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The space industry is growing and space data are becoming accessible to businesses that were previously unthinkable. Constellations of small satellites in Very Low Earth Orbit (VLEO) have created a gap that is allowing small and medium-sized space companies to gain momentum by developing new strategies and technologies. According to Euroconsult forecasting, the NewSpace market will grow from $12.6 billion to $42.8 billion in the next decade (2019–2028). Despite the study’s limitations and the uncertainties of the small satellite market, the results obtained in this exploratory research suggest that the Low-Cost Carriers (LCC) market, an already established market in the aviation industry, and the growing market of EO small satellite constellations in VLEO have similar behaviours. This behaviour shows that the evolution of EO smallsat constellations in VLEO is comparable with the evolution of the LCC airlines. In addition, the result also identifies a set of competitive factors that allow the researchers to observe similar strategic behaviour in both markets Peer Reviewed Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::9 - Indústria, Innovació i Infraestructura

Aquesta tesi es desenvolupa en el context de la missió Lunar GNSS Receiver Experiment de la NASA i la ASI, que té com a objectiu demostrar el posicionament, la navegació i el temps basats en GNSS a la Lluna mitjançant el desplegament d'un receptor multiconstel·lació del sistema de navegació per satèl·lit amb cobertura global. El projecte es desplega sota la supervisió del grup NavSAS del Politecnico di Torino. La finalitat del projecte és el desenvolupament d'una aplicació que permeti l'anàlisi i simulació de mesures GNSS sense processar. El software ha de ser modular, flexible i fàcil d'utilitzar. Outgoing

Law and policy provide the foundation for space actors engaging in space activities. Likewise, various levels of policy and regulation apply internationally, domestically, and even institutionally to both governmental and nongovernmental entities. Consequently, teaching the policy frameworks for space regulations and best practices is essential for a comprehensive university curriculum in space education. Challenges arise, however, when instructing technical and non-policy university students in humanities-centered topics. Reading comprehension, writing ability, critical thinking, and communication skills are critical elements of policy education, yet many technically oriented students struggle with these requirements. Given these are fundamental skillsets necessary for success in both academia and a dynamic space work force, adapting traditional teaching methodologies may be required to optimize desired learning outcomes for technical student audiences. Customizable strategies exist that can combine and scale these fundamental skillsets with substantive content and materials, providing a range of teaching and learning modalities for study, assessment, and experience. This presentation will highlight potential learning approaches tried at one aeronautical university to address these challenges. For instance, overarching strategies may include commencing with a visual of the student journey (much like a user journey in an investment pitch) delineating the value-added experience for students engaging in course content, and building substantive skill-based learning components which are introduced sequentially and with increasing level of difficulty. Examples of learning methodologies include applying Bloom’s Taxonomy in assignment creation. Most importantly: 1) Knowledge: involves identifying, understanding and remembering core content (e.g. pop quizzes, reading quizzes, cumulative review quizzes, question bank assessments); 2) Analysis: involves reading comprehension, interpretation, evaluation, analysis (e.g. essays, summaries, case studies); 3) Application: involves investigation, research and designing research projects (e.g. research articles, posters, digital presentations, short videos). Scaffolding assignments and artifacts into manageable pieces throughout the semester is key to guiding students towards success and reducing potential for ‘expert blind spots.’ Lastly, an end-of-course review and self-reflection of the student journey is helpful in underlining the critical thinking process and provide a visual review of the student journey in acquiring substantive knowledge, skills, and experience throughout the term

With increasing global dependence on satellite technology, space traffic has grown exponentially over the last decade. Enhanced education and training of future mission operators will be necessary to meet this growing demand. The complexity of satellite mission operations poses a challenge in education and training. Remote spacecraft are elusive and difficult for a trainee to visualize and involve a steep learning curve. However, the integration of game-based virtual reality into spacecraft simulation and training may assist in overcoming these challenges. This research study explored the integration of game-based virtual reality into a university course involving spacecraft operations. Virtual spacewalks allowed student participants to conduct visual inspections and interact directly with spacecraft components. The immersive virtual reality environment prolonged cognitive engagement and game mechanics influenced motivation, both cornerstones in learning. After completing the training scenarios, user experience was assessed with several validated scales measuring system usability, user satisfaction, cognitive loading, and any potential simulator sickness. Results revealed satisfactory scores in all categories with minimal simulator sickness. The integrated use of game-based virtual reality in the classroom provided an enhanced learning experience in a safe and repeatable environment that might be difficult with traditional teaching methods. This paper will evaluate game-based virtual reality when integrated into higher education or other training environments

The Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya UPC NanoSat Lab is part of the CommSensLab-UPC Specific Research Center of the Department of Signal Theory and Communications, and counts with the support of the School of Telecommunications Engineering (Telecom Barcelona, ETSETB). It is located in the UPC Campus Nord. The lab was originally created in 2007 to promote the testing of novel remote sensors and techniques in space, taking advantage of CubeSats. Over time, the lab has also started the study of Earth-to-space IoT and RF intersatellite link communications, as key enabling technologies for the next revolution of Earth Observation. At the time of writing this abstract, the UPC NanoSat Lab has developed and launched four CubeSats, and is working in three new missions that will be launched in Q4 2022 - Q1 2023. At present, the Lab is developing an "Open PocketQube Kit" for IEEE as a low-cost educational platform on space-related technologies. The lab has also a Class 8 clean room equipped with a shaker and thermal vacuum chamber, and Helmholtz coils, air bearing system, and Sun simulator for attitude determination and control system testing to conduct the environmental tests. Finally, in the MontSec Astronomical Observatory (OAdM),which is managed and operated by IEEC, hosts the UPCNanoSat Lab VHF/UHF and S-band ground station [3], where the data from the 3Cat-5/A satellite where downloaded. Since its inception in 2007, about 300 students have been trained in the lab, either as undergraduate students in the "Advanced Engineering Project" of the ETSETB, as Final Degree or Master Thesis projects, as graduate students, or just for an internship. This paper presents a quick overview of the past, present and future activities of the UPC NanoSat Lab

In the field of space travel, space communications has always presented a slew of obstacles and hurdles that must be overcome in order to complete a successful mission. Space limits inside a satellite or spaceship, vast distances between satellites and ground stations, and a phenomenon known as "Faraday Rotation" in the ionosphere are only a few of the most typical issues. Satellite antennas must be small, compact, efficient, and circularly polarized as a result of the aforementioned issues. The helix antenna is an excellent answer for all of the requirements. In this work we develop a deployment and pointing mechanism of a helix antenna operated with software defined radio algorithms. The features of helix antennas are exceptional, and they are especially suitable for satellite communication. Three coaxial cylinders, two stepper motors, one pulley, and one thread make up a deployment-pointing mechanism. The mechanism deploys the antenna along its longitudinal axis and turns it horizontally towards the ground station. During the flight, the antenna is deployed and retracted. Under different positioning situations, the GPS, an altimeter, and a compass calculate the gondola's position in order to rotate the antenna towards the Ground Station and close the communication link. The antenna's rotation mechanism is triggered by the integrated attitude determination and control system algorithms in order to correct the pointing and orientation towards the Ground Station. The antenna uses software defined radio algorithms to achieve weight and volume reductions while maintaining high efficiency and reconfigurability. The experiment includes a high-definition camera that provides real-time information on the antenna's orientation and condition. SHADE's flight on the BEXUS 28/29 balloon resulted in effective deployment and transmission, as well as the ability to receive and decode transmitted packets. The rotating mechanism met the pointing requirements, and all of the sensor's data was correctly saved to our system. Throughout the trip, there were no signs of thermal risk

