The Power and Pyrotechnics Subsystem (PPS) of the Cassini Orbiter, which arrived at Saturn on July 1, 2004, having traveled 3.5 billion kilometers across the solar system. (Courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech.)
Instructor(s)
Prof. David Miller
Col. John Keesee
MIT Course Number
16.851
As Taught In
Fall 2003
Level
Graduate
Course Description
Course Features
Course Description
Satellite Engineering introduces students to subsystem design in engineering spacecraft. The course presents characteristic subsystems, such as power, structure, communication and control, and analyzes the engineering trades necessary to integrate subsystems successfully into a satellite. Discussions of spacecraft operating environment and orbital mechanics help students to understand the functional requirements and key design parameters for satellite systems.