Spacecraft Dynamics Capstone: Mars Mission

  • 4.7
Approx. 44 hours to complete

Course Summary

Embark on a virtual Mars mission in this capstone course. Learn about the challenges of space exploration and use your knowledge to design a mission to Mars.

Key Learning Points

  • Learn about the technical and logistical challenges of a Mars mission
  • Design a mission to Mars using your knowledge and skills
  • Collaborate with other learners and receive feedback on your mission design

Job Positions & Salaries of people who have taken this course might have

  • Spacecraft Design Engineer
    • USA: $95,000 - $130,000
    • India: ₹7,00,000 - ₹12,00,000
    • Spain: €35,000 - €50,000
  • Astronaut
    • USA: $66,000 - $144,000
    • India: ₹10,00,000 - ₹25,00,000
    • Spain: €30,000 - €50,000
  • Space Mission Planner
    • USA: $70,000 - $120,000
    • India: ₹6,00,000 - ₹12,00,000
    • Spain: €25,000 - €40,000

Related Topics for further study


Learning Outcomes

  • Ability to design a mission to Mars
  • Understanding of the technical and logistical challenges of space exploration
  • Collaboration and feedback skills

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

  • Basic knowledge of space exploration
  • Familiarity with engineering and design principles

Course Difficulty Level

Advanced

Course Format

  • Online
  • Self-paced
  • Project-based

Similar Courses

  • Introduction to Space Exploration
  • Astronomy: Exploring Time and Space
  • Astrobiology and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life

Related Education Paths


Notable People in This Field

  • CEO, SpaceX
  • Astrophysicist

Related Books

Description

The goal of this capstone spacecraft dynamics project is to employ the skills developed in the rigid body Kinematics, Kinetics and Control courses. An exciting two-spacecraft mission to Mars is considered where a primary mother craft is in communication with a daughter vehicle in another orbit. The challenges include determining the kinematics of the orbit frame and several desired reference frames, numerically simulating the attitude dynamics of the spacecraft in orbit, and implementing a feedback control that then drives different spacecraft body frames to a range of mission modes including sun pointing for power generation, nadir pointing for science gathering, mother spacecraft pointing for communication and data transfer. Finally, an integrated mission simulation is developed that implements these attitude modes and explores the resulting autonomous closed-loop performance.

Outline

  • Introduction to the Mission
  • Capstone Project Introduction
  • Mission Illustration
  • Mission Instructions
  • Orbits
  • Reference Frame Orientation
  • Attitude Evaluation and Simulator
  • Complete the Mission
  • Task 8 Illustration
  • Task 9 Illustration
  • Task 10 Illustration
  • Task 11 Illustration

Summary of User Reviews

This capstone project on Mars mission received positive reviews from many users. They highly recommend this course for anyone interested in space exploration. Users loved the practical approach of the course and how it challenges their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

Practical approach and critical thinking challenges

Pros from User Reviews

  • Great practical approach to learning space exploration
  • Challenges critical thinking and problem-solving skills
  • Excellent course material and resources
  • Instructors are highly knowledgeable and engaging

Cons from User Reviews

  • Some users found the course too challenging
  • Lack of interaction with other students
  • Course may require a significant time commitment
  • Not suitable for beginners in the field of space exploration
English
Available now
Approx. 44 hours to complete
Hanspeter Schaub
University of Colorado Boulder
Coursera

Instructor

Hanspeter Schaub

  • 4.7 Raiting
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