Fly Your Satellite!” (FYS) is a recurring programme part of ESA Academy’s portfolio of “hands-on” activities. The programme was established to support University student teams in the development of their own CubeSat missions and aims at transferring knowledge and experience from ESA specialists to students. Selected teams are guided through project reviews and supervised through design consolidation and verification activities, conducted according to ESA professional practice and standards, tailored to fit the scope of university CubeSat projects. As part of the educational goal of the programme, a systematic effort of capturing, discussing and contextualising difficulties, mistakes, and anomalies in general, is carried out. From this effort, the participating students benefit from a unique framework where lessons learned from one project can be transferred to other ones. This exercise is blended with the “regular” transfer of knowledge from the ESA professionals that support the programme and occurs both concurrently (lessons learned from current cycles) and from previous projects (lessons learned from previous cycles). This paper reports a revised and updated collection of lessons learned during phase C/D of the FYS CubeSat projects, in particular the projects now participating in the 2nd cycle (FYS2). At the same time potential changes and mitigating approaches are discussed. Particular focus is given to lessons learned from issues which arose in hardware development activities, as well as from planning and execution of system-level assembly, integration, and verification (AIV) activities. This approach is taken since first-time developers tend to underestimate the number of issues arising when their design is translated from documentation and models into real hardware. In general, it has been observed that many of these issues typically arise from lack of (space) project management experience of the student teams, or from the lack of resources which prevent the application of standard/established methodologies to small satellite/educational projects

Nowadays, lots of opportunities are offered to students to fly their own experiment on board of rockets or balloons. Thanks to those opportunities, young scientists have a chance to experience hands-on project and even to find a vocation: pursuing experimentations on-board of flight missions. However, it can appear, for these young professionals, that flying on board sounding rockets or stratospheric balloons is hard to access or to afford. Yet the opportunities exist and are waiting for them! Space educational programmes enable students to learn, in a short period of time, all phases of a scientific project; a unique chance to experience a full project cycle from objectives’ definition to the publication of the results. Thus, students define mission requirements, design, manufacture, test and finally launch their own experiment! On REXUS/BEXUS [1] for example, students experience an end-to-end project with all disciplines required by a Space project (science, mechanics, electronics, software, system engineering, management, finances, outreach). The concretisation of all efforts occurs during the launch campaign, organised at SSC Esrange (Sweden). The campaign is always an intense period for the participants: high level of concentration, pressure, stress but a massive work that pays off during the flight and after. Usually, this key event enables ideas and improvements to pop up; a prolific event to define the next step of an experiment, maybe on a future mission! Many students start their professional career after the campaign. Despite new ideas and the drive to pursue, a common idea of these young professionals is that it is hard to access to flight opportunities on sounding rockets or stratospheric balloons while not being a student anymore: too expensive to finance a campaign? too complex to organise? who to contact? Many questions that it is time to answer. Yes, it is possible! At SSC, we enable access to stratospheric balloons, sounding rockets and drop tests on a cost-efficient entrance level or fully funded through national and international programmes. One of these examples is the EOSTRE mission [2] (Experiment on Outliving Microorganisms under Stratospheric Environment), developed by FH Aachen University of Applied Sciences (Germany) in collaboration with the University of Oulu (Finland); a former BEXUS team that developed its own balloon mission, launched successfully from Esrange in March 2020. Several former students from REXUS/BEXUS have joined professional opportunities, such as the HEMERA [3] programme, with the experiments GRASS from INAF (Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica) and STRAINS (Sapienza University, Rome) and launched it from Esrange in September 2021. Today, SSC is also offering ride share opportunities on sounding rockets with the programme SubOrbital Express [4]; first successful launch was in June 2019 on board MASER 14 (S1X-1). Opportunities are still open for the next missions in fall 2022 (S1X-3) and in 2023 (S1X-4)

Faculty members, undergraduate and graduate students of the School of Communication and Aerospace Engineering (Polytechnical University of Catalonia) are participating in a series of studies to determine the thermospheric density. These studies involve planning a space mission, designing and constructing small satellites, and performing related data analysis. This article presents a method for determining the thermospheric density and summarises the academic context in which we develop our work. Several studies have reported the existence of a downtrend in thermospheric density, with relative values ranging from –2% to –7% per decade. Although it is well known that solar and geomagnetic activity are the main drivers of the variations of the thermospheric density, this downtrend was reported to be caused by the rise of greenhouse gases. We present an update of this progression, considering the last solar cycle (2009-2021) and using Two-Line Elements sets (TLE) of 1U CubeSats and the spherical satellites ANDE-2. TLEs were used to propagate the orbits numerically using SGP4 (Simplified General Perturbations), and then compute the average density between two consecutive TLEs by integrating the appropriate differential equation. Then, using the NRLMSISE-00 (Picone 2002) and JB2008 (Bowman 2008) atmospheric models, we calculated an average density deviation per year. We built a comprehensive time series of the thermospheric density values, ranging from 1967 to the present. We merged Emmert (2015) thermospheric density data and our results computed both with NRLMSISE-00 and with JB2008. A linear regression on the combined dataset yields a decreasing trend of –5.1% per decade. We also studied the geomagnetic and solar activity to isolate the possible greenhouse gasses effect during the considered period. Our results show a strong correlation between geomagnetic activity and density deviation near the solar minima, and we propose that the cause of the previously reported long-term density deviation could be a poor adjustment of the effects of geomagnetic activity. Finally, we proved that orbital information from small satellites could be efficiently used to assess the evolution of thermospheric density variations. Additional data obtained from future missions (as the one proposed by our group) will eventually allow a better characterisation of the atmospheric density and help disentangle the possible greenhouse gasses effects on its variations

This article describes EnduroSat’s Space Educational modules which are used to physically simulate radio wave communication in space applications for small satellite missions. The educational modules generate physical ultra high frequency radio waves and recreate the conditions of the environment. They can also simulate the effects of S-band and X-band frequencies by changing the losses accordingly while the physical simulation remains at ultra high frequencies. They are intended for practical hands-on exercises of students in the space communications sector. The modules utilize the same equipment currently used in space and are used to experimentally analyze the link budget, noises and error rate of signal. Simulating a given configuration of a satellite and ground station’s parameters with them exposes the system’s vulnerabilities and its reliability when transmitting signals. The system consists of two identical transceiver modules that can emit and receive information in the form of radio waves, and a free space propagation simulator module. Each of the modules connects via Universal Serial Bus to a host computer with the simulation software. In this paper we present the modules and some of their uses for education

The low representation of women (~33%) in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) careers is extremely concerning and cultivates male-dominant cultures across a variety of academic and professional disciplines. In Spain, only 39% of national projects are led by women, thus evidencing the so-called “leaking pipeline”, that is, the tendency of women and other underrepresented groups to eventually abandon STEM-related fields. This social disequilibrium is particularly strong in the international space sector, where women represent less than ~20% of the workforce. The Hypatia I mission —a multi-generational and multi-disciplinary crew of 9 female scientists— seeks to help address this problem. In April 2023, the Hypatia I crew will participate in a two-week Martian analog mission at the Mars Desert Research Station (Utah, United States) with the goal of (i) performing high-quality space-related research in a simulation environment, (ii) conducting outreach and science communication activities, and most importantly, (iii) promoting female role models in STEM-related fields and inspiring future generations of scientists, particularly young girls interested in space careers

The Stuttgart Space Station Design Workshop, aimed at university students and young professionals, focuses on the conceptual design of a space station in an interdisciplinary and international environment within a limited timeframe. It lasts about one week and has been carried out by the Institute of Space Systems – University of Stuttgart for over 20 years. The goal of the workshop, besides its educational purpose, is to obtain creative solutions from the future generation of space experts. For the participants, the SSDW offers a unique opportunity for learning by doing and to get involved in a space project. Participants do not only need to apply their knowledge obtained during their university courses but also to put in practice and improve soft skills. The workshop starts with some lectures in relevant fields such as Project Management, Systems Engineering, as well as the different subsystems, for example Life Support. The participants are then divided into two teams. To monitor the teams’ progress several milestones and reviews are planned during the week. Several tools, guides, recipes and experts are available during the workshop. Within the team, each member has a specific role, which is defined before the workshop starts, allowing preparation. The mission statement of the workshop changes every year, adapting to the current plans on human spaceflight exploration. The results of the last editions have been presented at international renowned conferences. In 2020, due to the current COVID-19 situation the workshop was cancelled. In 2021, with increasing vaccination rates in Europe, the situation had improved. However, carrying out such an international in-person workshop was still not an option. For that, the core team decided to carry out for the first time the SSDW in a digital form. Adapting the existing workshop to a digital form presented many challenges but at the same time offered many opportunities. This version has allowed to join participants and staff, that would not have been able to attend in-person, and has also opened new possibilities of communication, using currently existing tools. This paper first introduces the main characteristics of the workshop before it presents a comparison between the 2019 edition, which took place in-person, and the 2021 edition, the first digital SSDW. It summarizes the activities that took place during the one-week workshop, the tools used, and the feedback provided by the participants and staff

