Course Details
Course Summary
This course highlights the major requirements, design and operational drivers for a crew rescue vehicle operating in Low Earth Orbit. With the International Space Station scheduled to be decommissioned by 2030, the next generation space stations or “destinations” are being designed today to replace ISS and continue zero-gravity research for both government and commercial enterprises. These new station destinations will require rescue capabilities in case of emergencies such as onboard fire, depressurization, toxic gas release, or medical emergencies. Rescue vehicle design options will require structures and mechanisms, propulsion, communications and tracking, thermal control, electrical power, life support, and guidance navigation and control systems. All of these subsystems are critical to building a crew rescue vehicle and ensuring the safe return of the crew. The major human spacecraft requirements, functions and integration trades for each area are addressed with respect to performance, design margin and cost. In addition, alternative design approaches for each essential subsystem are provided. The course will enable attendees to evaluate current designs and propose crew rescue vehicle design concepts of the future.
Course Materials
Include extensive notes, reference materials and Certificates of Completion.
Who Should Attend
What You Will Learn
Course Outline
1...Basic Orbital Mechanics and Low Earth Orbit Environments
Basic orbital mechanics on getting a rescue vehicle into low Earth orbit, orbital maneuvering, rendezvous, proximity operations, and de-orbiting. The hazards of the space environment, particularly the micrometeroid/debris environment, and the implications on spacecraft design and operations.
2...Major Rescue Vehicle Design Requirements
Historical prospectives of Space Station crew rescue vehicles such as Soyuz, Shuttle, X-38, SpaceX Dragon and the Boeing CST100 Starliner. Key requirements related to the design reference mission (DRM) such as launch to orbit capability, docking or berthing methods, rescue vehicle capabilities, on-orbit operations, reentry, landing site locations and recovery.
3...Essential Systems for Crew Rescue Vehicle
Major subsystems (structures, mechanisms, propulsion, communications, tracking, thermal control, electrical power, environmental control, life support, guidance, navigation and control), critical to building a crew rescue vehicle system.
4...Structures and Mechanisms
Identification and purpose of structural and mechanical systems. Structural assembly methods. Primary and secondary structures are differentiated and the design approaches described. Micrometeoroid/orbital debris protection system options.
5...Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C)
The six primary GN&C functions are identified and explained. These include guidance, state determination, attitude determination, pointing and support, translational control and attitude control. How these systems are integrated and work together is explained, and alternatives GN&C systems are highlighted.
6...Communications and Tracking (C&T)
An overview of the basic communication and tracking systems and subsystems is provided, and major C&T functions are identified. Details of required system capabilities, constraints and redundancies of the C&T subsystems are included.
7...Propulsion and Motion Control
Various propulsion and motion control systems are addressed. Functional requirements of attitude control, stabilization, translational control and de-orbit are explained. Alternative propulsion and motion control systems are also addressed.
8...Electrical Power System (EPS)
Overview of electrical power systems, power generation, storage, distribution, conversion and supporting functions. EPS interfaces to other systems and alternative electrical power generation options.
9...Thermal Control System (TCS)
Fundamental thermal control system functions, components and operational capabilities. Interfaces and options for thermal protection on re-entry.
10...Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS)
Major functions of the environmental control and life support systems. Subsystems for atmosphere control and supply, air revitalization, fire detection and suppression, water recovery and management, and temperature and humidity control. Comparison of various systems and capabilities. Other trade-offs and spacesuit design options.
11...Crew Rescue Vehicle Operations
Rescue operations including launch, rendezvous and proximity operations, berthing or docking, de-orbit initiation, reentry, and recovery.
Instructor
James Peters, Ph.D., has over 33 years of engineering systems design and management experience. He currently works for NASA’s Johnson Space Center on the Commercial Crew Program. Prior to NASA, Jim worked 13 years for The Boeing Company as the Manager of Space Shuttle Upgrades, and principal scientist and engineer on the Orbital Space Plane and the International Space Station programs. Dr. Peters’ engineering areas of expertise include large systems integration, advanced research and development, spacecraft design and operations, environmental controls, life support systems, structures and mechanisms, payload integration as well as vehicle assembly and launch operations. He is author of the Spacecraft Systems Design and Operations published by Kendall-Hunt in 2004 and he has completed “Return to Flight: Inside NASA's Space Shuttle Missions in the Wake of the Columbia Disaster” where he served as the Shuttle Debris Integration Chair responsible for correcting the debris problems that lead to the Accident. Dr. Peters was a Mission Specialist candidate for the Astronaut Class of 2000 and served four years active duty with the U.S. Navy as a nuclear submarine officer stationed on the USS Hyman Rickover. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Aerospace Engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy, followed by advanced degrees from the University of Alabama, Huntsville and the University of Maryland.