3rd Year – Winter Semester
501. SATELLITE SYSTEMS AND SUBSYSTEMS II (7 ECTS, 4 TH+2 LAB)
502. FLUID MECHANICS (6 ECTS, 4 TH+2 LAB)
504. OPERATING SYSTEMS (6 ECTS, 4 TH+2 LAB)
602. COMPUTATIONAL METHODS IN AEROSPACE SCIENCE (5 ECTS, 4 TH)
3rd Year – Spring Semester
601. SATELLITE REMOTE SENSING (6 ECTS, 3 TH+2 LAB)
4th Year – Winter Semester
701. LABORATORY FOR THE DESIGN AND SIMULATION OF SATELLITE SYSTEMS (10 ECTS, 4 LAB)
703. SATELLITE REMOTE SENSING APPLICATIONS AND SERVICES (5 ECTS, 4 TΗ)
705. SPACE SOFTWARE (5 ECTS, 4 TH)
710. MATERIALS IN AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY (5 ECTS, 4 TH)
4th Year – Spring Semester
802. GROUND SYSTEMS (5 ECTS, 4 TH)
804. SPACE PLASMA (5 ECTS, 4 TH)
806. ELECTRONICS FOR SPACE APPLICATIONS (5 ECTS, 4 TH)
503. HIGH-POWER MICROWAVE SOURCES (5 ECTS, 4 TH)
Syllabus – Course Outline
3rd Year – Winter Semester
501. SATELLITE SYSTEMS AND SUBSYSTEMS II (7 ECTS, 4 TH+2 LAB) (Stelios Georgantzinos, Associate Professor, sgeor@uoa.gr)
Introduction to the manufacturing of satellite systems. Strength and stiffness of structural elements. Sandwich structures. Finite element analysis. Manufacturing using 3D Printing. Material selection of satellite systems. Use of CAD software tools and finite element packages in the design and simulation of satellite systems and subsystems. PATRAN/ NASTRAN software tools and 3D printing tools.
502. FLUID MECHANICS (6 ECTS, 4 TH+2 LAB) (Fatsis Antonios, Professor, afatsis@uoa.gr)
Lectures
This course introduces the students of the fifth semester of the Department of Aerospace Science and Technology to the basic principles of Fluid Mechanics. The course aims to help the students understand the basic principles of aerodynamic design of aerospace vehicles. After an introduction to the basic features of Fluid Mechanics, the equations of motion in differential form are presented. Dimensional analysis of the equations and introduction of basic non-dimensional numbers of Fluid Mechanics. Laminar and turbulent flow characteristics. Approximate forms of the Navier-Stokes equations. Internal laminar and turbulent flows in ducts. Basic types of external flows: around flat plates, cylinders and spheres. Boundary layer theory over flat plates and airfoils. Introduction to compressible flow theory, flows in converging-diverging nozzles, normal shock waves and expansion waves.
Laboratory
The Laboratory of Computational Fluid Dynamics complements the theoretical part (lectures) of the course. Levels of approximation and numerical methods for calculation of flow fields in Fluid Dynamics. Presentation of the Panel method, the method of finite differences and the method of finite volumes for external flows. Grid generation techniques. Consistency, stability and convergence of numerical methods. Typical flow applications for elliptical, parabolic and hyperbolic problems in Fluid Mechanics. Principles of turbulence modeling techniques. Finally, the students comprehend the application of the above methods working with commercial codes of Computational Fluid Dynamics with the elaboration of individual laboratory exercises.
504. OPERATING SYSTEMS (6 ECTS, 4 TH+2 LAB) (Christos Tsigkanos, Assistant Professor, christos.tsigkanos@aerospace.uoa.gr)
The Operating Systems course offers a rigorous examination of operating system principles tailored for aerospace applications. This module begins with an exploration of fundamental concepts, including process management, memory management, and file systems, emphasizing their critical roles in aerospace software systems. Students will delve into real-time operating systems (RTOS), focusing on timing requirements, scheduling algorithms, and synchronization mechanisms essential for aerospace applications. Practical sessions will involve hands-on experience with RTEMS and FreeRTOS, providing students with the skills to implement and manage real-time tasks effectively. Advanced topics such as fault tolerance, reliability, and security in operating systems are also discussed, ensuring that students understand how to design and implement robust systems capable of withstanding the harsh conditions of aerospace operations.
602. COMPUTATIONAL METHODS IN AEROSPACE SCIENCE (5 ECTS, 4 TH) (Stelios Georgantzinos, Associate Professor, sgeor@uoa.gr)
Numerical methods, solution of nonlinear equation systems, numerical solution of ordinary differential equations, initial value problems, Taylor methods, Euler, Runge-Kutta, midpoint, finite difference methods. Partial differential equations. Applications in Matlab. Computational applications: Introduction to Monte Carlo methods, Computational applications in solving probability problems. Introduction to parameter estimation. Methods of moments. Least squares method. Computational methods and optimization.