Mubody is an astrodynamics open-source Python library focused on the libration points. Such points result from the equilibrium of the gravitational forces between two massive bodies as the Sun and Earth, for example. The library is mainly intended for the generation of orbits in these regions, which is not a straightforward process, specially if perturbations are considered. Currently, the library allows to generate Lissajous orbits in the second Lagrange point of the Sun-Earth system under the influence of perturbations such as the Earth orbit eccentricity. The next milestone, as a result of a master student work, is the incorporation of Halo orbits and the expansion to all three collinear libration points from any two massive bodies of the Solar System. This tool has been developed as part of a PhD, motivated by the need of performing mission analysis in libration point regions. Nevertheless, since its creation it has also proven to be an excellent academic tool for both enhancing the library itself and using its results for further studies (collision risk, thermal analysis, formation flight control, etc). As a result, the tool has rapidly evolved, building onto the knowledge and experience that the students gather while working on their academic projects (bachelor’s degree dissertations, master theses, subjects, internships). The participation on the library development provides students with experience in orbital mechanics, software design, version control and it compels them to ensure that their work can be readily used by others as it is properly documented. The project is hosted in GitLab under a MIT licence

Galileo navigation system is composed by a constellation of MEO satellites for PNT service, transmitting navigation signals in E5, E6 and E1 frequency bands. SENER has been in the Galileo Space Segment since the In-Orbit Validation phase (IOV), being responsible for the design, development, manufacturing, assembly, integration and test of 90 flight units to the Galileo constellation, including Search and Rescue Antennas, Search and Rescue Transponders, Mission Receivers and S-band Antennas for both In-Orbit Validation (IOV) and Full Operational Capability (FOC) phases. Currently Galileo 2nd Generation (G2G) Satellites are under development by Airbus and Thales with two parallel Contracts funded by the European Commission

The DEAR project (Dusty Environment Application Research) investigates the interaction between lunar regolith and surfaces and components relevant for lunar exploration. Based on the TUBS regolith simulant which is representative in chemistry, size and shape properties to Moon soils to study the regolith transport, adhesion and strategies for cleaning. The regolith simulant will be applied to thermal, structural, optical sensor, sealing and other astronautic systems, providing input for requirements, justification and verification. The key applications are split in human space flight regolith investigations, wrinkled surface with random movement and hardware surfaces, flat material defined movement. The paper provides an overview of the DEAR project including a discussion of the first results, in particular vibration, shock and micro-vibration on regolith bearing surfaces. The investigation shall enable better understand the regolith layers interaction and the release mechanism, as well as potential cross contamination and cleaning strategies. The research is complemented by simulation of the regolith motion as parameter surface plasma interactions. The project is funded and supported by the European Space Agency (ESA). DEAR specifically addresses the development and testing of lunar dust removal strategies on optics, mechanisms and human space flight hardware (e.g., space suits). As the Moons regolith is known to be highly abrasive, electrically chargeable, and potentially chemically reactive, lunar dust might reduce the performance of hardware, such as cameras, thermal control surfaces and solar cells. The dust can cause malfunction on seals for on/off mechanisms or space suits. Of particular interest are risk assessment, avoidance, and cleaning techniques such as the use of electric fields to remove lunar dust from surfaces. Representative dust (e.g., regolith analogues of interesting landing sites) will be used in a dedicated test setup to evaluate risks and effects of lunar dust. We describe designs and methods developed by the DEAR consortium to deal with the regolith-related issues, in particular an electrode design to deflect regolith particles, cleaning of astronautical systems with CO2, design of a robotic arm for the testing within the DEAR chamber, regolith removal via shock, and regolith interaction with cleanroom textiles

Throughout the last decade a renewed interest for lunar space exploration has been expressed through the announcements of many ambitious missions such as Artemis. Annually the Space Station Design Workshop (SSDW) tasks students and young professionals to design a space station concept in a con-current engineering environment. In line with the elevated interest on the Moon this year's SSDW was centred around a self-sustainable lunar habitat. This paper presents the conceptual design of Team Blue at the SSDW 2021. Advanced Moon Operations and Resource Extraction (AMORE) is conceptu-alized as a public-private cooperation for the creation of a lunar platform that acts as an outpost for human exploration and robotic In-situ Resources Utilization (ISRU). AMORE’s proposed location is near the rim of Shackleton Crater at the Lunar South Pole. This location provides opportunities in science and ISRU and favourable sun coverage and thermal conditions. The terrain offers a natural shield for debris and storage advantages for ISRU. The mission architecture allows for incremental crew size increase through a modular dome structure, an initial prioritization of ISRU and a sustainable resource management strategy. Based on the identified system requirements, the initial configuration envisions one core module and two modular structures that would serve as greenhouses or living spaces. The phasing of the base assembly is designed to allow for adequate conditions of an increasing crew size capacity. The greenhouse modules are designed to provide all required oxygen and most required food supply. The modules are constructed using lightweight inflatable structures, while a regolith shell will provide radiation as well as thermal and micrometeorite protection. For reliable communication, a cus-tom relay network named Lunar Earth Telecommand Telemetry Relay (LETTER) is proposed. The mis-sion architecture analysis includes several methods to financially utilize the mission. These include a range of services on the lunar surface such as training facilities for deep space missions, leasing habitats to other Moon explorers, and performing scientific and technological demonstrations. A variety of rovers will be used throughout the mission that will assist in various aspects. In addition to this, a scalable hybrid power generation system that utilizes the abundant sunlight and nuclear energy assures a suffi-cient power supply throughout the entire mission lifetime. This research presents a holistic architecture for a Moon base, which provides an approach to initially utilize the Moon. Within this context, the mission concept is primarily based on already existing or currently in-development technologies. Hence, AMORE offers an approach for a financially and technologically feasible as well as a continuous and expandable human presence on the lunar surface

Per a descobrir la viabilitat de la creació i transport d'un hàbitat per altres mons, cal realitzar infinitud d'estudis per poder portar-ho a la realitat. Aquest projecte se centrarà en el disseny i dimensionament d'un hàbitat, en la destinació dels espais i la maquinària mínima necessària per a la vida en altres indrets del sistema solar. Per començar el projecte s'haurà de trobar quin mitjà de transport podrà portar l'habitacle fins a la Lluna, d'aquest haurem d'obtenir la càrrega útil i dimensions màximes admissibles. En el moment que sapiguem com arribar, seria crucial buscar una font d'energia, la qual aportarà electricitat a tota la maquinària destinada al suport de vida i als aparells d'ús quotidià. En dissenyar l'habitacle caldrà saber a quins riscos estarà exposat, cal remarcar que la Lluna és considerat un medi extrem, on hi ha grans nivells de radiació còsmica i materials tòxics pels humans. També cal dir que la falta per descobrir molta informació sobre el nostre satèl·lit, com l'estabilitat del terra, ubicació d'aigua, zones en foscor continua tot això també suposa un risc. La selecció de materials serà rellevant per aquesta missió, ja que s'haurà d'escollir els que tinguin majors prestacions amb la menor densitat possible, per mantenir un baix pes. També s'haurà de tindre en compte els materials que s'utilitzaran per a protegir-se de les temperatures extremes, la radiació i els impactes dels meteorits. Un cop hàgim seleccionat el material estructural es podrà procedir al dimensionament de les bigues estructurals gràcies a càlculs teòrics els quals seran comprovats amb simulacions. Si les simulacions són positives el pas següent, serà el càlcul del pes de l'estructura. I serà sumat el pes de la maquinària, mobiliari, alimentació i aigua i oxigen. Un cop el pes total sigui calculat serà comparat amb la càrrega màxima admissible i en el cas que sigui inferior, sabrem que la missió podria ser viable. En cas afirmatiu, es podrà pressupostar el capital mínim In order to discover the feasibility of developing and transporting a habitat to other worlds, it’s necessary to analyze and create a lot of different studies to bring this to reality. This project focuses on the design and sizing of a habitat, the analyze of the best location of rooms and the minimum machines and devices needed for life in other spaces of the solar system. In order to start this project, we should find the best way to transport the living space from the Earth to the Moon, and to analyze the range of maximum payload and allowable dimensions. Once we know how to arrive, it would be crucial to look for a source of energy, that will provide electricity to the life support devices and to the domestic appliances. When designing the living structure, it will be necessary to know the risks to which it will be exposed to, as the Moon is considered an extreme environment with high levels of cosmic radiation and toxic materials for human beings. We should also have in mind that there is a relevant lack of information regarding our satellite as the stability of the land, the water location and the areas in permanent darkness that add additional risks to our project. The selection of materials will be most relevant for this mission, as the maximum performance with the lowest possible density has to be selected, in order to maintain a low level of load. The chosen materials must protect against extreme temperatures, radiation, and meteorite impacts. Once the structural material has been selected, we should start sizing the structural elements using theoretical calculations that will be verified simulations. If the simulations are positive, the next step will be calculating the weight of the structure, algo taking into consideration, the weight of the machines, furniture, food, water, and oxygen. Once the total weight has been calculated, it needs to be compared to the maximum allowable load and, in the event that is still lower, we will know that the mission cou

