Motivation

We’ve created this open-source, free, online textbook to bring the love and knowledge of spacecraft mission engineering to as many people as possible. This resource is free to you because the creators were funded through the NASA Artemis program. The cost of a textbook or access to a formal aerospace engineering program should not be an obstacle to your pursuit of building spacecraft. Let’s get rid of the silly notion that you need to be a “rocket scientist” to work stuff that goes to space. We’re seeing the educational barrier to building satellites drop lower and lower; middle schoolers and high schoolers have sent satellites to space [NASA]. By including as many people as possible in our community, we are fostering the most diverse and creative ideas. Inclusion pushes forward our community’s boundary of knowledge, whether that community is in your classroom or club, in your state, in your nation, or in your world. We hope that you find other soon-to-be spacecraft engineers and use this textbook to craft your own spacecraft.

If you happen to love the fact that this resource exists and want to support the student satellite team that inspired this resource, please donate to University of Hawaii’s satellite team using this link.

Content

This textbook will guide you through the process of designing a spacecraft and offer you a bounty of resources through hyperlinks. We take full advantage of the web browser platform in the following ways:

• Online resources in the public domain; fun fact, all NASA documentation is, which is so fitting for this textbook!
  • Many smart people publish quality work and post online, outside of a traditional textbook or paper journal platform.
  • In the realm of academic tradition, some scholars go above and beyond and pay for open access – creative commons licensing in peer-reviewed journals, which can be upwards of a few thousand dollars! So thank you to everyone who participates in open science.
  • You’ll gain direct access to the sources that we used to write this textbook if you want to interpret the raw material yourself or want to delve further into the details that we didn’t include.
• Beautiful graphics that would otherwise be too big on a textbook page or too colorful to print through a textbook publisher within a reasonable price.
• Video lectures that you would get in a lecture on a university campus but watched at your own pace and edited to lengths that are easily digestible.
• Interactive content assessments through the Pressbooks platform. Tests of knowledge help engrain knowledge so complete these even when no one is watching. You could go one step further and see if you really know the content by teaching it to someone else.
• Lab modules and tutorials around the Artemis CubeSat Kit. If you have the CubeSat Kit, you have a very basic spacecraft that you can assemble and send to space right now but we really want you to play with the spacecraft, understand it, and make it better. You’ll get hands-on experience with space-rated hardware by following the lab modules. The tutorials will step through the design, development, or validation/verification processes we had to step through to finish the CubeSat that you’ll also have to do to launch the spacecraft.
• Best practices and lessons learned from experienced engineers and students, offering more practical than a pure theory textbook.

You may still download the textbook in static forms, like a PDF, EPUB, MOBI, XHTML, etc., but you won’t get the advantages that this technology platform could offer. Good to have a static version saved if you’re in a pinch or without the internet!

How to Interact with the Textbook

If you’re reading this textbook on a web browser, you’ll have the ability to annotate text and verify your knowledge in the interactive content assessments. Interactive content assessments are directly embedded into the browser and you can directly interact with these h5p elements. To annotate the textbook, like adding a comment or asking a question associated with portions of text, refer to this Hypothe.is Quick Start Guide!

Comparison with Other Courses and References

A spacecraft mission design course is commonly taught at universities with an aerospace engineering degree program, typically at the senior level. These courses have at least a lecture component, a student project developed on “paper”, and sometimes, a lab component. This course cannot offer you the campus environment, the predefined cohort of aerospace engineering students, or the lab benches and facilities but it can offer you a prefabricated basic satellite and basic knowledge to start your own class or club. Following the textbook chapter by chapter is like taking a spacecraft mission design course from start to finish without an instructor at the front of the room.

For the course syllabi and textbook chapters I’ve been able to find online, I’ve attempted to include as many topics as I find relevant to cube satellite development. SMAD is a wonderful go-to reference for a more traditional approach to designing spacecraft. A majority of chapters hold for all spacecraft but some chapters are not suited for small satellite or cube satellite design. I don’t think SMAD was designed for the newer, younger generation of spacecraft, which is fine! After all, the latest revision of the new SMAD was in 2011, as CubeSats started to become more common and mainstream. We can’t ask this one textbook to cover all relevant material, so we’ve made this reference “book” to be more applicable to smallsat development.

