Spacecraft

Question 1

How can we categories spacecraft?

Answer 1

Orbital
Sub-orbital
interstellar
interplanetary

Question 2

Give 4 examples of spacecraft missions/payloads?

Answer 2

Communications
earth observation
navigation
weather

Question 3

What are the 5 phases that constitute a complete spacecraft mission?

Answer 3

Pre-Launch
launch
orbit transfer
on-station operations
decommissioning

Question 4

How is the karman line defined

Answer 4

Boundary layer between earths atmosphere and outer space

Question 5

Why is the launch window important?

Answer 5

To ensure that spacecraft meets its desired location in orbit

Question 6

What is the duration of a geostationary orbit and what effect does this have on the spacecraft motion?

Answer 6

24hrs. Spacecraft in fixed position relative to surface of earth

Question 7

What characterises the spacecraft motion in a low earth orbit?

Answer 7

Spacecraft moves with respect toe arts surface

Question 8

What are the advantages of LEO

Answer 8

Simplest and cheapest orbit, high bandwidth and low communication time delay, see Earth’s surface more clearly.

Question 9

What is the rocket equation?

Answer 9

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

Question 10

What assumption do we make about the propellant burns in the rocket equation?

Answer 10

impulsive burning of propellant