2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses School of Engineering Undergraduate major in Mechanical Engineering
Advanced Space Engineering
- Academic unit or major
- Undergraduate major in Mechanical Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Hiroki Nakanishi / Toshihiro Chujo
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - Class
- -
- Course Code
- MEC.M333
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 4Q
- Syllabus updated
- Mar 19, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
A large-scale integrated system consisting of spacecraft (satellite, probe, and space station), rocket, ground systems, and communication network is required for space development including space utilization and space exploration. The scope of this course is to show element, system, and mission technologies and engineering management methodologies (systems engineering, project management, and safety and mission assurance) required for development and operations of those space systems, with a particular emphasis on spacecraft. (The course includes control engineering, structural mechanics, electrical engineering, and communication engineering.)
Course description and aims
The goal of this course is to achieve the capability of conceptual design of spacecraft system necessary for space mission.
Student learning outcomes
実務経験と講義内容との関連 (又は実践的教育内容)
In this lecture, practical knowledge on space engineering is provided by lecturers who have experiences about research and development of versatile space satellites in JAXA.
Keywords
Space Mission, Space System, Space Development, Project Management
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
- This class aims at learning 6 and 7 of learning objective.
Class flow
Faculty members having space project experiences give lectures on technologies and processes of spacecraft development.
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction and Overview of Space Systems | Definition, Overview, and Characteristics of Space Systems, Launch and Space Environments and Orbit, Overview, Accomplishments, and Technical Challenges of Various Space Utilization Fields |
| Class 2 | Spacecraft Operation | Overview of Spacecraft Operations, Types of Operations, Spacecraft Lifetime, Various Operations: Communications, Power Control, and Orbit Control |
| Class 3 | Spacecraft Development | Spacecraft Lifecycle and Development Lifecycle, Design, Manufacturing, Assembly, and Testing, Manufacturing and Assembly Process, Various Tests |
| Class 4 | Spacecraft Design | Overview of Spacecraft Design, Spacecraft Configuration, Phased Design Process, Hierarchical Design Process, Design Procedure, Analyses, Mission Study |
| Class 5 | Spacecraft Design: Bus Subsystem 1 | Design of Spacecraft Subsystems: Solar Array Paddle System, Power Control System, Communication System, Structure System, Thermal Control System, Propulsion System |
| Class 6 | Spacecraft Design: Bus Subsystem 2 | Design of Spacecraft Subsystems: Attitude and Orbit Control System |
| Class 7 | Systems Engineering | Definitions of System and Systems Engineering, History of SE, JAXA’s SE: 4 Activities and Processes, System Design, MBSE |
| Class 8 | Project Management | Fundamentals of Project Management, Development Process of Space Systems and Project Management, JAXA’s Project Management, Engineering Management |
| Class 9 | Rocket System 1 | Overview of Rocket (Role, Characteristics, World’s Rockets), Fundamentals of Rocket Propulsion, Configuration, Testing, Development Process |
| Class 10 | Rocket System 2 | Fundamentals of Rocket Engine, Configuration, Turbo Pump, Burner, Nozzle, World’s Engine |
| Class 11 | Mission Subsystem Development 1 | Development of Mission Subsystem 1: Communication Satellite, Fundamentals of Satellite Communication, History of Satellite Communication, Communication System, Link Analysis, Design Example, Deployable Antenna |
| Class 12 | Mission Subsystem Development 2 | Development of Mission Subsystem 2: Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR), Various Missions and Their Accomplishment, Applications, Characteristics, Observation Principle, SAR Interferometry, Onboard Visualization |
| Class 13 | Spacecraft Design: Bus System, Safety and Mission Assurance | Overview of Spacecraft System Design, Design Flow, System Analyses、Design Examples, Fault-Tolerant Design, Basic of Safety and Mission Assurance, JAXA’s Safety and Mission Assurance |
| Class 14 | Small Satellites | Trend of Small Satellites, Satellite and Mission Examples, Small Satellite Bus, Satellite Constellations |
Study advice (preparation and review)
To enhance effective learning, students are encouraged to spend approximately 100 minutes preparing for class and another 100 minutes reviewing class content afterwards (including assignments) for each class.
They should do so by referring to course materials and other references.
Textbook(s)
No textbook is assigned.
Reference books, course materials, etc.
Necessary materials will be distributed during the lecture or via T2SCHOLA.
Evaluation methods and criteria
Examination
Related courses
- MEC.M231 ： Introduction to Space Engineering
- MEC.M331 ： Space Systems Engineering
- MEC.M332 ： Space Systems Design Project
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of classical dynamics, differential equation, and linear algebra is desired, but not mandatory.