Point the spacecraft. Change the power.
Does the way a spacecraft faces change how much electricity its solar panels make?
55–70 minutes · software only · formative, never graded
Open the missionOpen Practice
One spacecraft. Every mission runs on it.
12 missions are disclosed at Grades 9–10. The spacecraft model never changes — what changes is how much of it you are shown, and what you are asked to justify. This is Open Practice: no institution is needed, and your work stays in your browser rather than entering a School record.
Choose a grade
The same missions, disclosed at the depth that grade is ready for.
Grade 610 missionsGrade 710 missionsGrade 810 missionsGrades 9–1012 missionsGrades 11–1213 missionsUniversity13 missions
Grades 9–10 works at: Calculate · Model · Compare · Test.
Electrical power and energy
Survive the dark side.
When the Sun disappears, which spacecraft copes better - and how would you know?
55–70 minutes · software only · formative, never graded
Open the missionOrbit, ground track and contact planning
Find the pass. Plan the contact.
When can a ground station see the satellite — and does seeing it mean you got the data?
55–70 minutes · software only · formative, never graded
Open the missionSensors, telemetry and data quality
Can you trust what the spacecraft tells you?
If the instruments get worse, does the spacecraft get worse - or does it just stop knowing where it is?
55–70 minutes · software only · formative, never graded
Open the missionFirst contact and spacecraft systems
From launcher to first contact.
Every step scored something. So which one is actually stopping the mission?
55–70 minutes · software only · formative, never graded
Open the missionMake the budgets close.
Two designs, one mission. Which one actually closes every budget it has to?
55–70 minutes · software only · formative, never graded
Open the missionAttitude, motion and reaction wheels
Point it where you want it.
A stronger controller points more accurately. What does that cost the spacecraft?
55–70 minutes · software only · formative, never graded
Open the missionFeedback, estimation and control
Stop the tumble.
How do you stop something spinning in space, where there is nothing to push against?
55–70 minutes · software only · formative, never graded
Open the missionThermal and environmental constraints
Working hard gets hot.
Two spacecraft do exactly the same work. Why does one end up so much hotter?
55–70 minutes · software only · formative, never graded
Open the missionPayload, imaging and mission data
Take the picture. Get it home.
A sharper camera takes better pictures. Does it get more of them home?
55–70 minutes · software only · formative, never graded
Open the missionFaults, diagnosis and recovery
Find out what went wrong.
The payload worked and the data never arrived. What stopped it?
55–70 minutes · software only · formative, never graded
Open the missionVerification and capstone
Did you watch it long enough?
Your evidence supported a conclusion. Does it still, once you look for longer?
55–70 minutes · software only · formative, never graded
Open the mission