Three project-based approaches to spacecraft design education

Abstract

In order to provide a realistic, hands-on educational experience for spacecraft design students, three complimentary project-based spacecraft design activities have been developed. These design programs are similar given that each relies on simplicity, speed, and self-sufficiency. These attributes (1) allow students to understand the full technical design of a spacecraft system, (2) expose students to the full developmental life-cycle, and (3) introduce students to the challenges of managing a team in order to engineer a complete system. The programs differ in their fidelity and comprehensiveness in order to provide a spectrum of approaches from which educators may select based upon their resources. This paper discusses the educational objectives of these project-based spacecraft design programs. It also reviews the specific design guidelines and strategies for each. Finally, it presents 5 years of results from previous and ongoing projects, and it presents future educational enhancements and spacecraft missions.