Space Systems Engineering Self-Study Sequence

title: Space Systems Engineering Self-Study Sequence

aliases:

• SSE Self-Study
• SSE Study Plan

tags:

• space/systems-engineering
• education/self-study

created: 2026-10-23

duration: "~36 weeks at 6–8 h/week"

primary_texts:

• "NASA Systems Engineering Handbook, SP-2016-6105 Rev 2 (NASA SEH)"
• "Wertz, Everett & Puschell (eds.), Space Mission Engineering: The New SMAD (SME)"
• "Fortescue, Swinerd & Stark, Spacecraft Systems Engineering (FSS)"

supplementary_texts:

• "Curtis, Orbital Mechanics for Engineering Students"
• "Vallado, Fundamentals of Astrodynamics and Applications"
• "Sutton & Biblarz, Rocket Propulsion Elements"
• "Gilmore (ed.), Spacecraft Thermal Control Handbook"
• "Pisacane (ed.), Fundamentals of Space Systems"
• "ECSS-E-ST-10C and ECSS-E-ST-10-02C (Verification)"

related:

• "[[Space Systems Engineering Curriculum]]"

Space Systems Engineering Self-Study Sequence

A phased path through the [[Space Systems Engineering Curriculum]]. It assumes an engineering degree or equivalent: comfort with calculus, basic dynamics and some scripting.

• a Mars telecom relay smallsat in areostationary orbit
• a 6U–12U LEO Earth-observation CubeSat
• a lunar orbiting pathfinder

Abbreviations: NASA SEH = NASA Systems Engineering Handbook; SME = Space Mission Engineering: The New SMAD; FSS = Fortescue, Swinerd & Stark.

Phase 0 — Orientation (weeks 1–2)

Goal: a mental model of the whole life cycle before going deep on anything.

• NASA SEH Ch. 1–3: fundamentals, the SE engine, the NASA project life cycle
• Skim NPR 7123.1 to see how the handbook maps to mandatory requirements
• Space Systems Engineering curriculum site (spacese.spacegrant.org): first lecture modules on the systems perspective
• Skim the SME table of contents and chapter introductions for the shape of the mission-design method

Artefact: a one-page mission statement for the reference mission (objective, user, rough timeline).

Phase 1 — Front-end SE: needs, ConOps, requirements (weeks 3–7)

Goal: turn a mission idea into a verifiable requirements set.

• NASA SEH §4.1 Stakeholder Expectations Definition
• NASA SEH §4.2 Technical Requirements Definition, plus Appendix C on writing good requirements
• NASA SEH §6.2 Requirements Management
• SME: mission characterisation and concept-of-operations chapters
• INCOSE Guide to Writing Requirements, or the SEBoK requirements articles

Artefacts:

• Needs, goals and objectives (NGOs)
• ConOps covering mission phases, operational modes and a timeline
• Mission-level requirements (~20–40), each with rationale and verification method
• A traceability matrix from NGOs to requirements

Phase 2 — Space environment and astrodynamics (weeks 8–13)

Goal: enough orbital mechanics and environment knowledge to choose and justify an orbit.

• FSS: space environment chapter; SME: space environment and survivability chapter
• Curtis Ch. 1–8: two-body problem through orbital manoeuvres and interplanetary trajectories
• Vallado as the reference for perturbations (J2, drag, SRP) and propagation
• Install NASA GMAT and work through its tutorials: LEO propagation, Hohmann transfer, B-plane targeting

Artefacts:

• Orbit trade study: at least two candidate orbits scored against Phase 1 requirements
• Δv budget with margin, covering launch dispersion, insertion, station-keeping and disposal
• Environment summary: radiation dose estimate, eclipse durations, thermal extremes

Phase 3 — Architecture and system budgets (weeks 14–18)

Goal: a functional and physical architecture with closed budgets.

• NASA SEH §4.3 Logical Decomposition, §4.4 Design Solution Definition
• NASA SEH §6.3 Interface Management, §6.8 Decision Analysis
• SME: spacecraft design and sizing chapters, budgets and margins policy
• Optional MBSE: model the architecture in SysML (Cameo or a SysML v2 tool) or Capella (Arcadia method, open source)

Artefacts:

• Functional flow block diagram and N² diagram
• Product breakdown structure (PBS)
• Mass, power, link and data budgets with explicit contingency (e.g. per AIAA S-120 or your chosen margins policy)
• Top-level ICD list

Phase 4 — Subsystems (weeks 19–28)

Goal: first-order sizing of every subsystem, with interactions closed against the Phase 3 budgets. Allow about one week per subsystem block.

Phase 5 — Verification, reliability and operations (weeks 29–32)

• NASA SEH Ch. 5: product realisation (implementation, integration, verification, validation, transition)
• ECSS-E-ST-10-02C Verification: model philosophy, qualification vs acceptance
• GSFC-STD-7000 (GEVS): environmental test levels and sequences
• NASA SEH §6.4 Technical Risk Management
• SME: mission operations and ground segment chapters

Artefacts:

• Verification matrix for every requirement (method, level, phase)
• Model philosophy and environmental test flow
• FMECA on the most critical subsystem
• Risk register (top 10, with 5×5 scoring and mitigations)
• Operations concept: ground stations, contact plan, anomaly response

Phase 6 — Capstone: self-run PDR (weeks 33–36)

• NASA SEH §6.7 Technical Assessment; Appendix G (review entrance and success criteria)
• Assemble a PDR data package from Phases 1–5
• Assess it against the PDR success criteria. Ideally, get an external reviewer (a Mars Society or local space-industry contact, or an online forum)

Artefacts:

• PDR package: ConOps, requirements, architecture, budgets, subsystem designs, verification plan, risk register
• Review findings (RIDs) and a closure plan

Progress log