Nowadays, the interest in setting up a human base outside the Earth has set its sight on our satellite. Aiming to the intention of building a Human Lunar Base, humans have launched several missions in order to improve lunar research. Rovers and probes have landed on the Moon and obtained promising results from their findings and explorations. Despite the success in research on the satellite using rovers, the operations at the Moon with rovers require the endurance of those during the lunar night. The night on the Moon is a period during which temperatures reach about 100 K due to the absence of sunlight, given the slow rotation rate of the satellite. Due to these severe conditions in the lunar environment, rovers performing long-duration missions are required a heat source. The Thermal Wadi concept is a device that sustains rovers¿ temperature during cold lunar nights, and can be built from in-situ lunar materials. The usage of in-situ resources utilization (ISRU) to build the system solves the adversities that Radioisotope Power Systems ¿the current system used for space exploration maintenance¿ have. Representing a significant reduction in the cost of lunar missions, ISRU is key in the future of space exploration. The aim of this work is to design, simulate and analyze a thermal system to sustain long-term missions for rovers on the Moon. The arrangement of the system and the energy provided by it will be described and analyzed during this project. The main goal is to implement the Thermal Wadi concept and combine prior research results to assess the most possibly optimized system. Also, the manufacturing of all the elements with ISRU materials will be prioritized and evaluated, in order to study the best condition on the lunar surface. This project could serve for future implementation of a Human Lunar Base using the Thermal Wadi as one of its thermal systems.

Space debris is a currently increasing aerospace problem. Several organizations and space agencies put a great effort in time and resources for their detection and follow up. However, given the overwhelming number of space junk debris and the great variety of sizes, it surpasses the capabilities of any particular project. Small optical telescopes, such as the Joan Or¿o Telescope at the Montsec Astronomical Facilities and JAST80 at the Jalavalambre Observatory may contribute to alleviate this problem. In this thesis, an initial general review of space debris detection is presented, especially focused on the detection and observation with small optical telescopes. Then, with the use of open software, ORDEM 3.1 from NASA, a set of simulations is performed in order to reproduce the observable characteristics of space debris, such as different orbital parameters, debris sizes and configurations. These simulations are adapted to the Joan Or¿o Telescope, at the Parc Observatori de Montsec and the JAST80, at the Observatorio Astronomico de Javalambre, in order to elucidate the possibility of observing such objects. The study is done using two types of coordinate systems for observations: equatorial and altazimuth, both implemented in Montsec and Javalambre. To check the viability of the thesis, our results are compared to those from real studies that have been done with optical telescope, particularly the Zimmerwald telescope for GEO debris, and Mt. Haleakala and Diego Garcia island telescopes for LEO debris. Finally, as main results we can point out that equatorial coordinates system presents the capability of detecting brightest objects, specifically in Montsec. On the other hand, altazimuth coordinate system shows the possibility of detecting faintest objects and in particular in Javalambre observatory. The detectable objects will range from tiny objects (1 cm) to large objects (more than 1 m of diameter).

The aerospace sector has always been a challenge. The complex nature of the field requires for talented, skilful engineers. And while the university does great on the development of the theoretical background, it barely gets into the practical application. This is why embracing educational activities is critical to help students develop their technical and teamwork skills in the professional sector. UPC Space Program is an engineering student association based in the Terrassa campus of the Polytechnical University of Catalonia (Spain), and formed by 5 missions and 80 members. Each mission targets a field of interest in the space sector: rocketry, UAVs for space exploration, High Altitude Balloons, rovers and CubeSats. The sharing of the common spaces by such a number of people who are working on so many and diverse projects creates a vibrant and creative environment that incites learning. Our work is aligned with the current activities in the space sector. As the exploration of the terrestrial bodies of the Solar System highly benefits from the use of rovers, our Grass mission is focused on the development of planetary exploration rovers. After achieving 10th place in the European Rover Challenge 2021, the objective is to further upgrade the vehicle for the next edition. But currently, a new exploration focus is appearing as flying vehicles are entering the stage. In this context, our Aldora mission is based around a concept mission to Titan via an autonomous plane capable of deploying scientific probes. Obviously, space exploration is not possible without the presence of space transport vehicles. In this matter, Ares mission is focused on the development of High Power amateur rockets. Currently, Ares is developing a supersonic rocket set to participate in EUROC 2022 competition. But most of the payloads carried by rockets are satellites. In this field, the Horus mission aims to investigate and optimize the manufacture of a CubeSat, along with mission performance, to create a fully operational satellite, currently set to participate in the Europe to Space competition. Finally, there is yet another way to perform space science. Our Zephyros mission works in the development of High Altitude Balloons, also developing a set of experiments to test in near-space conditions. The next objective is to achieve the first student-developed zero pressure balloon in Spain

The Chair of Space Technology at TU Berlin continuously develops new satellite technology and software that is verified and used in various missions in orbit. 27 satellites were launched as of 2022. Many of these satellites by far outreach their design lifetime and work until today. At the same time, an increasing number of satellites not only in the academic domain is demanding for qualified operators. Hence, some of the satellites at TU Berlin are not fully operated anymore. To enable an efficient and sustainable use of those satellites, a novel hands-on student-driven project was implemented in order to utilize these aged but functional satellites to train a new generation of satellite operators. In this lecture course, students with various backgrounds are introduced to the basics of satellite operations by student tutors. Using a laboratory model of a CubeSat as a hardware-in-the-loop operations simulation, participants can collect first experiences in the university’s own Mission Control Center (MCC). Besides theoretical and practical foundations of satellite operations they gain skills in managing and coordinating satellite missions. After finishing the basic course in a theoretical and practical operations test, students qualify to participate in the advanced project giving them the opportunity to work with and operate the available satellites in orbit under supervision. Each semester, several interdisciplinary teams conduct experiments such as Earth Observation scenarios or work on related tasks like the improvement of the operations software or Human Factors of satellite operations. The pandemic has posed new challenges to this innovative educational concept, but was also a motivation to find alternative ways to teach satellite operations. The setup of simulated operations in the MCC was transformed into a combined setup of remote access and video conference. In this way, students are enabled to practice satellite operations from home. Theoretical lectures are prepared as screencasts. Further, the advanced project work was transferred to a remote manner. Students planned satellite scenarios from home, which subsequently were conducted by the student tutors, who provided the acquired telemetry data to the participants for analysis. Among the results of the project are several images with the focus on environmental monitoring of Earth, a software update for a satellite and the continuous analysis and documentation of degradation of components that have been in orbit for many years. These achievements do not only provide exciting hands-on classes and new skills to the students but often even contribute to the institution’s research

