“Hands-On” Mission Operations Education

Paper number

IAC-07-E1.I.03

Author

Mr. Paul Steele, European Space Agency/ESOC, Germany

Year

2007

Abstract

Traditional teaching provides students with the knowledge required to understand satellite operations. It does not always prepare the student for the reality of operations. The gap between University education and satellite operations experience requires the graduate to undergo some months of training before they are certified to work in the Flight Control Team. This training is often at the expense of the contractor. 

Vega have developed a training infrastructure, the Space Training Centre (STC), combining a spacecraft simulator, operations control interfaces and training lessons. Lessons range from subsystem design to mission planning and failure recovery. The STC can be run from a laptop, a network of PCs or even direct from a USB drive. When networked it allows a tutor to manage the sessions for the student clients who operate the satellite.

The Space Training Centre has already been used at Cranfield University, Kingston University,Kiruna University and DLR.

Abstract document

IAC-07-E1.I.03.pdf

Manuscript document

IAC-07-E1.I.03.pdf (🔒 authorized access only).

To get the manuscript, please contact IAF Secretariat.