3rd Year – Spring Semester
601. SATELLITE REMOTE SENSING (6 ECTS, 3 TH+2 LAB) (Stavros Kolios, Assistant Professor, skolios@aerospace.uoa.gr)
Mechanisms of radiation attenuation in the atmosphere (scattering and absorption).
Emission of radiation. Reflection of radiation. Effect of clouds. Spectral signatures. Mathematical development of the general radiative transfer equation (Radiative Transfer Equation) – the RTE under conditions of local thermodynamic equilibrium.
Radiation propagation in the thermal infrared. Atmospheric transmissivity.
Spectral signature. Spatial–temporal–spectral–radiometric resolution.
Categories and characteristics of satellites and satellite sensors.
Basic principles of passive remote sensing (visible, near–mid–thermal infrared).
Satellite meteorology and climatology. Photo-interpretation of satellite images.
Basic principles of active remote sensing. Radar and laser-source remote sensing.
Applications. Remote Sensing Laboratory (weeky labs with educational execises in ESA-SNAP or ENVI software).
4th Year – Winter Semester
701. LABORATORY FOR THE DESIGN AND SIMULATION OF SATELLITE SYSTEMS (10 ECTS, 4 LAB) (Lappas Vaios, Professor, Valappas@aerospace.uoa.gr)
Design of satellite systems. Satellite system simulation tools (e.g. small satellites). Submission of a group and individual report and presentation of team project (with individual contributions) to a committee of academic judges.
703. SATELLITE REMOTE SENSING APPLICATIONS AND SERVICES (5 ECTS, 4 TΗ) (Stavros Kolios, Assistant Professor, skolios@aerospace.uoa.gr)
Use of satellite remote sensing data (images in the visible and thermal infrared spectrum, hyperspectral images, data from Radar and Lidar) for the development of applications in transportation safety, the modernization of shipping, aeronautical monitoring and surveillance, environmental and climate change monitoring, infrastructure monitoring, the modernization of primary production (precision agriculture), smart cities, as well as in the prevention and management of emergency situations (e.g., floods, forest fires). Laboratory exercises and applied topics in satellite remote sensing.
705. SPACE SOFTWARE (5 ECTS, 4 TH) (Christos Tsigkanos, Assistant Professor, christos.tsigkanos@aerospace.uoa.gr)
The Space Software Course provides an in-depth exploration of software engineering principles specifically adapted for space applications. The curriculum encompasses a comprehensive range of topics, beginning with the elicitation and analysis of requirements, validation, specification, and goal modeling, all within the framework of established space software standards. Formal verification techniques are emphasized to ensure the development of dependable systems, transitioning from requirements and specifications to formal guarantees through actionable methodologies and technologies.
The course delves into real-time operating systems, addressing critical timing requirements, scheduling, and synchronization primitives, with practical applications using RTEMS and FreeRTOS. The upstream segment focuses on flight software and the compute stack, extending from embedded systems to CCSDS Mission Operation Services, and includes an examination of space software frameworks.
In the realm of software design and architecture, students will engage with advanced design techniques, architectural layers, styles, and representations. The software testing module covers the identification and mitigation of failures, faults, and errors, employing both white-box and black-box testing methodologies, and evaluating testing coverage and criteria.
Finally, the downstream segment addresses ground data systems, providing a primer on distributed and service-based systems, and exploring the integration of web services and cloud technologies within the new space downstream paradigm, including the IoT-Cloud continuum. This course is designed for advanced students with a solid foundation in software engineering, aiming to equip them with the specialized knowledge required for the development and management of space software systems.
710. MATERIALS IN AEROSPACE TECHNOLOGY (5 ECTS, 4 TH) (Stelios Georgantzinos, Associate Professor, sgeor@uoa.gr)
Structure and properties of materials (electrical, thermal, magnetic, and optical properties). Advanced materials and applications (composites and nanostructured materials, materials for energy applications). Material properties and the environment. Materials and techniques manufacturing techniques. Materials for aerospace systems. Selection of materials for aerospace applications systems. Simulation of material and device properties. Strength of materials. Non-destructive testing.
4th Year – Spring Semester
802. GROUND SYSTEMS (5 ECTS, 4 TH) (Georgios Rekleitis, Assistant Professor,, georek@aerospace.uoa.gr)
Ground segments for tracking and operational control of space missions, control of a satellite and its subsystems, payload and data handling control, communication with the satellite system, space data handling and filing according to the ECSS-Q-ST-70C space standard. Ground stations design (computational infrastructure, network infrastructure, antennas, etc.). EGSE and MGSE systems and tools.
