Space Mission Planning and Remote Sensing

  • Overview
  • Course Content
  • Requirements & Materials
Overview

Space Mission Planning and Remote Sensing

Course Description

Explore how access to space enables satellites to monitor Earth’s biosphere, atmosphere, and mass distribution, providing critical insights into climate, weather, communications, and national security. With access to space, satellites can be launched into orbits to perform important measurements of the Earth’s biosphere, yielding information on our environment, how our atmosphere interacts with the Sun, the mass and the mass distribution of Earth, weather, communications, and national defense. Learners will examine how continuous satellite data improves environmental understanding, supports disaster mitigation, and enhances quality of life by informing resource management and reducing risks and loss of life from natural hazards.

Course Content

1. International Uses of Space

  • Civilian, commercial, military, and governmental applications of space
  • Strategic value of space assets for global operations
  • Evolution of space utilization since the Space Age
  • Relationship between mission objectives and orbital environments

2. Orbital Regimes and the Crowded Space Environment

  • Characteristics and mission benefits of low Earth orbit (LEO), medium Earth Orbit (MEO), geostationary orbit (GEO), highly elliptical orbit (HEO)
  • Growth of the orbital population since Sputnik and its implications
  • Types of space objects: active satellites, defunct payloads, rocket bodies
  • Challenges posed by increasing orbital congestion

3. Space Object Tracking, Debris, and Collision Avoidance

  • Radar and electro‑optical methods for tracking and characterization
  • Classification, detection, and monitoring of space debris
  • NASA processes for human‑spaceflight safety and debris response
  • Collision prediction, risk assessment, and avoidance maneuvering

4. Earth Observation and Environmental Monitoring

  • Orbits optimized for Earth remote sensing and continuous coverage
  • European Space Agency's (ESA) Copernicus Sentinel radar constellation
  • NASA/United States Geological Survey (USGS) Landsat missions for long‑term terrestrial monitoring
  • Key climate‑focused missions: PACE and MethaneSAT

5. Surveillance and Reconnaissance Missions

  • Historical CORONA program and early satellite intelligence
  • KH‑11 advanced optical systems for high‑resolution imaging
  • Lacrosse/Onyx radar satellites for all‑weather observation
  • Space Based Infrared System (SBIRS) infrared constellation for missile detection and global security

6. Communications and Global Connectivity

  • Evolution from Telstar to modern communications satellites
  • Starlink and OneWeb proliferated LEO constellations
  • Mobile User Objective System (MUOS) for resilient military and emergency communications
  • Global, real‑time communications architectures

7. Positioning, Timing, and Geodetic Systems

  • GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and BeiDou global Position, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) constellations
  • Precision timing and navigation enabled by relativity
  • Geodetic missions: GEOSAT, LAGEOS, Starlette/Stella/AJISAI
  • GRACE‑FO for gravity mapping and climate‑related mass change
Requirements & Materials

Prerequisites

RECOMMENDED:

  • Undergraduate-level knowledge of Algebra, Calculus, Physics, and/or Engineering
  • Recommended: Freshman/Sophomore Physics/Calculus-I

Materials

PROVIDED (Student will receive):

  • Lecture notes will be provided.
  • Learners will use custom software to enhance their understanding of course content around orbits, tracking, and observations.

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for individuals who are new to space-related roles or the military. Is is also valuable for those working as analysts or in space operations roles.

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What You Will Learn

  • Space‑domain awareness – understanding international uses of space, orbital regimes (low Earth orbit (LEO), medium Earth Orbit (MEO), geostationary orbit (GEO), and highly elliptical orbit (HEO)), and the operational implications of a crowded space environment.
  • Tracking methodologies – applying radar and electro‑optical techniques to detect, monitor, and characterize satellites and debris objects
  • Debris‑mitigation practices – recognizing debris types, assessing hazards, and understanding processes for collision prediction and avoidance maneuvers
  • Earth‑observing systems – examining satellite missions (Sentinel, Landsat, PACE, MethaneSAT) that measure climate, oceans, ecosystems, and environmental change
  • Reconnaissance capabilities – exploring historical and modern space‑based intelligence systems for high‑resolution imaging, radar sensing, and infrared surveillance
  • Communications architectures – comparing legacy and proliferated LEO constellations (e.g., Telstar, Starlink, OneWeb, MUOS) and their global connectivity applications
  • Positioning and geodetic techniques – understanding global Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) systems (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou) and geodetic satellites (GEOSAT, LAGEOS, GRACE‑FO) for navigation, Earth modeling, and mission planning
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How You Will Benefit

  • Develop a comprehensive understanding of global civil, commercial, and military space activities to better assess how orbital assets support organizational and national objectives.
  • Apply knowledge of orbital regimes (LEO, MEO, GEO, HEO) to evaluate which orbits best support mission goals in communications, sensing, security, and environmental monitoring.
  • Strengthen space‑domain awareness by analyzing congestion, tracking methods, and debris risks to improve operational safety and organizational readiness.
  • Interpret environmental and climate data from major Earth‑observing missions to support evidence‑based decision‑making in sustainability, disaster response, and resource management.
  • Assess global surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities to understand how space systems contribute to national security, intelligence operations, and strategic planning.
  • Evaluate modern communication constellations to improve organizational connectivity, resilience, and technological competitiveness.
  • Utilize positioning, navigation, timing, and geodetic satellite systems to enhance precision, logistics, mapping accuracy, and mission planning across sectors.
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TRAIN AT YOUR LOCATION

We enable employers to provide specialized, on-location training on their own timetables. Our world-renowned experts can create unique content that meets your employees' specific needs. We also have the ability to deliver courses via web conferencing or on-demand online videos. For 15 or more students, it is more cost-effective for us to come to you.

  • Save Money
  • Flexible Schedule
  • Group Training
  • Customize Content
  • On-Site Training
  • Earn a Certificate
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