Basics of Space Flight Search JPL + View the NASA Portal SECTION I ENVIRONMENT 1 The Solar System 2 Reference Systems 3 Gravity & Mechanics 4 Trajectories 5 Planetary Orbits 6 Electromagnetics he people of Caltech's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) create, manage and SECTION II T FLIGHT PROJECTS operate NASA projects of exploration throughout our solar system and beyond. 7 Mission Inception Basics of Space Flight is a training module designed primarily to help JPL operations 8 Experiments people identify the range of concepts associated with deep space missions, and 9 S/C Classification grasp the relationships these concepts exhibit. It also enjoys popularity among high 10 Telecom school and college students, as well as faculty, and people everywhere who are 11 Onboard Systems interested in interplanetary space flight. 12 Science Instruments 13 Navigation This website attempts to offer a broad scope, but limited depth, as a background for further investigation; many other resources are available, of course, for delving into each of the topics related here. Indeed, any one of these topics can involve a lifelong career of specialization. This module's purpose is met if the participant SECTION III learns the scope of concepts that apply to interplanetary space exploration and the OPERATIONS relationships among them. 14 Launch Basics of Space Flight is intended to be used online via the worldwide web (http:// 15 Cruise www.jpl.nasa.gov/basics). There are interactive quizzes to let you check your own 16 Encounter progress; no records are kept. No academic credit is offered for completion. 17 Extended Ops 18 Deep Space Network Interplanetary exploration begins . 1 http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/basics/ (1 of 2)9/1/2004 5:38:05 AM Basics of Space Flight _________________ NEXT PAGE Editorial Page Site Manager: Dave Doody Webmaster: Diane Fisher 2 http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/basics/ (2 of 2)9/1/2004 5:38:05 AM Basics of Space Flight Editorial Page Search JPL View the NASA Portal Index SECTION I ENVIRONMENT 1.1 The Solar System In Cosmic Perspective, Motions Within the Solar System, Distances Within the Solar System, The Sun, Our Bubble of Interplanetary Space. 1.2 The Solar System The Terrestrial Planets, Earth's Radiation Environment, Terrestrial Planetary Data, The Jovian Planets, Satellites of the Jovian Planets, Rings, Inferior and Superior Planets, Phases of Illumination, Conjunction, Transit, Occultation, Opposition. 1.3 The Solar System The Minor Planets, Near Earth Objects (NEOs), Other Asteroids, Comets, Meteoroids, Meteors, Meteorites. 2.1 Reference Systems Terrestrial Coordinates, Earth's Rotation, Precession of Earth's Axis, Nutation, Revolution of Earth, Epochs, Making Sense. 2.2 Reference Systems The Celestial Sphere, Declination and Right Ascension, HA-DEC versus AZ-EL. 2.3 Reference Systems Time Conventions, SOE Illustration. 3.1 Gravity & Mechanics Gravitation, Ellipses. 3.2 Gravity & Mechanics Newton's Principles of Mechanics, Acceleration, Non-Newtonian Physics. 3.3 Gravity & Mechanics Acceleration in Orbit, Kepler's Laws, Gravity Gradients & Tidal Forces. 3.4 Gravity & Mechanics How Orbits Work, The Key to Space Flight, Orbiting a Real Planet, A Periapsis by Any Other Name, Freefall. 4 Trajectories 3 http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/basics/toc.html (1 of 4)9/1/2004 6:58:20 AM Basics of Space Flight Editorial Page Hohmann Transfer Orbits, Type I and II Trajectories, Gravity Assist Trajectories, Enter the Ion Engine. 5 Planetary Orbits Orbital Parameters and Elements, Geosynchronous Orbits, Geostationary Orbits, A Little GTO, Polar Orbits, Walking Orbits, Sun Synchronous Orbits, Lagrange points. 6.1 Electromagnetics Electromagnetic Radiation, The Inverse Square Law. 6.2 Electromagnetics Electromagnetic Spectrum, Waves or Particles, Natural and Artificial Emitters. 6.3 Electromagnetics Radio Frequencies, The Whole Spectrum, Atmospheric Transparency, Radio Frequency Interference, Spectroscopy. 6.4 Electromagnetics The Doppler Effect, Differenced Doppler. 6.5 Electromagnetics Reflection, Planetary Radar, Reflection of X-rays. 6.6 Electromagnetics Refraction, Phase. SECTION II FLIGHT PROJECTS 7.1 Mission Inception Conceptual Study, Phase A: Preliminary Analysis, Phase B: Definition. 7.2 Mission Inception Phase C/D: Design and Development, Operations Phase, Design Considerations, Budget, Design Changes, Resource Contention, Tracking Capabilities, Data Return. 8 Experiments The Scientific Community, Gathering Scientific Data, Science and Engineering Data, The Science Data Pipeline, Data Gaps, Radio Science Occultations, Solar Conjunction, Gravitational Waves, Celestial Mechanics, Gravity Field Surveys, Dissemination of Results. 