804. SPACE PLASMA (5 ECTS, 4 TH) (Zisis Ioannidis, Assistant Professor, zioanni@aerospace.uoa.gr)
Basic properties of plasma: Degree of plasma ionization (Saha equation), Debye shielding, plasma frequency, mean free path, collision frequency, plasma parameters, Larmor frequency. Motion of single charges in constant and varying electric and magnetic fields. Magnetic mirror, adiabatic invariants. Applications to planetary magnetospheres. Solar plasma. Wave propagation in cold plasma (unmagnetized and magnetized). Introduction to kinetic theory.
806. ELECTRONICS FOR SPACE APPLICATIONS (5 ECTS, 4 TH) (Charalambos Lambropoulos, Professor, lambrop@uoa.gr)
Circuit theory elements: Laplace transform, Transfer function, Frequency response, Bode Diagrams. Poles and Zeros.Low and high frequency models for MOS and BJT transistors. Small signal analysis. Frequency response of transistor circuits.
The differential pair. The current mirror. Differential pair with active load. The operational amplifier. Linear and non-linear circuits with operational amplifiers. Non-ideal behaviour
Feedback of electronic circuits. Asymptotic equality. Return ratio, Loop Gain, Phase and gain margin.
503. HIGH-POWER MICROWAVE SOURCES (5 ECTS, 4 TH) (Zisis Ioannidis, Assistant Professor, zioanni@aerospace.uoa.gr)
Module 1: Introduction and Applications of High-Power Microwave Sources in Aerospace Science and Technology.
Module 1 describes the topics of the course and the corresponding bibliography. After placing microwave radiation in the frequency spectrum, the ways in which we characterize its different regions, the advantages of high frequencies, and the difficulties encountered in studying them are presented. After introducing the criteria by which a source is characterized as a high-power source, a brief description of the historical evolution of microwave sources is given. The section concludes with a presentation of several applications of high-power microwave sources, with particular emphasis on applications related to Aerospace Science and Technology.
The teaching of Module 1 takes 1.0 week.
Module 2: Electromagnetic theory, waveguides and electromagnetic resonators
Module 2 begins with a summary of the basics of electromagnetic theory required for the study of waveguides and electromagnetic resonators that find application in microwave sources. Using Maxwell's equations in differential form and focusing on harmonically varying quantities, the wave equation is solved in waveguides of rectangular and cylindrical cross-section. The concept of the dispersion diagram is introduced and studied in depth, which will be useful in the following sections for understanding the mechanisms of interaction of electromagnetic waves and electronic beams. Extending the waveguide theory, the concept of electromagnetic resonator and quality factor is defined. For an in-depth understanding of the concepts involved, basic calculations are presented in detail, exercises are solved and multimedia (images and videos) with electromagnetic simulation results are presented.
The teaching of module 2 lasts 3.0 weeks.
Module 3:Beam-wave interaction mechanisms and classification of microwave sources.
In Module 3, the process of microwave generation in high-power sources is studied from the point of view of the resonance interactions between the modes in a waveguide or cavity and the modes of an electron beam. The different ways in which microwave sources are categorized are presented in detail. To maintain order, the categorization of microwave tubes by the direction of the magnetic field with respect to the direction of the electron beam motion is used. The study of the interaction mechanisms found in Type-O linear tubes and Type-M tubes is carried out with the help of the dispersion diagram that has been studied in detail in the previous section.
The teaching of module 3 takes 2.0 weeks.
Module 4: Microwave vacuum tubes
In Module 4, an in-depth study of the operating and design principles, special features and performance of basic and modern microwave vacuum tubes widely used in commercial, scientific and research applications is carried out. The study focuses on slow-wave devices (Klystron Amplifier and Oscillator, Balanced Wave Tube Amplifier), fast-wave devices (Gyroton Oscillator, Free Electron Laser), and crossed-field tubes (Magnetrons).
The teaching of module 4 lasts 4 weeks.
Module 5: Solid state sources and devices
Module 5 complements the high-power microwave tubes introduced in Module 4 with solid-state microwave sources, which although lower power, can address the dimensional and weight constraints that exist in many applications. After detailing basic elements from the semiconductor and oscillator theory, the section focuses on solid-state sources such as the Gunn diode oscillator and other important semiconductor devices (electron-carrying, time-transfer and tunneling) for microwave frequencies such as Impatt, Varactor and PIN diodes.
The teaching of Module 5 takes 2.0 weeks.
Module 6: Microwave diagnostics and measurements
Module 6 deals with basic techniques and the corresponding principles of operation of diagnostic devices used to detect electromagnetic radiation and perform measurements at microwave frequencies. Basic devices for electric and magnetic field detection (crystal diodes, D-Dot and B-Dot sensors), microwave-power (ballistic and flow calorimeters) and frequency (absorption wavemeter, filter-banks) measurement are studied.
The teaching of Module 6 takes 1.0 week.