The ESA Academy is the ESA Education Office’s overarching programme for university students. The Academy’s portfolio consists of both ‘hands-on’ activities, and a Training and Learning Programme. Conventionally both of these elements involve a significant number of in person events, for example training sessions, workshops and test and launch campaigns. The educational nature and practical aspects of such events has traditionally necessitated in person participation. Additionally, most of the Academy’s ‘hands-on’ programmes revolve around student teams designing, building, testing and operating an experiment or spacecraft, activities which rely on the availability and delivery of commercial components, and access to manufacturing, testing and launch facilities, and laboratories. In March 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic, and associated restrictions, began to take hold in Europe, nearly all the ESA Academy programmes were affected. Despite the challenges, the Academy continued to deliver activities, and the student teams participating in the Academy’s programmes continued to achieve major milestones, including launching experiments to the ISS, CubeSat testing and launch and execution of micro- and hyper-gravity experiments. This paper explores the challenges faced during COVID-19 and how both the programmes and the students participating in the programmes adapted to meet their educational, scientific, and technical goals. Furthermore, the longer-term adaptation of some of these changes into the future execution of the programmes is discussed

The Satellite for Orbital Aerodynamics Research (SOAR) is a 3U CubeSat that has been designed to investigate the aerodynamic performance of different materials and perform demonstrations of aerodynamic attitude control manoeuvres in very low Earth orbit (VLEO). SOAR was deployed from the ISS on 14th June 2021 into a naturally decaying orbit and deorbited on 14th March 2022. This paper provides an overview of the operations performed during the mission and presents preliminary experimental results obtained from this spacecraft. SOAR was designed and launched within the frame of DISCOVERER, a Horizon 2020 project that aimed to support the development of a new class of commercially viable spacecraft operating in VLEO, i.e., orbits below 450 km in altitude. Operating in these lower altitude orbits has several benefits to the design of spacecraft, particularly for Earth observation and communications applications. However, development of spacecraft that can operate sustainably at these altitudes requires advancement in foundational technologies, for example atmosphere-breathing electric propulsion (ABEP) and novel aerodynamic materials. The primary aim of SOAR was to characterise the aerodynamic performance of different materials at very low altitudes and accomplished this task using a set of steerable fins that exposed different materials to the oncoming flow and an ion and neutral mass spectrometer (INMS) to provide in-situ measurements of atmospheric properties. SOAR was also designed to perform novel aerodynamic attitude control manoeuvres and measurements of thermospheric winds. Two of the materials carried to orbit were selected for their atomic oxygen erosion resistance and potential improvement in aerodynamic performance. The identification of such materials would allow for a reduction in the drag experienced in VLEO, the design of atmospheric intakes with greater efficiency used for ABEP, and implementation of enhanced aerodynamic attitude and orbit control. Ongoing ground-based experimentation seeks to further characterise the properties of such materials and to deepen our understanding of the physical interaction mechanisms that occur in the rarefied flow environment of VLEO.

Very Low Earth Orbits (VLEOs), those below 450 km, present a number of benefits and challenges for the development and operation of Earth observation spacecraft at both the system and mission level. This paper examines the design of constellations of satellites for operation in VLEO for Earth observation considering both system and mission level trade-offs. The resulting analysis identifies general design trends and proposes suitable mission architectures for Earth observation from VLEO. The principal benefit for satellites operating in VLEO is that the reduction in the distance to the Earth’s surface allows better imaging resolution to be achieved using smaller and less powerful payloads. This has corresponding benefits for the system mass and cost. However, the sustained and controlled operation of spacecraft in VLEO is challenging due to the increased atmospheric density at these altitudes, which increases propulsive and attitude control requirements. Technologies to facilitate the commercially viable operation of spacecraft in VLEO are currently being developed, for example materials to facilitate drag-reduction and aerodynamic control and atmosphere-breathing electric propulsion systems (ABEP), each of which influence the design of other sub-systems, requiring, for example, varying levels of power or new geometric considerations. At the mission level, the reduction in altitude has a generally negative influence on the coverage and revisit characteristics of a given satellite. However, deployment of these satellites in constellations can provide improvements in the overall system metrics. Systems operating in VLEO may also benefit from improved launch vehicle capability and assured end-of-life deorbit. It is clear, therefore, that important and non-intuitive trade-offs between the satellite platform design, constellation configuration, and total cost arise in the design of these systems. This paper uses combined platform-level system modelling and mission analysis to explore the design of constellations of satellites in VLEO for Earth observation and demonstrates the necessity of a holistic approach to mission and system design when considering operations in VLEO.

This project covers the entire design, construction, and release of a software artifact written in Python, which features a graphical user interface, and a MATLAB astrodynamics core. The software is to be used on mission design tasks, mainly focused on sustained human interplanetary mission design.

The dissertation main purpose is to design, validate and evaluate the performance of an ultra-low noise magnetometer based on an Anisotropic Magnetoresistance. The overall study covers insights over sub-millihertz frequencies, from theoretical and experimental inherent sensor noise performance to magnetic field measurements. The totality of the project intends to contribute to the Institute of Space Studies of Catalonia (IEEC) research for the development of the sensing equipment for the European Space Agency first space-based gravitational wave observatory called LISA. The mission will enhance our knowledge about the beginning, evolution, and structure of the Universe, grasping data from gravitational wave sources that are of strong interest to astrophysics, from black holes and galaxy formation to tests of general relativity and cosmology, detecting gravitational waves coming from colossal objects such as merging supermassive black holes at the cores of massive galaxies. However, the electromagnetic field coming from the spacecraft electronics could disturb the gravitational waves measurements, where this dissertation takes over. First and foremost, the project is put into context, introducing the nature of the gravitational waves and the need for their detection. Furthermore, the thesis presents the mission noise requirements, analysing the most suitable space-based magnetic sensor. Subsequently, the dissertation analyses, theoretically and experimentally, the anisotropic magnetoresistance performance, with the subsequent study of the magnetic field measurement and the evaluation of the back-action effect. The project has been built on the extensive previous effort made by the IEEC and its team, where further work will be done to conclude with this international project.

Space missions need software in order to be aware of the occurrence of geometric events in different phases of their project lifecycle. However, current software packages that provide capabilities to search for geometric events might lack desirable software qualities such as extensibility and reusability, and some conflate the definition of events with the search for the same. In order to improve the state of the art, we propose a framework named Tychonis that, via metamodeling techniques and conscious use of object-oriented design best practices, (i) can integrate with current and future mission software, (ii) enables end-users to extend opportunities and search algorithms without modifying the tools that use the framework, and (iii) promotes the cross-mission reusability of the framework and its extensions. These attributes make it less costly for projects to develop software to search for geometric events. Tychonis is provided as a software library that allows missions to add their own data structures and constructs to the framework, including geometric event types and search algorithms. This is accomplished with Tychonis’ use of the Eclipse Modeling Framework (EMF) to capture its metamodel, which enables the generation of Java classes that represent built-in or user-developed Tychonis constructs. In the present paper, we elaborate on the impetus for the development of Tychonis, present its proposed design and use, and discuss growth opportunities for future consideration.

The main objective of this project is to introduce the necessary knowledge to be able to establish a reception of messages mainly from CubeSats. For this, previously topics such as telemetry and the radioelectric spectrum are addressed. Furthermore, some satellite monitoring stations are presented and the status of the current Terrassa Ground Station is introduced. In order to put the objective into practice, a detailed theoretical study is approached to develop an extension of the current Terrassa Ground Station to achieve the transmission and reception of signals in the VHF and S frequency bands. Finally, the project includes the actual installation of a first stage of the complete study, with which it has been possible to capture signals from the International Space Station module

The main objective of this thesis is to use the satellite ground station located on campus of ESEIAAT, Terrassa Ground Station, to receive and decode the messages transmitted by OPS-SAT, a nanosatellite built around the CubeSat standard, operated by the European Space Agency (ESA). To achieve this, TGS will be brought back to an operational state, since it has been unused for prolonged periods of time, and a remote control system will be implemented to facilitate its use. In addition, the theoretical design of a hardware upgrade that will allow the use of a single antenna to transmit and receive messages will performed, and the required components, located and purchased

