SPS 101 Flashcards
The Kárman line is how many kilometers/miles above the earths surface?
100 km/62 miles
USSPACECOM domain is how many kilometers/miles above mean sea level?
100 km/62 miles
Exobase is how many kilometers/miles above the Earth surface?
500 to 1000 km/310–620 miles
When it comes to the space demarcation, what are the three standards that we can go by?
International standard, US government, standard, scientific community standard
Defined the Kárman line
The Kárman line is the international standard measuring 100 km/62 miles above the Earth surface.
Define USSPACECOM domain
The USSPACECOM Domain is the US government standard measuring at 100 km/62 miles above mean sea level.
Define Exobase
EXO base is the scientific community standard measuring at 500 to 1000 km/310–620 miles above the earths surface
Define demarcation of space
These measurements/boundaries define where space begins.
The sun is composed of what?
74.9 hydrogen, 23.8% helium, and 1.3 miscellaneous gases.
The sun creates energy through what process?
Nuclear fusion
Name the six main layers of the sun
The core, the radiative zone, the tachocline, the convective zone, the photosphere, the atmosphere.
Defined the core of the sun.
Rotates like a solid and is where fusion occurs.
Define the radiative zone.
Rotates like a fluid and radiates energy.
Define the tachocline.
Generates magnetic field lines and stores magnetic flux. Resides between the convective and radiative layers.
Defined the convective zone.
Rotates like a fluid and transfers heat through convection.
Defined the photosphere.
Also known as the surface and is responsible for 99% of solar radiation.
Define atmosphere.
The atmosphere has four sublayers, all of which are only visible during an eclipse.
The core (description)
0.25 of the sun’s radius.
Fusion occurs
Solid core
Rotates like a solid
radiative zone (description)
Radiates energy through the process of photon, emission and captured by the hydrogen and helium ions.
Moves like a fluid.
Convective zone (description)
uses thermal convection (it boils).
Moving plasma, disrupts magnetic field .
Moves like a fluid
Photosphere (description)
Solar surface – this region of the sun is a opaque (optically dark) to life.
99% of solar radiation
Light from the sun submitted through the interaction of electrons with hydrogen atoms.
Where we can see sunspots
Atmosphere (description)
The solar atmosphere is comprised of several sublayers; chromosphere, transition region, Corona, and heliosphere.
(it’s in the outer layers of the suns energy, which has bubbled up from the interior layers is detected as)
These layers are only viewable during an eclipse .
Solar minimum
Is referred to as the quiet sun.
Few to zero, sunspots, dimmer, EUV and x-rays, in frequent flaring/CME.
Solar maximum
Is referred to as active sun.
Many sunspots, brighter, EUV, and x-rays, and frequent flaring/CME.
Magnetism week or during maximum.
Name 4 solar hazards.
Solar winds
Solar flare
Solar energetic particles
Cornel mass ejections (CME)
Define Solar winds.
Is a stream of charged particles released from the corona.
Arrives in three days and causes auras in the plasma trails on comets.
Define solar flare.
Is a sudden burst of high energy particles and radiation.
Travels at the speed of light in arrives in eight minutes.
Responsible for increased atmospheric drag on Leo, Innosphere, becoming more charge, increase in GPS errors, and a source of radio blackout storms.
Define solar energy particles.
Are high energy particles emanating from the sun outside the standard solar wind.
Arrival varies from 15 minutes to 24 hours
Responsible for degrading spacecraft components in a source of radiation storms .
Define carnal mass ejections
A Cornel mass ejection is a massive cloud of energetic, magnetized, solar plasma, launched into space.
Typically arrives in 3 to 4 days.
Can severely disrupt anything that uses electricity (power, grids, satellites, communication networks) and is a main source of geomagnetic storms.
The earths magnetic field is also known as the what?
The Geo magnetic field.
The earths magnetic field/Geomagnetic field is created by what
The earths, magnetic field/Geomagnetic field, is created by the core spinning.
Defined the earths magnetic field/geomagnetic field.
Where the Earth interacts with the solar winds, and other hazards.
Created by the Earth liquid metal, outer core constantly moving .
