3 credits
Fall 2025 Distance Learning Lecture Upper Division
The course teaches the basic techniques and concepts relevant to Space Traffic Management (STM) and Space Situational Awareness (SSA) from a rigorous engineering perspective. The class starts with learning how measurements are collected and processed and then moves on to the non-linear orbital motion and astrodynamics in the near-Earth realm. The focus is on orbit determination and orbit improvement of satellites and space debris to detect new objects and maintain custody of them. Lastly, the class focuses on determining the probability of collision of two resident space objects. At the end of the course, the students are equipped with a fundamental Matlab toolset to investigate their own STM or SSA problems.
Learning Outcomes1Demonstrate fundamental understanding of sustainable use of space.
2Determine engineering and simulation of information collection for STM.
3Demonstrate Initial Orbit Determination and Orbit Improvement using passive measurements.
4Determine Orbital perturbations in the near-Earth and cislunar region.
5Determine Computation Probability of Collision.
Prerequisites
Restrictions
made by Purdue students.