Introduction to Spacecraft Operations

Short course/CPD

Introduction to Spacecraft Operations

Course date: Please enquire

Course overview

Spacecraft Mission Operations concerns all activities involved with operating a spacecraft to achieve the goals of the mission. The operation role often starts years before the launch of a spacecraft, including involvement in the preparation and/or review of design documentation, development and testing of flight operation procedures, development of spacecraft telemetry and telecommand databases, testing the interface between control centre and spacecraft, launch rehearsals, contingency operations rehearsals, subsequent routine operations right up to the last telecommand sent and data received at the end of the mission.

Location

Cranfield University is located at the very heart of the UK – within the innovation triangle between London and the cities of Oxford and Cambridge.

Our central location provides easy access from the M1, excellent main line rail service as well as proximity to key international airports. Set in rolling countryside, Cranfield offers a rich, rural landscape complemented by thriving towns and picturesque villages.

Road: We are just 10 minutes from Junctions 13 & 14 of the M1 motorway. There is free parking on campus.
Rail: Milton Keynes or Bedford
Air: London Luton (22 miles), Heathrow (50 miles) or Birmingham (70 miles).

View our location maps.

Course fee:

£995 excluding accommodation

The course is non-residential. On receipt of the registration form, delegates will be sent a list of local hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation. The course fee includes refreshments and lunch during the day.

How to register

Further information

For more information on this course or booking details please contact:
Academic Operations Unit
T: + 44 (0) 1234 754192
E: shortcourse@cranfield.ac.uk

Course Booking Conditions

Course description

Who should attend

The course is suitable for delegates with a science/engineering background (particularly those with a space background) who are looking for the necessary skills and hands-on experience which will assist them to take up more easily positions as spacecraft operations engineers. Delegates who are simply interested in gaining knowledge of spacecraft systems from an operational perspective will also find it very useful.

Course objectives

The aim of the course is to give engineers the skills they require to become spacecraft operations engineers for modern satellite missions, gaining critical knowledge and experience in a domain where hands-on training is difficult to obtain. The acquired skills and knowledge are all geared from an operational perspective and include spacecraft architecture, command and control systems and best practice in procedure-based operations.

Content summary

The course is presented through lectures, Computer-Based Training (CBT) and real-time spacecraft simulations exercises. It is conducted by highly experienced spacecraft operations engineers from VEGA, one of Europe’s largest and most established space consulting and technology companies and Europe’s leading space simulations company. Comprehensive printed notes are issued at the beginning of the course.

Topics include: