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Launch Vehicle Avionics Systems Design and Applications – Online Short Course (Starts 14 April 2026)
- From 14–30 April 2026 (3 Weeks, 6 Classes, 15 Total Hours)
- Every Tuesday and Thursday at 1–3:30 p.m. Eastern Time (all sessions will be recorded and available for replay; course notes will be available for download)
- This new practical course offers a rare deep dive into launch vehicle avionics systems engineering and design
- All students will receive an AIAA Certificate of Completion at the end of the course.
Description
OVERVIEW
This comprehensive course offers a detailed look at basic launch vehicle avionics systems engineering and design processes and principles. All launch vehicle avionics systems are similar, but not all are the same. This course addresses the up-front systems engineering process, requirement levels, trade studies, requirements allocation/linking requirements derivation, requirements verification, risk and risk assessment, safety, integration and test, costing and scheduling, all required before and during selecting the overall architecture and subsystem avionics. This is all applied to the avionics system level design on a subsystem-by-subsystem basis. Attendees will learn about avionics subsystem designs that are utilized on launch vehicles. The course contents include a discussion of terms, nomenclature and rules of thumb that are used in the development process. Each avionics subsystem is explained in detail to gain insight into manpower and cost requirements. In addition to launch vehicle avionics equipment, the design, fabrication, and qualification of the electrical ground support equipment required to operate launch vehicles during integration and test and at the launch site, are discussed in detail.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
AUDIENCE- Systems engineering processes and principles for launch vehicle avionics system design
- Developing overall and subsystem architectures
- Evaluation and determination of risks, safety and trade studies
- Development of avionics system/subsystem requirements
- Design techniques for launch vehicle avionics systems
- Emerging technologies for the future.
- Launch vehicle systems engineers, avionics subsystem designers, managers, business development personnel, system safety engineers, risk engineers and managers, electrical ground support equipment engineers, integration and test engineers, and environmental test engineers.
- Technologists who wish to expand their knowledge base in launch vehicle subsystems.
- Systems engineers who need to know how the avionics system fits into the overall launch vehicle integration and operational makeup.
- Program managers needing more data on current developments in launch vehicle technologies.
- Educators who teach related launch vehicle topics at the university level.
- In summary, this is a must attend course if you are an engineer or hands-on manager in system engineering, electronic component design and integration and test.
COURSE FEES (Sign-In To Register)
- AIAA Member Price: $895
USD
- Non-Member Price: $1095
USD
- AIAA Student Member
Price: $495 USD
OUTLINE
- Definitions. Fundamental definitions and terms for launch vehicle avionics systems and subsystems.
- Systems Engineering Process. Exploration of the classic systems engineering “V” process and how it is applied at the mission, systems and subsystem levels, for launch vehicle to deliver a system that meets stakeholder orbital parameters/requirements.
- Systems Requirements: Starting at the customer/stakeholder level 1, allocating down to Level 2, performing trade studies within levels 1 & 2 refining the mission requirements for optimum level 2 requirements. Allocating requirements to level 3 with trade studies refining level 2 & 3 for optimum launch vehicle architecture. Further requirements allocation and derivation, requirements management, verification and validation. Using the Concept of Operations to further refine Level 1 & 2 requirements.
- Requirements documentation: Generating the Program/Project level documentation.
- Mission Assurance: Correlation of the radiation environment and radiation analysis, risks and safety assessments to the importance of system and subsystem architectures and requirements.
- Scheduling. Understanding the scheduling process from Program/Project Milestones, to mission, to system, to subsystem levels. The correct allocation, linking and resource loading too enable successful program execution and cost control.
- Costing. Understand how costing your activity is closely coupled to the architecture, system/subsystem design, manpower experience, scheduling, requirements, verification and validation processes, integration and test and launch site integration.
- System Architecture. How high-level trade studies, requirements, requirements verification, and mission validation process lead to a concise system level architecture; allocation to subsystem level requirements and architecture, derivation and linking back to mission level 1 requirements.
- Testing. How testing to lower-level requirements leads to higher-level verification and mission validation. The overall test flow and pitfalls. Electronic ground support equipment required from board-to-box-to-system level, environmental testing-to-operations to launch site integration.
- Subsystem Level Architecture. In-depth subsystem level architecture for Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C), Command and Data Handling (C&DH) including Flight Software (FSW), RF Communications (RF Comm), Electrical Power (EPS) and Propulsion (Prop).
- Subsystem Level Architecture. In-depth subsystem level architecture for Guidance, Navigation and Control (GN&C), Command and Data Handling (C&DH) including Flight Software (FSW), RF Communications (RF Comm), Electrical Power (EPS) and Propulsion (Prop).
INSTRUCTORGeorge N. Andrew has over 46+ years of experience relating to launch vehicle, spacecraft and instrument avionics architecture, design, manufacturing, integration and testing and program management.
In addition, Mr. Andrew has extensive mission/systems engineering, and program/project management experience. He has consulted and worked with start-up spacecraft and launch vehicle companies, managing the flight and ground hardware/software architecture, design, development, manufacturing, test, and launch. Mr. Andrew has been the program/project manager for several spacecraft program contracts and the Avionics Department Manager for two start-up launch vehicles. He is currently supporting the NASA Explorers Program Office in the Program Systems Engineering office as the Mission Systems Engineer for the MUSE & UVEX Projects and as the Safety Engineer for 2 other Projects, all located at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD.
Mr. Andrew is the President of GNA Aerospace Consulting Group and is an Associate Fellow within the AIAA.
CLASSROOM HOURS / CEUs: 15 classroom hours / 1.5 CEU/PDH
COURSE DELIVERY AND MATERIALS
- The course lectures will be delivered via Zoom. Access to the Zoom classroom will be provided to registrants near to the course start date.
- All sessions will be available on-demand within 1-2 days of the lecture. Once available, you can stream the replay video anytime, 24/7.
- All slides will be available for download after each lecture. No part of these materials may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted, unless for course participants. All rights reserved.
- Between lectures during the course, the instructor(s) will be available via email for technical questions and comments.
Cancellation Policy: A refund less a $50.00 cancellation fee will be assessed for all cancellations made in writing prior to 5 days before the start of the event. After that time, no refunds will be provided.
Contact: Please contact Lisa Le or Customer Service if you have any questions about the course or group discounts.
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