42057 Introduction to Space Communications and Sensing
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Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): (120 credit points of completed study in Bachelor's Degree owned by FEIT OR 120 credit points of completed study in Bachelor's Honours Embedded owned by FEIT OR 120 credit points of completed study in Bachelor's Combined Degree owned by FEIT OR 120 credit points of completed study in Bachelor's Combined Honours owned by FEIT OR 120 credit points of completed study in Bachelor's Combined Degree co-owned by FEIT OR 120 credit points of completed study in Bachelor's Combined Honours co-owned by FEIT) AND (48540 Signals and Systems OR 48541 Signal Theory OR 41090 Information and Signals)
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses. See access conditions.
Recommended studies:
Knowledge of telecommunications, signal processing, and electronic or electrical engineering
Description
Space communications and sensing are vital parts of space exploration and space-based applications. This subject is designed for students seeking a path for entry into the space technology industry or research and development. Students gain necessary technical knowledge to work in teams and solve design problems collaboratively. This subject provides a foundation for satellite communications and space-borne radar imaging. Topics include the history of spaceflight, orbital and propulsion principles, spacecraft environment, modulation/demodulation, pulse shaping and optimal detection for satellite communications, bit error rate analysis, simulation of digital transceivers, remote sensing principles, synthetic aperture radar and satellite navigation.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
Upon successful completion of this subject students should be able to:
| 1. | Design and simulate communication and remote sensing systems for space applications. (C.1) |
|---|---|
| 2. | Apply orbital principles, propulsion system, communication and remote sensing theories in the near-Earth space environment. (D.1) |
| 3. | Communicate effectively to achieve collaborative team deliverables of design projects. (E.1) |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject also contributes specifically to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs):
- Design Oriented: FEIT graduates apply problem solving, design thinking and decision-making methodologies in new contexts or to novel problems, to explore, test, analyse and synthesise complex ideas, theories or concepts. (C.1)
- Technically Proficient: FEIT graduates apply theoretical, conceptual, software and physical tools and advanced discipline knowledge to research, evaluate and predict future performance of systems characterised by complexity. (D.1)
- Collaborative and Communicative: FEIT graduates work as an effective member or leader of diverse teams, communicating effectively and operating autonomously within cross-disciplinary and cross-cultural contexts in the workplace. (E.1)
Contribution to the development of graduate attributes
Engineers Australia Stage 1 Competencies
Students enrolled in the Master of Professional Engineering should note that this subject contributes to the development of the following Engineers Australia Stage 1 competencies:
- 1.3. In-depth understanding of specialist bodies of knowledge within the engineering discipline.
- 2.2. Fluent application of engineering techniques, tools and resources.
- 2.3. Application of systematic engineering synthesis and design processes.
- 3.2. Effective oral and written communication in professional and lay domains.
Teaching and learning strategies
The subject is a combination of lectures, tutorials, exercises and activities involving group project presentation and review. Students will meet for two hours in a combined lecture and tutorial. Lectures are provided to teach key concepts and remaining time is for interaction with exercises as part of active learning. Every week during class, students can receive feedback on their progress through interactive tools like Microsoft Teams and Mentimeter in class. Students also have opportunities to engage in peer feedback on concepts being learned. In tutorials, students will use theory to solve problems. Student will also meet once per week to access a computer lab to complete exercises using MATLAB.
Content (topics)
- History of spaceflight
- Orbital and propulsion principles
- Spacecraft environment
- Modulation/demodulation
- Pulse shaping and optimal detection for satellite communications
- Bit error rate analysis
- Simulation of digital transceivers
- Remote sensing principles
- Synthetic aperture radar
- Satellite navigation
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Assignment 1
| Intent: | To revise fundamental concepts and demonstrate necessary foundation skills. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 2 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): D.1 |
| Type: | Exercises |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 30% |
Assessment task 2: Quiz
| Intent: | To provide students with feedback on their knowledge of threshold concepts in space communications and sensing |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 2 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): D.1 |
| Type: | Quiz/test |
| Groupwork: | Individual |
| Weight: | 20% |
| Length: | 2 hours |
Assessment task 3: Assignment 2
| Intent: | To reinforce advanced concepts and demonstrate necessary exploratory skills. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1 and 3 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): C.1 and E.1 |
| Type: | Project |
| Groupwork: | Group, group and individually assessed |
| Weight: | 30% |
| Length: | 3000 words |
Assessment task 4: Presentation and Peer Review
| Intent: | To demonstrate clear communication of collaborative team process and outcomes on a focus area. |
|---|---|
| Objective(s): | This assessment task addresses the following subject learning objectives (SLOs): 1 and 3 This assessment task contributes to the development of the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs): C.1 and E.1 |
| Type: | Presentation |
| Groupwork: | Group, group and individually assessed |
| Weight: | 20% |
| Length: | 30 minutes for each group |
Minimum requirements
In order to pass the subject, a student must achieve an overall mark of 50% or more.
References
• Ingle and Proakis, Digital Signal Processing Using MATLAB, fourth edition, Cengage Learning, 2017
• Campbell and McCandless, Jr., Introduction to Space Sciences and Spacecraft Applications, Gulf Publishing Company, 1996
• Cumming and Wong, Digital Processing of Synthetic Aperture Radar Data: Algorithms and Implementation, Artech House, 2005