Deflects most Solarwinds.
What are some affects of Solarwinds?
Auras
Plasma trails on comets
What are some effects of solar flares?
Increased atmospheric drag on Leo.
Ionosphere becomes more charged, increased in GPS errors.
Source of radio blackout storms.
What are some effects of solar energy particles (SEP) ?
Degradation of components (solar cells, optical) electrical component/circuit damage.
Source of radiation storms .
What are effects of corneal mass ejections (CME) ?
Has the potential to severely disrupt, power grids, satellites, communication networks.
Main source of geomagnetic storms.
Defined the van Allen belts.
The van Allen belts are trapped, charged particles from the sun.
Inner and outer belts.
Defined the outer belts (van Allen belts)
The Outer belt is populated by trap solar wind electrons.
Not very stable due to the unpredictability of solar cycle and Solarwinds .
Defined the inner belt (van Allen belts)
The Innerbelt is populated by protons from geomagnetic storms on the earths nightside.
More stable and 10 times more energetic .
Defined the ionosphere.
The ionosphere consist of plasma (positive ions in free electrons)
Acts as a mirror.
Breaks up electromagnetic waves .
We can bounce signals off of it .
What is scintillation?
Happens daily, very localized. (twinkling star, heat shimmer)
Occurs daily .
Causes signal feeding and data dropout on satellite communications in GPS positioning.
Responsible for aurora borealis.
Intensity and location are determined by the strength of the storm .
When it comes to space weather, what are the three categories of storms?
Radio blackouts.
Solar radiation storms .
Geomagnetic storms .
Attributes of radio blackouts (solar flares)
What do they impact?
Arrives at Earth in eight minutes .
Modify/strengthen the ionosphere .
Impacts: airline communication, HF radio operators, DOD communications, satellite communications.
Attributes of Radiation storming (SEP).
What does it impact,?
Arrives in 15 minutes - 24 hours.
Persist for time periods, ranging from hours to days.
Can modify the high latitude ionosphere.
Impacts: airline, communications, HF, radio operators, DOD, communications, astronauts (radiation) and satellite electronic failures.
Attributes of geomagnetic storming (CME).
What does it impact?
Arrives at earth in 3 to 4 days.
can cause storming, rapid fluctuations in the earths magnetic field increases issues on earth.
Can affect power, grids, and other electronics on earth.
Primarily impacts the night side.
Impacts: components damaged by high current, high energy, particle, penetrates, the satellite, HF, radio interference, satellite navigation may be degraded, satellites, can slow, and even change orbit, the aura can be seen in high latitudes.
Name three space environment hazards (space vacuum)
Outgassing, cold welding, heat transfer.
Define outgassing.
What are some of the risks?
Mitigation?
Outgassing occurs when plastic/composites released trapped gases.
Risks: gases can condense on sensor services, internal spacecraft, anchoring, and damage to sensitive electronics.
Mitigation: baking in a vacuum
Define cold welding.
What are the risks? Mitigation?
When objects attach due to no atmosphere to act as a lubricant between mechanical parts.
Risk: mechanical parts, me fused together, affectively welding them in place.
Mitigation: design = minimize, moving parts, select lubricants, that will not outgas/evaporates, use spacecraft rotation, to evenly dissipate heat.
Define heat transfer.
What are the risks? Mitigation?
Heat transfer is when conduction, convection, and radiation occur.
Risks: physical damage, launch delays, command rescheduling or even re-orientation of the spacecraft.
Mitigation: radiation = only transfer method to dissipate heat away from the spacecraft, manage temperatures using conduction and convection, structures = composites act as a heat sink.
What are three space environment hazards (space craft charging) ?
Sputtering, single event upset (SEU) , total ionizing does effect.
Define sputtering.
What are the risks? Mitigation?
Sputtering occurs when particles contact spacecraft at high speeds.
Risks: physical damage
Mitigation: hardening/shielding of critical component from radiation.
Define single event upset (SEU)
What are the risks,? Mitigation?
Single event, upsets, or SCU occur when a charged particle makes a deep penetration of the spacecraft.
Risks: electrical disruption/damage
Mitigation: hardening/shielding at the critical component from radiation. launch delays, command rescheduling or even re-orientation of the spacecraft.
Define total ionizing dose of act.
What are the risks? Mitigation?
Total ionizing does affect as long-term damage to the crystal structure of a semi conductors within a spacecraft computer caused by electrons in the solar wind in the van Allen belts.
Risks: electrical disruption/damage
Mitigation: hardening/shielding of the critical components from radiation. May cause launch delays command rescheduling, an even real orientation of the spacecraft.
Define Atmospheric drag.
Mitigation?
Atmospheric drag occurs when space objects, collide with atmospheric molecules, causing a transfer in kinetic energy.
This remains of concern out to 400 miles (Leo).
Mitigation: orbital maneuvers
What is the satellite operations center also known as SOC? Who are they and what do they do?
Provides CommandAndControl of satellite constellations.
Compute the precise locations of satellites.
Generates commands to uplink .
Wonder satellite broadcasting system, integrity to ensure constellations health and accuracy .
Perform satellite maintenance in anomaly resolution, including repositioning satellites, to maintain optimal constellation .
What are three things the remote tracking station also known as RTS do?
- Uplink ( commanding)
- Downlink (telemetry)
- Ranging.
When speaking about RTS or remote tracking station, what is uplink (commanding) ?
Uplink or commanding, data, uploads, and processor program loads to the satellites.
When speaking about remote tracking station or RTS, what is downlink ( Telemetry)?
Downlink, collects telemetry from the satellite, and sends to the SOC.
When speaking about remote tracking station, also known as RTS, what is ranging?
Ranging ( distance) provides an objects, azimuth, elevation, in distance from the RTS to perform C2, anomaly resolution in early orbit support.
Range can also be defined as the what?
Distance
Just some quick sidenote/definitions.
Range provides Distance as well as..
Azimuth -degrees left to right
Elevation -up and down
Telemetry is the downlink of data.
What does SOC stand for?
Satellite operation center
What does RTS stand for?
Remote tracking station
Name the three call signs for 21 SOPS.
Cook, reef, Guam, Hula
Give full name of each callsign.
Cook, reef, Guam, Hula.
Cook-Vandenberg tracking station (VTS)
Reef -Diego Garcia tracking station (DGS)
Guam -Guam tracking station (GTS)
Hula -Hawaii tracking station (HTS)
Name the three call signs for 23 SOPS.
Boss, pogo, lion
Give the full name of each callsign.
Boss, pogo, lion
Boss: New Hampshire tracking station (NHS)
Pogo: Thule tracking station (TTS)
Lion: telemetry in command station (TCS)
What three components is delta six made up of? What are the units and functions?
Communications: connects the user, and the RTS. Defense, Information, service agency, also known as DISA.
Network management : schedules, network, resources, performs, orbital analysis, decimates network status. 22 space operations squadron (SOPS).
Range: remote, tracking station (RTS). 21 space operation squadron 23 space operation squadron. (SOPS)
SATCOM links.
Receives commands, routes them to the appropriate subsystem, and then transmits telemetry and mission data back to the RTS.
Out of band (TT & C)
Communicating with the SV through the antenna subsystem.
In-band (payload)
Communicating with the SV through the payload.
Note: not all satellites are capable of commanding through the payload.
Cross-link (satellite to satellite)
Utilize a satellite as a relay for uplink and or downlink.
Note: not all satellites, have sat-to-sat, relay capability.
What does LEO stand for?
Low earth orbit, this is were satellites, orbit closest to the Earth surface.
What does GEO stand for?
Geostationary earth orbit, this is where satellites match the earths rotation.
What does MEO stand for?
Medium earth orbit, MEO is a earth centered orbit sitting between LEO and GEO Orbits.
What does HEO stand for?
High earth orbit
payload
does the mission, the reason “why” we go into space.
Bus
all parts that support the mission
what does SWAP stand for?
Size, Weight, Power
Generally, the payload takes up ______% of the total SV mass.
