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Space Mission Operations (APPEL-vSMO)Systems Engineering & Engineering

Space Mission Operations (APPEL-vSMO)

PARTICIPANT TESTIMONIALS

  • Systems Engineering & Engineering
    Systems Engineering & Engineering

Skill Level: Open to all.

This three-day course explores the challenge of designing and implementing mission operations in a practical, cost-effective way in the real-world. Interactive discussions focus on initial requirements definition, operations concept development, functional allocation among spacecraft, payload, ground system and operators. Students get extensive hands-on experience with a variety of mission operations modeling tools to understand physical constraints and appreciate the impact of programmatic trade-offs. This course divides mission operations into nine interrelated activities: operations planning, flight control, mission data receipt/delivery, tracking and navigation, maintenance and support, spacecraft support and analysis, training, mission data processing and archiving, and customer/user support.

This course is designed for NASA’s technical workforce including systems engineers and project personnel who seek to develop the competencies require to succeed as a leader of a project team, function team or small project.

Systems Engineering Competencies
Click here to view the Competency Models.

APPEL Library Resource
NASA Galaxie Library NASA Galaxie Library
All supplemental resources are NASA accessible only unless otherwise noted.

Upon completion of this course, participants will be able to:

  • Define and explain the critical functions of space.
  • Discuss the inputs, outputs and uses for a space Mission Operations Concept, and be able to critically analyze one of these documents.
  • Describe the elements that contribute to mission operations complexity and perform trade-off analyses to reduce that complexity.
  • Analyze mission orbits to determine ground systems pass characteristics.
  • Describe key elements of mission ground systems.
  • Compare and contrast Mission Operations Concepts for military, civil, scientific and human space missions.
  • Develop and analyze detailed, simulated satellite pass plans.
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Schedule & Registration

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Registration Overview

Registration Question? Contact the training specialist below for assistance.

Dallas Neener
dallas.j.neener@nasa.gov
(321) 867-6819

EXTERNAL CERTIFICATION CREDIT

About the Instructor(s)

Jerry Jon Sellers

Dr. Jerry Jon Sellers, is author of Understanding Space: An Introduction to Astronautics, and is a contributing author and editor of Applied Space Systems Engineering. He was the director of the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Space Systems Research Center. He has over 25 years of space systems experience including Guidance & On-board Navigation Officer in Space Shuttle Mission Control; Assistant Professor of Astronautics at the U.S. Air Force Academy; and Chief of Astronautics for the Air Force European Office of Aerospace Research & Development. He is an Associate Fellow at AIAA and the former Chairman of the Space Systems Technical Committee. He is also an adjunct professor at Stevens Institute of Technology.

Bruce Chesley

Dr. Bruce Chesley is an experienced space program manager and industry executive. He served as the Chief Strategist for a space system portfolio spanning human spaceflight, commercial satellites, and government space systems and he led the early development of a global broadband satellite constellation. He has also delivered advanced space systems and prototypes while serving in a variety of roles in program management, business development and engineering. His Air Force assignments included Air Force Space Command, the National Reconnaissance Office, and the USAF Academy where he was an Assistant Professor of Astronautics. He was elected to the International Academy of Astronautics in 2020 and serves as a Vice President on the Bureau of the International Astronautical Federation. He has published more than 20 technical papers and book chapters on satellite design and space systems engineering. He is also an adjunct professor at Stevens Institute of Technology.

Peter Van Wirt

Dr. Peter Van Wirt is a former Deputy Department Head for Labs and Research of the Department of Astronautics at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He has been a visiting lecturer for the Technical University of Delft’s SpaceTech Masters Degree in Space Systems Engineering and is an Adjunct Professor for the Space Systems Engineering Master’s program at The Stevens Institute of Technology. He also instructs at the National Security Space Institute in Colorado Springs, CO. He has served as a systems engineer/program manager for a variety of US Air Force engineering developments. Peter has over 30 years of aerospace engineering experience and over 20 years teaching experience. He earned his doctorate at the Utah State University.

Marty France

Dr. Martin France (BGen, USAF, retired) is Professor Emeritus at USAFA and former head of the USAFA Department of Astronautics with over 40 years of research and development experience in astronautical engineering. He has served in numerous USAF science and engineering leadership positions to include the Vice Commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory, headquartered at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH. His doctoral research was conducted at Purdue University and specialized in the control of large flexible spacecraft. He is also an adjunct professor at Stevens Institute of Technology.

CURRICULUM LEAD

Curriculum Question? Contact the curriculum lead below for assistance.

Diana Wehrell-Grabowski
diana.m.wehrell-grabowski@nasa.gov

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