Spacecraft Flashcards
How can we categories spacecraft?
Orbital
Sub-orbital
interstellar
interplanetary
Give 4 examples of spacecraft missions/payloads?
Communications
earth observation
navigation
weather
What are the 5 phases that constitute a complete spacecraft mission?
Pre-Launch launch orbit transfer on-station operations decommissioning
How is the karman line defined
Boundary layer between earths atmosphere and outer space
Why is the launch window important?
To ensure that spacecraft meets its desired location in orbit
What is the duration of a geostationary orbit and what effect does this have on the spacecraft motion?
24hrs. Spacecraft in fixed position relative to surface of earth
What characterises the spacecraft motion in a low earth orbit?
Spacecraft moves with respect toe arts surface
What are the advantages of LEO
Simplest and cheapest orbit, high bandwidth and low communication time delay, see Earth’s surface more clearly.
What is the rocket equation?
deltaV = Vex*ln(m0/m1)
delta V - change in rocket speed
Vex - Escape velocity
Mo - initial mass of rocket including propellant
m1 - final mass of rocket after propellant has burnt
What assumption do we make about the propellant burns in the rocket equation?
impulsive burning of propellant