TSTI Admin No Comments October 7, 2024

solar wind

The steady streaming of charged particlesParts of an atom with electrical charge. Protons are much larger than electrons, reside in an atom’s nucleus, and carry a positivecharge. Electrons orbitThe oval-shaped path that a spacecraft follows. Orbits come in various shapes and sizes, but each one has a purpose: to let the spacecraft do its job. Higher orbits require more propellant to get a spacecraft there. More around the nucleus and carry a negative charge. More from the SunWe use the angle of incidenceWe use the angle of incidence, θ, to determine how much solar energy hits a solar panel. This angle lies between a line perpendicular to the cell and the Sun line. More, θ, to determine how much solarWe use the angle of incidence, θ, to determine how much solar energy hits a solar panel. This angle lies between a line perpendicular to the cell and the Sun line. More energyWe use the angle of incidence, θ, to determine how much solar energy hits a solar panel. This angle lies between a line perpendicular to the cell and the Sun line. More hits a […]

TSTI Admin No Comments October 7, 2024

space junk

Materials that are not naturally occurring, but rather the leftovers or broken pieces of other spacecraft that have accumulated in the space environment around EarthSolar energyWe use the angle of incidence, θ, to determine how much solar energy hits a solar panel. This angle lies between a line perpendicular to the cell and the Sun line. More reflected off EarthSolar energy reflected off Earth that accounts for about 20% of the total energy impacting low-Earth-orbiting spacecraft. More that accounts for about 20% of the total energyWe use the angle of incidence, θ, to determine how much solar energy hits a solar panel. This angle lies between a line perpendicular to the cell and the Sun line. More impacting low-Earth-orbiting spacecraft. More.

TSTI Admin No Comments April 6, 2026

Space Law

Established rules by which space operations are conducted and governed. It is an extension of international law and comes from three general sources: custom, courts and treaties. The seven principles of International Law are: •International law applies to outer space •Obligation to use space for peaceful purposes •Right to use outer space, but not to […]

TSTI Admin No Comments April 10, 2026

space mission architecture

The collection of spacecraft, orbits, launch vehicles, operations networks, and all other things that contribute to a space mission’s success. Failure of one element can end a mission early.

TSTI Admin No Comments April 6, 2026

Space Mission Triad

composed of three branches: technology, economics and politics

TSTI Admin No Comments April 6, 2026

space policy

Principles: The US considers the sustainability, stability and free access to and use of space vital to its national interests. All nations have the right to explore and use space for peaceful purposes in accordance with international law. There shall be no national claims of sovereignty over outer space Goals: Energize competitive domestic industries, expand […]

TSTI Admin No Comments April 10, 2026

stage

An individual section of a large rocket.

TSTI Admin No Comments April 10, 2026

stages

Sections of a launch vehicleA rocket that takes a payloadAn assembly of spacecraft components that collect, process, store, and transmit payload-mission and bus-housekeeping data. The communication and data-handling subsystem (CDHS) acts as the ears, brain, and mouth of the spacecraft • It has two primary portions — communication and data handling • It translates raw data from the payloads and subsystems into useful information and sends it to the ground system • Commands from ground controllers generally request information from and give specific instructions to individual subsystems More into orbitThe oval-shaped path that a spacecraft follows. Orbits come in various shapes and sizes, but each one has a purpose: to let the spacecraft do its job. Higher orbits require more propellant to get a spacecraft there. More. Launch vehicles contain huge amounts of propellantA type of rocket system that heats a propellant by passing it through a sustained electric arc, then ejects the energized gas through a nozzle. Its specific impulse is high compared to chemical rockets, but its thrust is very low. More that they must burn to accelerateA fluid-dynamics concept that says as low-velocity gases pass into the converging part of a nozzle, they accelerate to the speed of sound at the narrowest section (throat). Then, after they pass through the throat, they expand and accelerate to supersonic speeds. This principle is the basis for creating thrust in a thermodynamic rocket. More through the atmosphereThe reference frame used to analyze a space vehicle’s motion after leaving orbit until it lands. Its origin is at the vehicle’s center of mass at the beginning of re-entry. More and into space. There, they drop off their payloadAn assembly of spacecraft components that collect, process, store, and transmit payload-mission and bus-housekeeping data. The communication and data-handling subsystem (CDHS) acts as the ears, brain, and mouth of the spacecraft • It has two primary portions — communication and data handling • It translates raw data from the payloads and subsystems into useful information and sends it to the ground system • Commands from ground controllers generally request information from and give specific instructions to individual subsystems More. The Falcon 9, Space Launch System, Space Shuttle (retired), Ariane V, Atlas V, Delta IV, and Pegasus are […]

TSTI Admin No Comments April 10, 2026

swath width

The diameter of a payload’s view on Earth’s surface. For a specific sensor (constant field-of-viewThe cone of visibility from a spacecraft to the object it’s viewing. For remote-sensing spacecraft, the size of the field-of-viewThe cone of visibility from a spacecraft to the object it’s viewing. For remote-sensing spacecraft, the size of the field-of-view is critical to collecting the correct images. It depends on the camera’s (sensors) optics and is set while designing and manufacturing the camera (sensor). More is critical to collecting the correct images. It depends on the camera’s (sensors) optics and is set while designing and manufacturing […]

TSTI Admin No Comments October 7, 2024

symmetrical

EarthSolar energyWe use the angle of incidence, θ, to determine how much solar energy hits a solar panel. This angle lies between a line perpendicular to the cell and the Sun line. More reflected off Earth that accounts for about 20% of the total energyWe use the angle of incidence, θ, to determine how much solar energy hits a solar panel. This angle lies between a line perpendicular to the cell and the Sun line. More impacting low-Earth-orbiting spacecraft. More is spherically symmetricalEarth is spherically symmetricalEarth is spherically symmetrical and can, therefore, be treated mathematically as a point mass. More and can, therefore, be treated mathematically as a pointThe job of the attitude determination and control subsystem (ADCS) is to keep its spacecraft pointed in the right direction. More mass. More and can, therefore, be treated mathematically as a pointThe job of the attitude determination and control subsystemThe job of the attitude determination and control subsystem (ADCS) is to keep its spacecraft pointed in the right direction. More (ADCS) is to […]