30%
define launch vehicle
used to put the satellite into its desired orbit
define remote sensing
The science and art of identifying ,observing and measuring an object without coming into direct contact with it.
what are the two sensing types?
active and passive
Define active sensing
Provides its own source of energy.
Can be used to examine wavelengths not sufficently provided by the sun.
define passive sensing
Records/measures energy that is externally available.
Detects external energy.
Records energy that is reflected or emitted.
give some examples of active and remote sensing.
-visible (telescopes and cameras)
-RADAR (microwave)
-SWIR & MWIR (short-wave IR & medium-wave IR)
-PNT & SATCOM
(radio waves)
Are cameras and telescopes passive or active?
Passive
IS RADAR (microwave) passive or active?
Active
Is SWIR & MWIR passive or active?
both
IS SATCOM (radio waves) passive or active?
Both
IS PNT (radio waves) passive or active?
The satillite is not considered remote sensing but the ground segment (the reciever) is concidered passive.
Define structure Subsystems
The frame that all other subsystems are attached to.
Name three common structure types.
open truss, body mounted, combination
Define an open truss structure.
The frame that all other subsystems are attached to.
Define a body mounted structure.
Frame/equipment directly attached to structural elements.
Define a combination structure.
Open truss and body mounted.
______ is to pull apart.
tension
_____ is opposing loads, applied to perpendicular cross-sections.
shear
_______ is to push something together.
Compression
_______ is produced by twisting.
torsion
______ is the load applied to the structure
stress
______ is stress caused by temporary change in shape or deformation in the structure.
strain
______ mechanisms can only be used a few times.
low cycle
_____ mechanisms are used continuoiusly through out the vehicals life.
high cycle
what are some space hazards for structures?
-thermal radiation
-space vacuum
-charged particle radiation
-micrometeoroids and debris
-atomic oxygen (AO)
Define telemetry, Tracking, command subsystem (TT&C)
-Enables the satellites to send (telemetry) and receive (commands) data.
-Enables the ground antenna to track the satellite.
TT&C components
transmitters, receivers, antennas
Telemetry
-collection, processing health and status data of all spacecraft subsystems.
-transmission of data to the control segment on the ground
Command &data handling (C&DH) subsystem
“Brains of the satellite”
C&DH components
CPU, Memory, Links, Software
two main parts of the C&DH (Command & Data handling subsystem)
command decoder, data handeling unit
define command decoder
recieve, validate, decode and distribute commands to other space craft systems
define data handling unit
gather, process and format spacecraft houskeeping and mission data for downlink or use by an onboard computer
control system
manages and regulates a process output based on inputs into the process
(TT&C) Telemetry, tracking and command components.
-transmitters
-receivers
-antennas
(C&DH) command and data handling components
“brains of the satellite”
-CPU
-Memory
-Links
-Software
(TCS) Thermal Control Subsystem components
-insulation
-thermal coatings
-radiators
-louvers
(ADCS) Attitude determination and control subsystem components
“control satellite rotation”
-controller
-instruments
-sensors
*Responsible for where the satellite is pointing or focused
Payload
the mission, the reason the satellite exists. The component of the satellite that fulfills the job.
(GNC) Guidance Navigation control subsystem components
“controls satellite orbit”
-controller
-sensors
-thrusters
*responsible for where satellite is heading or what path it is on.
(EPS) electronic power subsystem components
-solar arrays
-batteries
-power management & distribution system (PMaD)
SOC
Satellite command and control (C2)
attitude control sensor types
*helps to determine location and proper alignment
-earth star sensors
-star sensors
-sun sensors
-gyroscopes
-magnetometers
-horizon detector
attitude control-controllers
-“the brain’s of the system
-takes input from the sensors and generates commands
attitude control-instruments
the “hands” of the system
-takes commands from the controller and provides “torque on control satellite attitude.
attitude control- passive instruments
“inner ear”
-uses natural phenomena
*gravity gradient stabilization, spin stabilization, dampers
attitude control-active instruments
“hands”
-turned off and on by the controller
(requires power to operate)
- thrusters, magnetic torques, momentum control devices
orbit
the position and velocity with respect to the earth
What is GNC?
