraft or constellation, spacecraft type and size configuration
3. Selection of launch vehicle and lauch site
4. Ground segment definition mission operation strategy, command control, communication network

Question 4

What are the key aspects of satellite constellations in providing global coverage?

Answer 4

Figure of merit: expresses how well the system meets the mission objectives and goals (to compare different mission concepts).

• Percentage coverage
• Maximum coverage gap
• Mean coverage gap
• Time average gap
• Mean response time

Question 5

What main factors influence launch vehicle selection?

Answer 5

Payload capability and cost are key.

• Launch site location
• Launch rate
• Dedicated or shared launch
• Standard adapters and fairing
• Launch vehicle availability

Availability and reliability are very important.

Question 6

What are the main elements of space mission operations?

Answer 6

• Mission operations
• Mission operations system
• Mission operations concept
• Mission operations plan

Question 7

What is mission operations?

Answer 7

It is the set of activities performed during the active phases of a mission. It should be prepared during earlier phases of mission planning and develoment.

Question 8

What is a mission operations system?

Answer 8

It is an integrated system of operators, procedures, hardware, software to accomplish mission operations.

Question 9

What is a misson operations concept?

Answer 9

It is the strategy of operations to achieve mission objectives and goals within allocated resources and constraints.

Question 10

What is a mission operations plan?

Answer 10

It is a description of all mission’s phases in terms of user concepts, operational elements, operation teams activities.