With respect to other online courses, this online course includes a comprehensive amount of reference material.

You’ll notice that this course/textbook is a hybrid of an in-person course, a textbook, and an online course. The educational experiences are limited in scope but accessible to many more people. The topics are also more focused on small satellites, aligned with the capabilities of smaller, Do-It-Yourself aerospace engineering groups.

Prerequisites

There are no required prerequisites for this course but any bit of background knowledge and skills helps! The more knowledge and skills you begin with, the more easily and faster you will get through this course. The less knowledge and skills, the more you will have to stop and learn foundational skills to catch you up. The benefit to starting with a clean slate is targeted learning of only the skills and knowledge you need for designing spacecraft; you could say that you’re an efficient learner in that sense.

Programming languages: C++

Software Applications: Web Browser, Microsoft Excel, OnShape, Eagle, KiCad, Visual Studio Code, Anaconda, Google Collab (if working with others)

Mathematics:

• Algebra, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus (vectors, matrices, series & sequences)
• Calculus (derivatives, integrals, differentials)
• Differential equations (ordinary differential equations…)
• Linear algebra (matrices and operations)

Physics:

• Mechanics & Motion, Newton’s Laws, Energy, Momentum, Rotation, Equilibrium, Gravitation (orbit, Earth rotation, spherical masses, Kepler’s laws)
• Waves and Light
• Electromagnetism
• Orbital Mechanics

Engineering Principles:

• Thermodynamics, thermal properties, heat transfer
• Electrical Engineering (circuitry, current, voltage, conduction, magnetic fields)
• Static Systems, Dynamical Systems
• Control Systems & Algorithms, propagation

Astronomy:

• The scale of the universe
• Characteristics of the solar system, Sun, and Earth
• Conditions in space (gravitation, orbit, motion, thermodynamics, magnetism)

Spaceflight, Space Environment, Flight Project, Operations

Other experience:

• Conduct finite element analysis and stress/loading simulations in SolidWorks
• Reading part drawings and specification sheets
• Navigating file directories through the terminal
• Prototyping using 3D printing methods
• Using basic shop/lab tools (such as measurement devices, screwdrivers, soldering irons, other handheld tools, data collection)
• Handling basic circuitry, wires, and delicate electronics
• Using safety precautions, culture, and PPE as necessary if working with hardware
• Seeking help amongst peers, mentors, on online platforms/forums, and references
• Teamwork and communication
• (See surveys, development side — not too familiar with if any of these don’t translate to using the kit)

Our Credentials

Technical Contributors

Dr. Frankie Zhu is an assistant research professor at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa in the Hawaiʻi Institute of Geophysics and Planetology. She is an Associate Director of the Hawaiʻi Space Grant Consortium. She is an affiliate faculty member of the Hawaiʻi Space Flight Laboratory, Mechanical Engineering Department, and Earth Science Department. She received her B.S. in mechanical engineering, Masters, and Ph.D. in aerospace engineering with a minor in Computer Science at Cornell University. During her undergraduate career, she was the Attitude Dynamics, Control, and Sensing lead for the most agile declassified small satellite at the time. During her graduate career, she worked on novel mission concept architecture, fabrication of chip satellites for the KickSat2 mission, and technology development of a superconducting docking interface. She was involved in every mission design review across these various projects and mentored dozens of undergraduates in her career. She is the Principal Investigator for the Artemis CubeSat Kit project and wrote most of the content in the textbook.

