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Q 1/30
Score 0
A spacecraft is designed for a Mars return mission with a reentry velocity of 12.5 km/s. Engineers are evaluating thermal protection strategies.
Statements:
I. Radiative heating will dominate over convective heating at this velocity.
II. A reusable TPS is ideal for this mission due to its cost-effectiveness.
III. The stagnation point will experience the highest heat flux.
30
II and III are correct
I, II, and III are correct
I and II are correct
I and III are correct
Q 2/30
Score 0
Why is a low ballistic coefficient advantageous for Mars landers?
30
It increases G-loads to ensure structural integrity.
It reduces peak heating because it slows the vehicle higher in the atmosphere.
It allows the vehicle to skip off the atmosphere for a longer descent.
It increases descent speed because Mars has low gravity.
30 questions
Q.
A spacecraft is designed for a Mars return mission with a reentry velocity of 12.5 km/s. Engineers are evaluating thermal protection strategies.
Statements:
I. Radiative heating will dominate over convective heating at this velocity.
II. A reusable TPS is ideal for this mission due to its cost-effectiveness.
III. The stagnation point will experience the highest heat flux.
1
30 sec
Q.
Why is a low ballistic coefficient advantageous for Mars landers?
2
30 sec
Q.
A spacecraft enters Earth’s atmosphere at a steeper-than-optimal angle. What is the effect?
3
30 sec
Q.
One curve peaks sharply at mid-altitude, while others peak lower or higher. Which profile most likely represents a ballistic entry with a high ballistic coefficient?
4
30 sec
Q.
A spacecraft returning from the Moon must survive a reentry speed of ~11 km/s. Which TPS strategy is most appropriate?
5
30 sec
Q.
Engineers are designing a lifting body for a crewed Mars mission.
Statements:
I. A higher lift-to-drag ratio improves landing precision.
II. Lifting bodies reduce G-loads compared to ballistic capsules.
III. Lifting bodies eliminate the need for parachutes or retropropulsion.
6
30 sec
Q.
Why did the Apollo Command Module use a blunt-body shape?
7
30 sec
Q.
A spacecraft experiences a prolonged communication blackout during reentry. What is the cause?
8
30 sec
Q.
Which material is best suited for a 12.8 km/s asteroid return mission?
9
30 sec
Q.
A spacecraft is designed for multiple Earth reentries with minimal maintenance. Which design choice is most appropriate?
10
30 sec
Q.
A spacecraft is being designed for a mission to Jupiter, where solar energy is insufficient.
Statements:
I. Solar arrays are viable if concentrators are used.
II. RTGs are preferred due to their independence from sunlight.
III. Fuel cells are ideal due to their high energy density and water byproduct.
11
30 sec
Q.
Why are higher voltage power buses increasingly used in modern spacecraft?
12
30 sec
Q.
A spacecraft in LEO experiences frequent eclipse periods. What is the effect?
13
30 sec
Q.
GaAs degrades slower. Which mission would benefit most from GaAs cells?
14
30 sec
Q.
A spacecraft requires a sudden high-power burst to deploy a payload. Which power system feature is most critical?
15
30 sec
Q.
Engineers are designing a power system for a reconnaissance satellite requiring low observability.
Statements:
I. RTGs are ideal due to their long life.
II. Solar arrays are preferred to minimize thermal signature.
III. Fuel cells may be used if reactant storage is feasible.
16
30 sec
Q.
Why are switches placed in the positive line of DC spacecraft power systems?
17
30 sec
Q.
A spacecraft experiences attitude instability during solar array deployment. What is the cause?
18
30 sec
Q.
What design strategy compensates for this degradation?
19
30 sec
Q.
A Mars rover must survive long nights and dust storms. Which power system is most appropriate?
20
30 sec
Q.
A spacecraft in deep space is experiencing weak signal reception at Earth-based tracking stations.
Statements:
I. High-gain directional antennas are essential for maintaining communication.
II. Faraday rotation can cause signal degradation, especially for linearly polarized signals.
III. Increasing transmitter power is always the most efficient solution.
21
30 sec
Q.
Why are omnidirectional antennas preferred for LEO missions?
22
30 sec
Q.
A spacecraft uses a superheterodyne receiver instead of a tuned radio frequency (TRF) receiver. What is the effect?
23
30 sec
Q.
A parabolic dish with a narrow beamwidth has high gain. What trade-off does this imply?
24
30 sec
Q.
A spacecraft must perform a midcourse correction while out of contact with Earth. What command strategy is most appropriate?
25
30 sec
Q.
Engineers are designing a communication system for a Mars orbiter.
Statements:
I. S-band is preferred due to minimal atmospheric absorption.
II. Ka-band offers higher data rates but is more weather-sensitive.
III. Circular polarization avoids Faraday rotation losses.
26
30 sec
Q.
Why is the use of low-noise amplifiers (LNAs) critical in spacecraft receivers?
27
30 sec
Q.
A spacecraft experiences aliasing in its telemetry data. What is the cause?
28
30 sec
Q.
A telemetry system uses TDM with subcommutation. What does this imply about the data?
29
30 sec
Q.
A spacecraft is designed to autonomously execute a velocity change (ΔV) maneuver. What system capability is essential?