9 S/C Classification Flyby Spacecraft, Orbiter Spacecraft, Atmospheric Spacecraft, Lander Spacecraft, Penetrator Spacecraft, Rover Spacecraft, Observatory Spacecraft, Communications Spacecraft, For Further Browsing. 10 Telecommunications Transmitters and Receivers, Signal Power, Uplink and Downlink, Phase Lock, One-way, Two-way, Three-way, Coherence, Data Glitch Going Two-way, TWNC On, Modulation and Demodulation, Carrier and Subcarrier, Beacons, Symbols and Bits and Coding, Multiplexing, Telemetry Lock, Channelization. 11.1 Onboard Systems Systems, Subsystems, and Assemblies, A Convenient Illustration, Structure Subsystem, Data Handling Subsystems, Sequence Storage, Spacecraft Clock, Telemetry Packaging and Coding, Data Storage, Fault Protection and Safing. 11.2 Onboard Systems Attitude and Articulation Control Subsystems, Stabilization, Celestial Reference, Inertial Reference, 4 http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/basics/toc.html (2 of 4)9/1/2004 6:58:20 AM Basics of Space Flight Editorial Page Telecommunications Subsystems, High-Gain Antennas, Low-Gain Antennas, Medium-gain Antennas, Spacecraft Transmitters, Spacecraft Receivers. 11.3 Onboard Systems Electrical Power Supply and Distribution Subsystems, Photovoltaics, Radioisotope Thermoelectric Generators, Electrical Power Distribution, Electrical Power Storage. 11.4 Onboard Systems Temperature Control Subsystems, Micro-meteoroid Protection, Propulsion Subsystems, Mechanical Devices Subsystems, Block Diagram Illustration, Redundancy and Flexibility, Advanced Technologies. 12 Science Instruments Science Payload, Direct- and Remote-sensing Instruments, Active and Passive Instruments, High-energy Particle Detectors, Low-Energy Charged-Particle Detectors, Plasma Instruments, Dust Detectors, Magnetometers, Plasma Wave Detectors, Planetary Radio Astronomy Instruments, Imaging Instruments, The Magnetosphere Imager, Polarimeters, Photometers, Spectrometers, Infrared Radiometers, Other Instruments, Combinations, Cooling, Scan Platforms, Synthetic Aperture Radar Imaging, Altimeters, Some Links to Spacecraft Science Instrument Pages. 13 Navigation Navigation Data Acquisition, Spacecraft Velocity Measurement, Spacecraft Distance Measurement, Spacecraft Angular Measurement, Optical Navigation, Orbit Determination, Trajectory Correction Maneuvers, Orbit Trim Maneuvers. SECTION III FLIGHT OPERATIONS 14 Launch Launch Vehicles, Launch Sites, Launch Windows, Preparations For Launch. 15 Cruise Spacecraft Checkout and Characterization, Real-time Commanding, Typical Daily Operations, Monitoring Spacecraft and Ground Events,Tracking the Spacecraft in Flight, Preparation for Encounter. 16.1 Encounter Flyby Operations, Planetary Orbit Insertion Operations, System Exploration or Planetary Mapping. 16.2 Encounter Occultations, Gravity Field Surveying, Atmospheric Entry and Aerobraking, Descent and Landing, Balloon Tracking, Sampling. 17 Extended Operations Completion of Primary Objectives, Additional Science Data, Orbiting Relay Operations, End of Mission. 18.1 Deep Space Network The Seven DSN Data Systems, Frequency & Timing System, Tracking System, Telemetry System, Command System, Monitor System, Radio Science System, Very Long Baseline Interferometry System, The DSN Facilities, A Closer Look at the DSCCs. 18.2 Deep Space Network DSS Designations, The 70-m Subnet, The 34-m HEF Subnet, The 34-m BWG Subnet, The 26-m Subnet, Arraying, Advances in the DSN. 18.3 Deep Space Network Data Flow at the DSCC, Colorful Equipment, Data At JPL. 5 http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/basics/toc.html (3 of 4)9/1/2004 6:58:20 AM Basics of Space Flight Editorial Page 19 Completion Certificate HOME | GUIDE | INDEX | GLOSSARY | UNITS OF MEASURE | LINKS Basics of Space Flight Site Manager: Dave Doody Webmaster: Diane Fisher 6 http://www2.jpl.nasa.gov/basics/toc.html (4 of 4)9/1/2004 6:58:20 AM Basics of Space Flight Editorial Page Search JPL View the NASA Portal Editorial Page SITE LAST MODIFIED 15 SEPTEMBER 2004 This document was first prepared in 1993 by Dave Doody and George Stephan of JPL's Mission Operations Section (391 as it was named back then) in association with the Section's Training Working Group. The 21st Century Edition was written by Dave Doody with Diane Fisher's editorial and technical expertise. Minor updates continue to be published every few months. If you have a question about any of the content in this document, you may send email to Dave Doody (use the above link). Dave is currently Flight Operations Lead for the Cassini Mission Support and Services Office. Web document administered by Diane Fisher. What is JPL? The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a Federally Funded Research and Development facility operated for NASA, the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, by Caltech, the California Institute of Technology. Here's a downloadable PDF-format brochure, called JPL-101, that describes JPL from