Nowadays, the Earth Observation market segment is increasing and it is expected to keep growing during the next years. For optimising expenses, recently the Very Low Earth Orbits started being researched. Linked to that, the DISCOVERER programme appeared. This European project aims to develop game-changing technologies for improving Very Low Earth Orbits satellites performance. This thesis aims to qualitatively evaluate how the application of the DISCOVERER technologies could improve the Very Low Earth Orbits satellites for Earth Observation purposes. In order to do so, this project aims to develop various possible value proposition canvas and identify the potential customers for the cases studies applying the DISCOVERER technologies

The future plans of the space agencies all across the globe, mainly focus on the advance of the Extravehicular Activities (EVAs) that are orientated in the repair and maintenance of the space vehicles. This thesis presents a brief history of the space suits (EMU, Orlan-M) utilized in space applications and the propulsion units (Hand-Held Maneuvering Unit, Manned Maneuvering Unit and the Simplified Aid for Extravehicular Activity Rescue-SAFER which is currently being used for performing self-rescue maneuvers, in the case the EVA crew member becomes untethered from the orbiter) that have been used during the space activities. After introducing the space environment and the critical conditions that surround the astronaut during these activities, the fundamentals of the Cold Gas Propulsion Systems on which the function of the SAFER propulsion unit is based, are presented. The aim of this thesis is to perform a performance analysis of the SAFER propulsion unit, with the extraction of the basic space propulsion concepts, i.e. thrust, specific impulse, etc. and the verification of the produced results with the technical characteristics of the unit. The orbital dynamics applying on the astronaut during an EVA are also being studied in this thesis, starting from the scenario where the crew member becomes untethered and floats freely in the vacuum of space and at the same time, examining the case where the SAFER propulsion unit is being activated for the performance of the self-rescue maneuver, and the return of the astronaut to the orbiter.

The Satellite for Orbital Aerodynamics Research (SOAR) is a CubeSat mission, due to be launched in 2021, to investigate the interaction between different materials and the atmospheric flow regime in very low Earth orbits (VLEO). Improving knowledge of the gas-surface interactions at these altitudes and identification of novel materials that can minimise drag or improve aerodynamic control are important for the design of future spacecraft that can operate in lower altitude orbits. Such satellites may be smaller and cheaper to develop or can provide improved Earth observation data or communications link-budgets and latency. Using precise orbit and attitude determination information and the measured atmospheric flow characteristics the forces and torques experienced by the satellite in orbit can be studied and estimates of the aerodynamic coefficients calculated. This paper presents the scientific concept and design of the SOAR mission. The methodology for recovery of the aerodynamic coefficients from the measured orbit, attitude, and in-situ atmospheric data using a least-squares orbit determination and free-parameter fitting process is described and the experimental uncertainty of the resolved aerodynamic coefficients is estimated. The presented results indicate that the combination of the satellite design and experimental methodology are capable of clearly illustrating the variation of drag and lift coefficient for differing surface incidence angle. The lowest uncertainties for the drag coefficient measurement are found at approximately 300 km, whilst the measurement of lift coefficient improves for reducing orbital altitude to 200 km., Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures. Accepted for publication in Acta Astronautica (2020-12-14)

The return of the idea of going to the Moon throughout the last years has motivated the development of studies related with the design of lunar manned missions. This thesis covers di erent aspects related with the choice of the proper mission architecture and the manoeuvres performed during the journey, based in the approach followed by the Apollo missions. Firstly, the main alternatives presented during the development of the program and the decision criteria are explained in order to justify the election of the Lunar Orbit Rendezvous mode and discuss how this choice would have changed if it had to be taken nowadays. On the other side, an study of the main phases, using the Patched Conics Approximation to analyse the di erent orbital manoeuvres, is performed. Also, the lunar descent and ascent, and the re-entry into the atmosphere of the Earth are introduced in this study. Finally, all this results are validated using the real parameters of the mission Apollo 11

The sky has been always in the mind of humans, as a target, a challenge and a source of knowledge. In the late 20th century, the Human Race has managed to significantly improve technology aimed at the exploration of space and the acquisition of knowledge about the Solar System and beyond it. However, knowledge can be also acquired from Earth in a easier and cheaper way. With the intention of providing and completing scientific information about Jupiter and Saturn, particularly its atmospheric nature and dynamics, this thesis is carried out. This file is the result of a thesis based on the study of numerical simulations about phenomena observed in the Gas Giants. Firstly, it establishes a reference frame about Jupiter and Saturn which includes the most relevant information about the planets such their characteristics, nature, phenomena and performed exploration. The introduction is focused on the atmosphere of the planets and the phenomena which has been observed to take place there. In addition, some characteristics about the dynamics that govern them are also presented. Once the scientific reference frame is established a general explanation about the physical model used in the software is explained. This part of the report provides the main equations and few details regarding model and the computational aspect, which have to be considered. In third place, the different cases studied in the simulations are explained. Each case presents the scientific reference followed and then presents the methodology used and results obtain as well as some comments about them. At the end, the conclusions and recommendations for the follow up of the study are given, together with an economic and environmental study.

In these days it seems that, in another context, a new space race has began withthe objective of reaching Mars with humans on board for the first time. Exempli-fied by various agencies and private companies’ efforts, such as NASA orSpaceX,at this same moment their projects are mainly focused on developing the necessarymeans to reach the red planet as soon as possible. For this reason, this study aimsto develop the necessary tools to analyse every phase of an Earth to Mars missionfocusing on NASA’s proposed mission architecture. So, would it be feasible to bringhumans to Mars using the suggested timelines and technologies?To try to answer to this question, this thesis attempts to develop a series of soft-ware gadgets using numerical methods, with the purpose of obtaining a set of dataregarding the existent launch opportunities to travel from Earth to Mars througha specified date range. The study also includes the design of a series of graphicalinterfaces to support the analysis of the manoeuvres to be performed in a missionof this characteristics. Thus, with the initial obtained information and with theassistance of the developed tools, two mission timelines including the analysis ofevery manoeuvre to be performed have been defined and presented in this report;one of them according to NASA’sDesign Reference Architecture, while the otherone suggests an architecture aimed to create a one million population city on Mars’soil.The results obtained indicate that a powerful analysis tool for inspecting the pre-liminary phases of a space mission design has been developed in this thesis, fulfillingthe mandatory requirements and being useful to study any space mission to Marsin the future

L’any 1951 Arthur C. Clarke escriptor mes conegut com l’autor de la novel·la “2001 una odissea en el espai” pública l’obra “Les arenes de Mart” el qual narra la historia d’un escriptor que viatja en la primera nau que fa el trajecte entre la Terra i el Planeta Vermell. Així doncs, ja des de el segle passat l’interès pel planeta vermell per l’esser humà esdevingué en un exercici de creativitat. Actualment, la NASA s’ha proposat portar a la humanitat a Mart en el any 2033, i es que independentment de l’any en que l’home arribi a Mart en aquest futur proper, hi ha un pas previ que cal fer, colonitzar la Lluna. Partint d’aquesta premissa, el present document te com a objectiu principal el desenvolupament conceptual d’un vehicle pel transport d’astronautes en la superfície de la Lluna. D’aquesta manera es mostren les diferents etapes implicades des del naixement de la idea fins la conceptualització, així com el processos de fabricació implicats i l’impacte ambiental provocat per aquets mateixos. Per tal de dur a terme aquesta tasca, l’autor a utilitzat recursos d’investigació com, patents, fitxes tècniques, catàlegs i l’anàlisi d’antecedents per consolidar una base sobre la qual treballar. Donat que el vehicle present te com a finalitat el transport d’astronautes i l’exploració de la superfície Lunar implica conèixer les característiques de l’entorn hostil de la Lluna així com les necessitats fisiològiques dels propis astronautes. Des d’aquest punt de partida, s’apliquen eines especifiques del grau de Disseny Industrial i Desenvolupament del Producte per tal de confeccionar una proposta vàlida conceptual que satisfà els requisits implicats en la naturalesa d’un vehicle com aquest. In the year 1951 Arthur C. Clarke more known as the author of the novel “2001 an Odyssey in the space” public work “The Sands of Mars” which tells the Story of a writer who traveled in the first ship that makes the journey between Earth and the Red Planet. So, since last century, interest in the red Planet for human beings became a creative exercise. Currently, NASA has proposed to bring humanity to Mars in the year 2033, and it is that regardless of the year the man arrives on Mars in the near future, there is a previous step to be done, colonize the moon. Based on this premise, this document has as its main objective the conceptual development of a vehicle for the transport of astronauts on the Surface of the moon. In this way we show the different stages involved from the birth of the idea to the conceptualization, as well as the manufacturing processes involved and the environmental impact caused by these same ones. In order to carry out this task, the author has used research resources such as patents, technical specifications, catalogues and background analysis to consolidate a basis on which to work. Since the present vehicle has the purpose of transporting astronauts and the exploration of the Lunar Surface implies knowing the characteristics of the moon’s hostile environment and physiological needs of the astronauts themselves. From this starting point, specific tools for the degree in industrial design and product development are applied to create a valid concept that satisfies the requirements involved in the nature of a vehicle like this.

