TSTI Admin No Comments April 6, 2026

Space Mission Triad

composed of three branches: technologyThe scienceThe science and technology of spaceflight. It includes designing, building, testing, and deploying spacecraft, launch vehicles, launch complexes, and many more space-related facilities. More and technologyThe science and technology of spaceflight. It includes designing, building, testing, and deploying spacecraft, launch vehicles, launch complexes, and many more space-related facilities. More of spaceflight. It includes designing, building, testing, and deploying spacecraft, launch vehicles, launch complexes, and many more space-related facilities. More, 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 rocketA fluid-dynamics concept that says as low-velocity gases pass into the converging part of a nozzleA 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, they 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 to the speedHow fast an object's speed is changing when we apply a force to it. During acceleration, speed increases. During deceleration, speed decreases. More of sound at the narrowest section (throat). Then, after they pass through the throat, they expand and 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 to supersonic speeds. This principle is the basis for creating […]

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 accelerate 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 […]

TSTI Admin No Comments April 6, 2026

system maintenance and support

Mission operations systems must be developed and maintained. System development can be a major project all by itself e.g. building a new launch complex. Ongoing maintenance and support of complex hardware and software systems used by operators is a huge task.

TSTI Admin No Comments April 6, 2026

systems management

rigorously and efficiently manageIdentify risks while there is still timeThe time between successive passages of the Sun overhead, which is from noon one day to noon the next day. Because Earth’s orbit around the Sun is slightly elliptical, this time varies slightly during a year. More to react and put in place mitigation strategies to minimize or eliminate risks. Risk is defined in two dimensions, probability of occurrence and consequence. Decompose top-level requirements to lower-level requirements in order to trace them and note changes. Pay particular attention to interfaces. More the […]

TSTI Admin No Comments April 6, 2026

team management

Establishing effective team communicationAn assembly of spacecraft components that collect, process, store, and transmit payload-mission and bus-housekeeping data. The communication and data-handling subsystemAn 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 (CDHS) acts as the ears, brainAn 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, and mouthAn 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 of the spacecraft • It has two primary portions — communicationAn 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 and data handlingAn 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 • It translates raw data from the payloads and subsystems […]

TSTI Admin No Comments April 6, 2026

technical leadership

Balances broad technical domain knowledge, problem solving, engineering instinct, problem solving, creativity, leadership and communicationAn assembly of spacecraft components that collect, process, store, and transmit payload-mission and bus-housekeeping data. The communication and data-handling subsystemAn 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 (CDHS) acts as the ears, brain, and mouth of the spacecraft • It has two primary portions — communicationAn 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 and data […]