Teaching
Lectures
The objective of the Chair of Space Informatics and Satellite Systems is to provide to students of all levels a comprehensive background in various fundamental aspects of satellite systems design, going from the mission analysis to the hardware development, as well as experience thanks to the hands-on activities included in the lectures.
The on-board estimation and tracking of a target Resident Space Object’s (RSO) pose, including its position and orientation, is a crucial technology for enabling various on-orbit servicing and active debris removal operations. These missions rely on real-time data about the target's pose relative to the servicer spacecraft to ensure the safe, autonomous, and efficient execution of rendezvous and docking maneuvers. Using a low Size-Weight-Power-Cost (SWaP-C) sensor, like a monocular camera, to extract pose information from individual or sequential images is particularly appealing compared to more complex systems such as LiDAR or stereovision. The course will cover various aspects essential for achieving real-time pose tracking, including hardware integration, synthetic and laboratory-based image generation and processing, neural network training for pose estimation, and the validation and verification of the system's performance. Students will gain hands-on experience in developing and testing the critical technologies required for autonomous spacecraft operations in real-world scenarios.
In the introductory sessions of this module, the fundamentals of Spacecraft Pose Estimation will be presented, and several topics for the practical project work will be introduced to the students. Each group (with a minimum of 2 and a maximum of 4 students) will work on a single topic. These topics will be discussed further during weekly meetings as follows:
- Students will be provided with literature by the supervisor and will also conduct independent literature review. The results will then be presented to the supervisor.
- The instructor will discuss the concepts for implementing the individual projects in software and/or hardware.
- Students will develop a work plan and implement it. The work will include the development and testing of software and/or hardware components.
- Technical details will be discussed during the weekly meetings.
Students will present their progress in two interim presentations (a preliminary design review and a critical design review) and a final presentation, each lasting 15 minutes followed by a 15-minute discussion. Additionally, they will submit the developed hardware or software solution along with a brief documentation (maximum 20 pages).
The Chair of Space Informatics and Satellite Systems (SISAT) at the University of Würzburg (Germany) has developed a Floating Satellite (FloatSat) system in order to help students understand and get familiar with basic satellite subsystems and also to develop and test different attitude control algorithms and strategies for small satellites in an almost frictionless environment similar to that in space. This system has been used with excellent feedback by our postgraduate students as a compulsory course in the SpaceMaster program, as well as by our undergraduate students as a part of the exercises offered in the Aerospace Laboratory.
The FloatSat system is consists mainly from a mechanical structure that contains the basic satellite subsystems. This structure is placed into a hemisphere shell that it is floating inside a spherical air bearing unit. The air bearing unit requires compressed air input may vary depending on the mass of the floating unit. In order to monitor and command the FloatSat, a ground station computer is used to communicate via the Bluetooth or the Wi-Fi module available in the satellite through commanding and telemetry display tool.
This module introduces the fundamental principles of astrodynamics and the orientation control of satellites. It covers essential sensors, actuators, and control software used in spacecraft attitude control. Students gain insight into practical implementations, including both spin-stabilised and three-axis stabilised satellite systems.
Upon completion of the module, students will have mastered the dynamic foundations required for spacecraft design. They will be familiar with the key sensors and actuators used in spaceflight and understand their respective applications.
Theses
As part of its teaching activities, the Chair of SISAT supervises both Master’s and Bachelor’s theses. The primary objective of these projects is to equip students with the ability to conduct independent scientific work and develop their own research contribution. This includes performing a thorough literature review, practicing academic writing, and developing a coherent and suitable structure for their thesis. Students learn to address a scientific problem or research question, formulate well-founded conclusions, and critically evaluate their own results.
Supervised Theses
Below is an overview of the Bachelor’s and Master’s theses currently being conducted at the Chair of SISAT. These projects reflect the diverse research activities within the department and showcase the ongoing scientific work carried out by our students.
Description in progress
Description in progress
Offered Theses
Below you can find a selection of currently available Bachelor’s and Master’s thesis topics offered by the Chair of SISAT. These projects provide students with the opportunity to engage in independent scientific work and contribute to ongoing research activities within the department.
- Offered theses will be listed here once they are publicly announced -
