Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Undergraduate
Project Type
individual
Campus
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Enrique Amaya, Junior
Lead Presenter's Name
Enrique Amaya
Lead Presenter's College
DB College of Arts and Sciences
Faculty Mentor Name
Dr. Heidi Nykyri
Abstract
Orbit and mission design constitute a fundamental spacecraft subsystem, as the selected orbital regime and mission profile strongly influence power availability, communications geometry, propulsion requirements, and overall mission performance. This project investigates how key quantitative and qualitative parameters guide orbit and mission design decisions in real space missions, with particular emphasis on orbital altitude and inclination, ground coverage and revisit time, mission lifetime, launch vehicle performance constraints, and propulsion budgets. The primary objective is to develop a structured understanding of how high-level scientific or commercial objectives, together with cost, risk, and operational constraints, are translated into specific orbital architectures and mission timelines. The methodology combines a detailed review of mission documentation and peer‑reviewed technical publications with a comparative analysis of two selected missions, focusing on the reported trade studies and design rationales. The analysis is expected to identify consistent patterns linking mission objectives and system constraints to preferred orbital regimes and operational concepts, and to propose a generalizable framework that may inform future small satellite and constellation mission design efforts.
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
No
Included in
Astrodynamics Commons, Space Vehicles Commons, Systems Engineering and Multidisciplinary Design Optimization Commons
Evaluation of Orbit and Mission Design Parameters Considered in Real Space Missions
Orbit and mission design constitute a fundamental spacecraft subsystem, as the selected orbital regime and mission profile strongly influence power availability, communications geometry, propulsion requirements, and overall mission performance. This project investigates how key quantitative and qualitative parameters guide orbit and mission design decisions in real space missions, with particular emphasis on orbital altitude and inclination, ground coverage and revisit time, mission lifetime, launch vehicle performance constraints, and propulsion budgets. The primary objective is to develop a structured understanding of how high-level scientific or commercial objectives, together with cost, risk, and operational constraints, are translated into specific orbital architectures and mission timelines. The methodology combines a detailed review of mission documentation and peer‑reviewed technical publications with a comparative analysis of two selected missions, focusing on the reported trade studies and design rationales. The analysis is expected to identify consistent patterns linking mission objectives and system constraints to preferred orbital regimes and operational concepts, and to propose a generalizable framework that may inform future small satellite and constellation mission design efforts.