Space is going through a new evolution, where the objectives are much more ambitious than before thanks to the new technologies. The possibilities that arise from these new achievable projects are grateful, such as creating human stations in satellites, oreven building cities for human being in other planets. In order to achieve these goals, the biggest problematic currently is the transport method, that is to say, how to reach distant celestial bodies in a viable way, focusing on both the feasibility for the human life and the economic aspects, and the first proposal is to reach Mars.To do so, a patched conic approximation will be performed so as to analyse the Earth to Mars interplanetary transfer. By using a Newton-Raphson iterative process, which includes a continuation method with a differential corrector, the Lambert problem will be solved in order to obtain the main results. It will also be done a main-materials estimation for the Mars society competition, defined as a case study of the project.On the other hand, the privatization of the space sector is adding new players to the game, and as a result of this, a new space race is taking place. The most outstanding players nowadays are NASA, on the side of government agencies, and SpaceX, from the private space sector. Both companies have presented strategies to reach the red planet, and this study is focused on the architecture analysis of the SpaceX mission, in order to analyse each of its phases, to compute the trajectory and to develop a preliminary study of the re-entry manoeuvre. Furthermore, due to the current situation, in which the interest of the manned interplanetary journeysis booming, it is important to define the suitability of the whole mission. Because of the high investment required for conducting a Mars’ colonization process, a preliminary materials budget and a first iteration of the total cost of the program will be conducted, trying to roughly quantify the amount necessary to develop the project globally.

Renewed interest in Very Low Earth Orbits (VLEO) - i.e. altitudes below 450 km - has led to an increased demand for accurate environment characterisation and aerodynamic force prediction. While the former requires knowledge of the mechanisms that drive density variations in the thermosphere, the latter also depends on the interactions between the gas-particles in the residual atmosphere and the surfaces exposed to the flow. The determination of the aerodynamic coefficients is hindered by the numerous uncertainties that characterise the physical processes occurring at the exposed surfaces. Several models have been produced over the last 60 years with the intent of combining accuracy with relatively simple implementations. In this paper the most popular models have been selected and reviewed using as discriminating factors relevance with regards to orbital aerodynamics applications and theoretical agreement with gas-beam experimental data. More sophisticated models were neglected, since their increased accuracy is generally accompanied by a substantial increase in computation times which is likely to be unsuitable for most space engineering applications. For the sake of clarity, a distinction was introduced between physical and scattering kernel theory based gas-surface interaction models. The physical model category comprises the Hard Cube model, the Soft Cube model and the Washboard model, while the scattering kernel family consists of the Maxwell model, the Nocilla-Hurlbut-Sherman model and the Cercignani-Lampis-Lord model. Limits and assets of each model have been discussed with regards to the context of this paper. Wherever possible, comments have been provided to help the reader to identify possible future challenges for gas-surface interaction science with regards to orbital aerodynamic applications., Journal paper (accepted for publication in "Progress in Aerospace Sciences") Replacement: Corrected typos in Equations

Dawn mission represents a revolutionary achievement in space research due to the fact that it was the first spacecraft to orbit two different extraterrestrial bodies, the asteroids Vesta and Ceres. It was managed by NASA’s JPL since its design, its launch in 2007 until its end in November 2018. Its objective was accomplished thanks to its Ion Propulsion System (IPS), which made possible the required manoeuvres and trajectories required to fulfil the mission’s objectives. This thesis focuses on the study of this innovative IPS, specifically on how it works during the mission and trying to understand why it operates in one way or another. Specially, the thesis centres in the most characteristic manoeuvre of the entire Dawn mission, the escape trajectory from Vesta to begin cruise to Ceres. In order to do this, the JPL’s SPICE library and toolkit is employed during the whole computations due to its high reliable source of data. From this information provided by SPICE, some calculations are performed regarding the Dawn IPS such as its trajectory, thrust force and even though its input power given by the spacecraft’s solar arrays. One of this thesis’s goals is to prove the reliability of this SPICE given data as well as its programming tools, which is confirmed after analysing the extracted results and comparing them to corroborated information. Furthermore, together with the SPICE computations, the same IPS parameters are estimated employing some theoretical models related to space manoeuvres similar to the ones performed by Dawn. The feasibility of the application of these established procedures is also wanted to be demonstrated in the case of each determined value. After the calculations, it is found out that these methodologies are validated due to the absolute similarity to the results obtained with SPICE. The estimated low thrust climb trajectory results in a truly approximate escape trajectory, and the thrust force value provided by a low thrust escape is incredibly similar to the SPICE one, even taking into account the definitely low values of ion propulsion compared to the common hydrazine thrusters. Last but not least, thanks to the determination of the IPS input power, given by the solar arrays’ orientation and efficiency, it is possible to verify the real values of the thrust force, which even improved the results extracted previously. This thesis means a first approach to the analysis of a space mission and its elements, and it represents a starting point into a more various or deeper study of the parameters of them

To palliate the hazards posed by satellites re-entering the atmosphere, international guidelines have defined a maximum acceptable risk for objects to re-enter uncontrolled. Containment methods attempt to reduce this casualty risk by maintaining critical components together such that the probability to collide with a human is reduced. In this thesis, four methods to contain objects are discussed: boxes, nets, tethers, and undemisable joints. Their advantages and disadvantages are preliminarily assessed, and the major caveats are identified. Two study cases are modelled and used to test the theoretical benefits of containment boxes and undemisable joints. Results suggest significant improvements, especially for optical payloads which typically lead to the uncontrolled re-entry scenario to be unacceptable. The critical dimensions and masses of several primitive shapes are also investigated for some of the most common materials used in space, in order to define thresholds for the containment net's maximum mesh size. Finally, the suitability of safety guidelines to rightly account for the hazards posed by containment compounds is addressed, and suggestions are provided to consider the kinetic energy of impactors to a higher extent.

When incorporating multiple constellations into future ground based augmentation systems (GBAS), a problem with limited VDB (VHF data broadcast) capacity might arise. Furthermore, the number of airborne receiver tracking channels could be insufficient to use all visible satellites. One way to cope with these issues is to perform a satellite selection to limit the number of used satellites with minor impact on performance. This paper investigates different factors that constrain the approach of simply selecting “the best set in every epoch” and shows how to overcome some limitations. These constraints include limitations in satellite visibility, loss of satellites during approach (i.e. in curves), and convergence times in the airborne processing until satellites are usable. Various protection level simulations are performed to show the influence of the named factors on the nominal performance. Taking into account all these contextual influences, results show satellite selection is still applicable in GBAS ground stations.

The Universitat Politecnica de Catalunya (UPC), the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB) and the German Federal Office of Radiation Protection (BfS) have analysed the response of a 2”x2” (diameter x height) NaI and a 1.5”x1.5” CeBr3 scintillators, and a 1500 mm3 CZT semiconductor airborne spectrometric detectors mounted on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) in a comparison campaign carried out in the aerial site of Mollerussa (Spain). The background count rates and H*(10) rates measured by the airborne detectors at the aerial site and with a 137Cs point source of 345 MBq have been compared at altitudes of 1.5 m, 10 m, 20 m, 40 m, 60 m and 100 m a.g.l. (above ground level). Furthermore, natural activity concentrations in soil have been calculated with different methodologies using the spectra acquired in the background flights. The airborne detectors together with the implemented calculation methodologies show in general a good agreement. The CZT detector has a significant lower efficiency than both scintillators due to the smaller size and, therefore shows poorer results. Finally, parallel flights over the 137Cs point source at 10 m, 20 m and 40 m were carried to evaluate the methods implemented by the three teams to localize point sources. The three systems were able to locate properly the source. The project 16ENV04 “Metrology for mobile detection of ionising radiation following a nuclear or radiological incident” has received funding from the EMPIR programme co-financed by the participating states and from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme.

