2025 (Current Year) Faculty Courses School of Engineering Department of Mechanical Engineering Graduate major in Mechanical Engineering
Space Systems and Missions
- Academic unit or major
- Graduate major in Mechanical Engineering
- Instructor(s)
- Satoru Ozawa / Yasutaka Satou / Hiroki Nakanishi / Toshihiro Chujo
- Class Format
- Lecture
- Media-enhanced courses
- -
- Day of week/Period
(Classrooms) - Class
- -
- Course Code
- MEC.M532
- Number of credits
- 200
- Course offered
- 2025
- Offered quarter
- 3Q
- Syllabus updated
- Apr 2, 2025
- Language
- Japanese
Syllabus
Course overview and goals
The scope of this course is to provide current statuses, future prospects, and enabling technologies of space missions realized by exploiting space systems.
Course description and aims
To learn minimum knowledge required for a process starting from planning space mission, going through design and development of a space system, and completing with its operations.
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, Space Utilization
Competencies
- Specialist skills
- Intercultural skills
- Communication skills
- Critical thinking skills
- Practical and/or problem-solving skills
Class flow
To learn mission concepts and necessary technologies for realizing practically feasible and valuable space missions using spacecraft and so on. Lecture style is the live-stream type using Zoom.Questions and comments will be accepted by e-mail or T2 Schola (details will be provided in the lecture).
Course schedule/Objectives
| Course schedule | Objectives | |
|---|---|---|
| Class 1 | Introduction | 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 | Manned Space Flight | Overview and History of Manned Space Flight and Space Environment Utilization, Manned Missions and Their Accomplishments, Enabling Technologies of Manned Space Flight (ECLSS, Pressurized Structure, RVD) |
| Class 3 | Spacecraft Operation, Development, and Design 1 | Launch, Operations, Manufacturing, and Testing of Spacecraft |
| Class 4 | Spacecraft Operation, Development, and Design 2 | Satellite System Configuration, Subsystems, Design, Analysis, Space Transportation |
| Class 5 | Space Exploration | Overview and History of Space Exploration, Exploration Missions and Their Accomplishments, Enabling Technologies of Space Exploration (Interplanetary Orbit, Electric Propulsion）, Mission Definition Example, Concept Study Example |
| Class 6 | Space Science | Overview and History of Space Science, Space Science Missions and Their Accomplishments, Enabling Technologies of Space Science (Hubble Space Telescope, James Webb Space Telescope), Mission Definition Example |
| Class 7 | Communication & Broadcasting 1 | Overview and History of Satellite Communication and Broadcasting, Fundamentals of Satellite Communication, Communication and Broadcasting Missions and Their Technologies |
| Class 8 | Communication & Broadcasting 2 | Communication and Broadcasting Missions and Their Technologies, New Satellite Communication System, Mission Definition Example |
| Class 9 | Earth Observation 1 | Fundamentals, History, and Trends of Earth Observation, Earth Observation Missions and Their Accomplishments, Enabling Technologies of Earth Observation (High-Resolution Optical Sensor, Precision Pointing, Attitude, and Orbit), Mission Definition Example |
| Class 10 | Earth Observation 2 | Radio-Wave Earth Observation, Synthetic Aperture Radar Overview, Small SAR Satellite, SAR Characteristics and Principle, New SAR Mission, Mission Definition Example |
| Class 11 | Positioning, Navigation and Timing | Overview and History of Satellite Positioning, Fundamentals and Technologies of Satellite Positioning, Application of Positioning Satellite |
| Class 12 | Small Satellites | Overview and History of Small Satellites, Technologies of Small Satellite and Trends, Concept Study Example |
| Class 13 | Research and Development | Research and Development, Life Cycle Example from Research to On-Orbit Demonstration (with Large Deployable Antenna) |
| Class 14 | Space Business | Overview of Space Business, Space Business Map, Old Space/New Space, Business Model, Entrepreneurship |
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.
Evaluation methods and criteria
reports
Related courses
- MEC.M332 ： Space Systems Design Project
- MEC.M431 ： Space Systems Design
- MEC.M433 ： Space Systems Analysis A
- MEC.M231 ： Introduction to Space Engineering
- MEC.M331 ： Space Systems Engineering
- MEC.M333 ： Advanced Space Engineering
Prerequisites
Understanding fundamentals of "Advanced Space Engineering (Undergraduate course "MEC.M333: Advanced Space Engineering") is desired, but not mandatory.