Space-Related Activities in Aerospace and Ocean Engineering
COURSES
AOE 4134 Astromechanics – fundamentals of orbital mechanics, including mission planning, orbit prediction, interplanetary missions (required, junior/senior)
AOE 4984 Attitude Dynamics and Control – introduction to attitude control systems, including attitude determination, rotational dynamics, and basic attitude control concepts (elective, senior/graduate)
AOE 4065/4066 Space Design – two-semester senior design project of a space system, usually as proposed by the AIAA Space Systems Technical Committee for Undergraduate Design Competition
LABORATORIES
Satellite Tracking Lab – a new laboratory in Randolph Hall for use in all space-related courses, but primarily in Astromechanics. Students will schedule their lab time based on predicting when an assigned satellite will be “visible “ from Blacksburg. They will acquire the satellite, download telemetry, record tracking data, and use the new data to perform further orbit predictions and analysis.
Spacecraft Simulator – a new laboratory in Randolph Hall for research on spacecraft rotational maneuvers. The centerpiece of this lab is a spherical air bearing capable of supporting a 150 kg payload while rotating about the center of the sphere. We will conduct experimental investigations related to ongoing analytical and numerical research.
DESIGN
1996-1997 Project – An interplanetary mission to Uranus, required to use no radioactive energy sources. Students were competing in an AIAA-sponsored project.
1997-1998 Project – An interplanetary mission to Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, believed to have liquid water under its icy crust. This mission includes some mapping of Europa to determine an appropriate landing spot with relatively thin ice (10 km or so), a landing where data will be collected from the surface, then deployment of a probe designed to melt through the ice and reach the ice-liquid water barrier. Of particular interest is the detection of signs of life on Europa. This was an AIAA-sponsored project. One of the two designs took 2nd place nationally.
1998-1999 Project – Twenty-six students are working on 3 different projects:
Single-stage-to-orbit, rocket-based combined cycle, reusable launch vehicle. This project is the AIAA undergraduate engine design competition. We have 8 VT seniors and 2 Georgia Tech seniors on the team.
Leonardo: a formation of Earth remote-sensing satellites to study the energy radiation budget. NASA Goddard sponsors this project.
VTISMM: Virginia Tech Ionospheric Scintillation Measurement Mission. This is a design-build-fly project, where the students are designing a pair of nano-satellites with the goal of building them and launching them on the space shuttle in 2001. Funding is being sought from AFOSR, DARPA, and industry.
1999-2000 Project – Unknown at this time. However, we will be working on a collaborative project with Technical University-Vienna in Austria, with financial support from the Bostiber Foundation. Possible topic: design of tethered spacecraft systems. Additional funding is being sought from the Naval Research Laboratory.
RESEARCH
Formation flying – Sponsored by AFOSR and NASA Goddard, this project investigates dynamics and control issues of flying satellites in formations. Two MS students are working on this project.
Distributed attitude control - Relevant to the formation flying research, this project aims to develop and implement attitude control algorithms for pointing a formation of satellites. Funding is being sought from NASA.
Base motion effects on magnetic bearings – Sponsored by Oak Ridge Associated Universities, this project investigates the effects of vehicular motion on the performance of magnetic bearing systems, such as energy storage flywheels, momentum wheels, and turbomachinery. This is a collaborative project with Professor Mary Kasarda in Mechanical Engineering. Additional funding is being sought from the National Science Foundation and industry.
C. Hall, AOE, VPISU, December, 1998
(540) 231-2314, FAX 9632, ,