The orbit accuracy requirements for a Geosynchronous Synthetic Aperture Radar (GEOSAR) are studied. Compared to telecommunication GEO satellites' station keeping needs, focusing the GEOSAR synthetic aperture demands a more accurate orbital determination. For this reason, the most suitable Precise Orbit Observation (POB) techniques are considered. Several radar tracking techniques fulfil the accuracy requirements while presenting a trade-off problem in terms of cost an operation. GNSS allow for precise autonomous navigation even at high orbits like GEO. Optical observation techniques perform well in order to calibrate other tracking systems. Interferometry stands out since it can be used taking advantage of present illuminators of opportunity. A ground interferometer is being designed and built in order to provide experimental measurements which will serve as proof of concept. This work has been supported by the Spanish Science, Re-search and Innovation Plan (MINECO) with Project Codes TIN2014-55413-C2-1-P and TEC2017-85244-C2-2-P and by Unidad de Exce-lencia Maria de Maeztu MDM-2016-0600 financed by the AgenciaEstatal de Investigaci ́on, Spain. Peer Reviewed Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::6 - Aigua Neta i Sanejament Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::3 - Salut i Benestar Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::9 - Indústria, Innovació i Infraestructura Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::15 - Vida d'Ecosistemes Terrestres Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::11 - Ciutats i Comunitats Sostenibles Objectius de Desenvolupament Sostenible::13 - Acció per al Clima

The Flexible Microwave Payload 2 (FMPL-2) is a Remote Sensing payload carried on board 3 Cat-5/A, one of the two 6-unit CubeSats of the FSSCat mission. FMPL-2 is a payload based on a Software Defined Radio (SDR), integrating two instruments in a single platform: a multi-constellation (GPS and Galileo) Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometer (GNSS-R), and a Total Power Radiometer (TPR) with Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) detection and mitigation capabilities. This paper focuses on the description of the software developed for the platform, with a detailed description on the optimizations used for the two instruments. This work was supported by the ESA S3 challenge award (FSSCat project) 2017 Copernicus Masters overall winner, by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, ’’Sensing with Pioneering Opportunistic Techniques", grant RTI2018-099008-B-C21, by the Unidad de Excelencia Maria de Maeztu MDM-2016-0600, and by the ICREA Academia award by the Generalitat de Catalunya.

LISA Pathfinder (LPF) was a technology pioneering mission designed to test key technologies required for gravitational wave detection in space. In the low frequency regime (milli-Hertz and below), where space-based gravitational wave observatories will operate, temperature fluctuations play a crucial role since they can couple into the interferometric measurement and the test masses' free-fall accuracy in many ways. A dedicated temperature measurement subsystem, with noise levels in 10$\,\mu$K$\,$Hz$^{-1/2}$ down to $1\,$mHz was part of the diagnostics unit on board LPF. In this paper we report on the temperature measurements throughout mission operations, characterize the thermal environment, estimate transfer functions between different locations and report temperature stability (and its time evolution) at frequencies as low as 10$\,\mu$Hz, where typically values around $1\,$K$\,$Hz$^{-1/2}$ were measured., Comment: 13 pages, 16 figures. MNRAS LaTeX style file version 3.0

The rocket engine market today presents several new trends that will substantially change the current technological scenario. Apart from the imminent applications to the mega constellations and the advancement of electric propulsion, some aspects such as environmental protection require a conceptual redefinition of rocket propulsion systems with chemical propellants. One of the best technological options to contribute to the protection of the environment and personnel is to use "green" propellants to replace current toxic and / or ecologically harmful propellants. Thermal and mechanical loads represent the most stringent operating limits for liquid propellant rocket combustion devices (chamber, injectors, expansion nozzle). This report describes the two-dimensional model developed for the evaluation of the temperature distribution across the wall of the thrust chamber and the extension of a typical rocket motor. In the model the thrust chamber and the nozzle extension are divided into several stations using ANSYS APDL 16.0 and are subjected to a steady state and a transient analysis to study the characteristics of heat transfer and to understand the thermal response and structural of the model. The results obtained help to study the thermo-structural feasibility and to identify the most critical operating conditions and their impact on the design of the combustion devices of rocket engines with chemical propellants. The analysis developed in this paper includes the selection of the most suitable materials and the subsequent modeling of the rocket thrust chamber and the nozzle extension using the ANSYS APDL 16.0 software and the SolidWorks software. Loads and constraints on the structure are applied after the combination of the thermal and structural models.

The Objective of this project is to design and develop the Hardware Testbed Astro-01, an unmanned stratospheric balloon outfitted with scientific experiments and able to exchange such as scientific data, Housekeeping data and in some cases, commands to modify some states with the ground stations. The system consists into different, each with its own task. During the Internship to the Institute of Space Sciences, we studied several prototypes of the subsystems developed in this document and their feasibility. This document takes in account the enhancements proposed at the end of the Internship and future work. Scientist data and housekeeping data will be recollected during the whole flight and delivered to the microprocessor, the brain of the hardware. These data will be processed and communicated to the communication subsystem. The communication subsystem which incorporates a low power transmitter sends the radio packet to the ground stations. The data sent is first encoded using AX.25 protocol and then modulated in AFSK. The electrical subsystem is responsible for providing power to all other subsystems of the stratospheric balloon. In this Unit, we took in account several Energy sources. However, from a given input voltage the EPS is able to fix the output voltage into three defined values that remain constant and stable. The expansion Board is designed to connect all the peripherals to the MCU. It can connect up to fifteen digital peripherals and ten analog devices to the MCU. Two adaptation boards were designed to adapt the peripherals to the hardware as the MCU, the RAZOR IMU, and the communication serial bus. While testing the hardware, we found some unexpected results. Most of our objectives were achieved, even if there were some issues and unexpected cases. To the annex is added a manual user for the hardware setting. And some improvements are proposed looking forward

Design, implement and validate critical functions in the GNC (Guidance, navigation and control)/safety embedded systems of the launcher avionics devoted to nanosatellites This thesis is based on my work during my internship at GTD Sistemas de Información [from September 2017 to January 2018]. It can be divided into two parts. The first part is focused on the study, design, and implementation of critical functions devoted to the avionics of an air-born launch vehicle called ALTAIR. The second part consists of implementing these critical functions in embeddable code by means of innovative tools developed in the framework of project DEPARTS. ALTAIR (an acronym for “Air Launch Space Transportation using an Automated aircraft and an Innovative Rocket”) is a concept for a new European small satellite launcher. It is currently being developed by an international consortium as part of the European Commission H2020 program. ALTAIR is a low-cost and high frequency launch service. The constraints and requirements of this new scenario demand for automatic embedded algorithms related to functions that have traditionally been associated with Ground Segment. These functions, which are mainly related to GNC and Safety Systems, can be defined as critical software and demand new navigation approaches and architectures. This report focuses on the implementation of functions that are related to the GNC system of the launcher and that substitute traditional solutions to respond to the needs of ALTAIR. The choice of the optimal functions that will be implemented is based on a state-of-the-art study. The first implementation and analysis of the down-selected functions is performed with prototyping tools, and a trade-off is conducted to compare innovative solutions with traditional ones. The second part of the thesis is focused on the implementation of embedded critical software, based on the designed functions developed during the first part of the thesis. This is done with the innovative software solution for embedded critical systems SCADE. At the same time, the aim in DEPARTS is to validate the proposed functions through the defined use case. The thesis aims to be a study of new innovative alternatives for GNC and Safety systems for Space applications from two points of view. Innovation from the point of view of the used functions and how they relate to currently used options, and innovation from the point of view of its implementation and the procedures used to generate and validate critical embedded systems while complying with their constraints.