Guidance, navigation and control subsystem
*control an monitors the orbit of the satellite
What are the responsibilities of Guidance in GNC?
The “actuators”
-Utilizes the propulsion subsystem
-generates thrust in a specific direction
What are the responsibilities of the Navigation in GNC?
The “sensors”
-two primary concerns :velocity vector, position vector
-two navigation systems: on-board, off board
What are the responsibilities of the Control in GNC?
The “brains of the systems”
-Compares current positions and velocity (vcurrent) to desired position and velocity (Vdesired)
-sends commands to the actuators
on-board
processed internally
off-board
processed externally
Give examples of on-board navigational systems.
-GNSS
-Earth, sun and star sensors
-inertial sensors
Give examples of off-board navigational systems
-RTSS
-Space surveillance network (SSN)
-Space domain awareness (SDA)
_______, _________, &________ sensors preform triangulation.
Earth, Sun & Star Sensors
________mesures the range between GPS and the reciever.
GNSS
_______ utilized newtons laws to determine the current position and velocity.
* uses accelerometers and gyroscopes.
inertial sensor
_________ can provide ranging when spacecraft passes over RTS.
RTS Ranging
________regulates and maintains the temperature throughout space craft.
thermal control subsystem (TCS)
_________ enables the satellites to send (telemetry) and receive (commands) data
(Enables the ground antenna to track the satellite)
(TT&C) Telemetry, Tracking & command subsystem
When speaking about TCS what are some external & internal heat sources?
External
-Direct sunlight
-albedo effect (reflected sun)
-planetary infrared (IR)
internal
-internal electronics
-isolate heat
State and define three methods of heat transfer.
conduction, convection, radiation,
Conduction-transfer of heat between substances in direct contact
Convection-fluid (air or liquid) is heated and travels
Radiation- energy transfer vis electromagnetic waves
_________ is closed loop and uses powered satellite systems to relocate, add, and expel heat to and from the satellite.
Active thermal control
__________is open loop and does not use powered satellite systems to relocate, add and expel heat to and from the satellite.
passive thermal control
Give some example of active thermal control.
-heaters
-radiators
-refrigerators
-pumps
*louvers ( both active and passive)
Give some examples of passive thermal control.
-heat pipes
-thermal blankets
-coating
*louvers (both active and passive)
______generates, stores and distributes power throughout the spacecraft.
Electrical power subsystem
________ most common source of power for earth orbit satellites.
Solar panels
First battery used in space was the _________
Nickle Cadmin
________ solved the memory effect issue.
Nickel Hydrogen
_________store relatively small amount of power relative to mass and volume.
Nickle Hydrogen
________ are large and susceptible to memory effect.
Nickle Cadmin
_______ are not susceptible to memory effect.
Lithium ion
________ are significantly lighter and more efficient than Nickle Hydrogen batteries.
Lithium Ion
__________is when the battery is repeatedly overcharged.
voltage depression
____________is the process of completely discharging then recharging
reconditioning
what is the power, management and distribution system?
the system that is responsible for allocating power in the correct voltage and current to the rest of the satellite.
__________is the process of prioritizing components and shutting off power to less vital components.
conditioning
mission
-intention, objective and tasks -assumptions and
-acceptable level of risk (ALR) to mission and to the force
environment
-space and terrestrial weather
-concerns
-friendly force status
-physical environment
enemy
-intelligence preparation of battle space
-goals, objectives, strategies, methods, and order of battle
-COA’s,AOI’s,
effects
-direct vs. indirect
-intended vs, unintended
-timeframe to accomplish
capabilities
-assigned and available forces
-enough forces or need to request more
plan
-restated objective, tasks, threats and targets
-build step by step plan
-list all considerations and RFI’s
phasing
timeline of planned events broken into smaller pieces
contracts
-agreements established to drive action outside a single team that was not previously established.
-criteria, authority, comm, action
contingencies
-plan for when things don’t go according to plan
-plans if assumptions are wrong
what does ME3C(PC)2 stand for?
mission, environment, enemy, effects, capabilities, plan, phasing, contracts, contingencies.
