Practical Training on Spacecraft Operations for University Students

Typically, university courses in the Field of aeronautics are focused in the fields of astrodynamics, launcher and spacecraft technology and in-depth lectures of specific problems like attitude control or communications. This provides the necessary education that is usually needed throughout early project phases up to spacecraft production and testing. However, challenges of the spacecraft utilization during the operations and disposal phase are difficult to teach and often neglected in the curriculum. As a reaction on this shortcoming, the Institute of Astronautics at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) has established a co-operation with the DLR German Spacecraft Operations Center (GSOC) for a practical course on Spacecraft Operations. DLR provides the knowhow and professional infrastructur by providing on-console training opportunities in dedicated control rooms and by introducing ight dynamics and spacecraft simulation tools and procedures while TUM provides accompanying lectures and tutorials. This paper describes how students are educated within a practical course at TUM and GSOC and presents the assessment of training success. In addition, a new concept is presented that allows stu- dents to gain practical experience in the field of advanced mission operations for on-orbit space robotics complementary to the already established course     «

Typically, university courses in the Field of aeronautics are focused in the fields of astrodynamics, launcher and spacecraft technology and in-depth lectures of specific problems like attitude control or communications. This provides the necessary education that is usually needed throughout early project phases up to spacecraft production and testing. However, challenges of the spacecraft utilization during the operations and disposal phase are difficult to teach and often neglected in the curr...     »