Amber Imai-Hong is an Avionics Engineer and Outreach Specialist for the Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory (HSFL). She graduated with her B.S. in Electrical Engineering with a focus on Electrophysics in 2012 and has been working with the Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory on spacecraft design, development, testing, and community educational outreach.  Over the past 13 years, Amber has worked on eight satellite projects, three suborbital payloads, as well as mentored several student teams who worked on the development of testing spacecraft systems and components. During her undergraduate career, she gained experience in the On-Board Computer, Electrical Power, and Payload systems, and was the Assistant Project Manager for UH Manoa’s NanoSat-6 Ho`oponopono team. At HSFL, she has continued to do avionics work and environmental testing. She also leads HSFL’s community and educational outreach projects and is the Program Manager for the Artemis Kit. Amber was the technical director of the Artemis CubeSat Kit in use for this textbook and reviewed several chapters of the textbook, including the electrical power system and command & data handling chapters.

Dr. Trevor Sorensen is a specialist professor and project manager in the Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory. Born in Brisbane, Australia, Dr. Sorensen received his BS. (1973), M.S. (1976), and Doctor of Engineering (1979) degrees in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Kansas (KU). He did his doctoral project on Pioneer Venus at NASA Ames Research Center. He then was a Space Shuttle guidance and control engineer (STS-1 & 2), worked in Mission Control as an assistant Flight Director, and finally was a software engineering manager supporting Shuttle missions. In 1990 he joined Bendix Field Engineering (now Honeywell, Inc.) in Alexandria, Virginia, as Observations Manager of the Department of Defense’s LACE satellite. In 1994, Dr. Sorensen was the Lunar Mission Manager for the DoD/NASA Clementine lunar mission for which he received the NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement. Dr. Sorensen was the program manager for the $23 million Space Systems Research & Development Contract with the Naval Research Laboratory under which the USAF MSTI-3 satellite was operated. He was then technical director for Honeywell’s global satellite tracking and control system, DataLynx. Dr. Sorensen was an associate professor in the KU Aerospace Engineering Department from 2000-to 2007. In 2007 he joined the Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Dr. Sorensen was the author of the Space Mission Operations chapter in the highly regarded book, Space Mission Engineering – The New SMAD (Microcosm Press, 2011). He became tenured faculty in 2012. He is a Fellow of the American Astronautical Society, a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA), and from 2008-to 2014 was on the AIAA Board of Directors as the Director of the Space and Missiles Group, which consists of 14 technical committees. Dr. Sorensen has dual Australian and U.S. citizenship. Dr. Sorensen reviewed the introduction and systems engineering chapters, then wrote the space environment, orbital mechanics, and propulsion sections of the textbook.

Luke Clements is a software engineer at the Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory. Born in Redding, California, Luke received his bachelors in Management Information Systems at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Luke acts as the lead software engineer for the Artemis Cubesat Kit and assisted in authoring the Flight Software chapter.

OER Specialists

Billy Meinke-Lau is the Open Educational Resources (OER) Technologist for the University of Hawaii, supporting a system-wide effort to leverage OER for student success, equity, and cost reduction. Billy completed an MEd in educational technology from UH Manoa and worked for Creative Commons before taking his current leadership role with UH. He is also a doctoral student of Political Science, investigating the politics of collaborative scholarship in higher education. He lives in Honolulu with his family.

LynleyShimat Lys is a nonbinary queer disabled poet, playwright, essayist, and educator of Indigenous and multiracial heritage, working on a Ph.D. in Creative Writing at UH Mānoa. Lynley holds an MFA in Poetry and Literary Translation from Queens College CUNY, an MA in Palestinian Poetry from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, and a B.A. in Comparative Literature (Hebrew, Russian and English) from UC Berkeley, as well as having won the Emily Chamberlain Cook Poetry Prize and read in the Lunchtime Poetry Series.

Students

Kalila Phillips was born and raised in Wailuku, Hawaiʻi. After joining her middle school’s robotics team, she decided that she wanted to pursue a career in STEM. She spent her high school career participating in First Robotics (FRC), First Tech Challenge (FTC), and Vex Robotics Competitions while also playing basketball and track and field. Prior to graduating, she won the Hawaii STEM Conference Coral Hackathon in 2019 and the Daniel K. Inouye Innovation award. Now, Kalila is pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and exploring different engineering pathways through various internships such as Hawaiʻi Space Flight Laboratory, Bayer, Brown, and Caldwell.

Katlynn Vicuña was born and raised in Boston Massachusetts. Went to Universal Technical Institute in Rancho Cucamonga, CA receiving a degree in automotive technologies with a specialization in Mercedes-Benz. After about a decade of working in the field decided it was time for a career change. She started going to Kapi’olani Community college and received an associate’s in pre-engineering and physics. Then furthering her education at the University of Hawaii Manoa currently pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering with an aerospace focus. Where she was able to participate in a plethora of space-related opportunities and experiences. NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCAS) which is a hybrid learning experience that teaches online how to write a Preliminary Design Review (PDR) is a technical assessment that establishes the allocated baseline of a system to ensure a system is operationally effective along with an in-person experience at Ames Research Center that was focused around a mini rover competition. Semester and summer internship with Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory (HSFL) helped bring this very textbook to life. Akamai Workforce Initiative Internship Program Summer 2020 Acceptance at the Gemini Observatory Hilo, HI. Vertically Integrated Project (VIP) is an ongoing research and design project with fellow undergraduates at the University of Hawaii Manoa on the engineering and design of a spacecraft for the satellite design team. Additionally awarded the Frank Der Yuen Aviation Scholarship for 2021 which is a competitive program that supports female and underrepresented individuals that are Hawaii residents who want to pursue aviation-related education and training. Additionally, a Brooke Owens Fellowship Finalist for the class of 2022 and has an ongoing internship with Lockheed Martin in Littleton, Colorado focusing on assisting in the lunar rover, propulsion analysis, and lunar infrastructure. 

Lee Danielle Young was born and raised in Honolulu, Hawaiʻi. She earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa in December 2020. Since participating in her high school’s FIRST robotics team, she spent her undergraduate career exploring various mechanical, aerospace, and civil engineering projects while interning at the Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory, Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, and an engineering consulting firm. During her studies, she also held various leadership roles in the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), and was the Project Manager for her senior capstone project to design the 1U CubeSat, Ke Ao. Danielle contributed to the Artemis CubeSat Kit lab modules and activities development as an educational accessibility intern in her senior year and after graduating. In her free time, she enjoys relaxing with her pet lovebirds, dog & cat sitting, rock climbing, traveling, and volunteering in the SWE/K-12 STEM community.

Regina Lee is a student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa (UHM) majoring in mechanical engineering. She is the Mechanical Lead of Team Laniākea, a Vertically Integrated Project at UHM, and works as a Satellite Integration and Testing Assistant for the Artemis CubeSat Project with Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory. She loves aviation and is part of the founding leadership of the AIAA Student Branch at UHM. Regina enjoys being involved in all projects design and aerospace related and hopes to explore new avenues in aviation as a pilot in the Pearl Harbor Aviation Pathfinders cohort. 

Jessa Llamas is a student at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa . She is currently majoring in electrical engineering in the electro-physics track. She spent her high school career participating in her school’s FIRST robotics team and the math team. She is currently the Project Manager for the Vertically Integrated Project Team Laniakea and holds various leadership positions in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) and the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). She also works as a Satellite Avionics Assistant at the Hawaii Space Flight Laboratory and tutors at her high school. She enjoys spending time with friends and learning various languages. 

Chris Amendola is an Electrical Engineering Masters student at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.  He completed his bachelors in Mechanical Engineering also at the University of Hawai’i at Mānoa.  Chris started his aerospace career by helping to design the 1U CubeSat, Ke Ao.  He started as the On Board Computer leading, working on software and electrical components.  Chris continued working on the electrical subsystem on the Artemis CubeSat Kit where he developed most of his skills with design.  He has continued to work on the project as the Systems Integrator while working to complete his Masters program.  Chris enjoys sports, including rugby and surfing.