Digitalisation in Space Research

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/space

Introduction

### Course Review: Digitalisation in Space Research on Coursera In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, the importance of understanding how digital technologies are transforming industries cannot be overstated. For those interested in aerospace, the **Digitalisation in Space Research** course offered on Coursera presents an invaluable opportunity to grasp these changes comprehensively. #### Overview This expertly designed course dives into the most significant digital applications within aerospace research, exploring both satellite-based and manned spaceflight contexts. The course aims not only to educate participants about the existing digital transformation in the space industry but also to illustrate the future implications and challenges posed by these changes. A focal point of the curriculum is the integration of artificial intelligence in satellite data evaluation—an essential development in making sense of vast datasets that modern space exploration generates. #### Course Breakdown The course curriculum is methodically structured, featuring content delivered by esteemed lecturers in the field: 1. **Digital Transformation in the Space Industry** Led by Dr. Peter Weckesser, this module focuses on digitalisation processes from the manufacturing perspective. Attendees get insight into new digital workflows and practices that reshape manufacturing operations in the aerospace sector. 2. **Space and Digitisation - Changing Paradigms and Challenges** With Professor Roger Förstner guiding this discussion, the module covers the impacts of digitalisation on traditional space paradigms, particularly under the "New Space" concept. This section looks at innovative applications in earth observation, mission design, and many other subsectors, addressing both commercial opportunities and cybersecurity challenges that arise. 3. **Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) for Efficient and Flexible Air Navigation** The operational aspects of civil aviation, particularly in navigation, are explored under the expert guidance of Professor Thomas Pany. This module highlights new technologies aimed at enhancing air traffic management, focusing on the economics of digital advancements, which are crucial in optimizing flight operations and improving safety. 4. **Digitisation in Earth Observation** Co-taught by Professors Xiaoxiang Zhu and Volker Liebig, this insightful module encompasses the breakthroughs in Earth observation technologies and methodologies. It delves into the integration of advanced analytics such as AI to tackle challenges related to remote sensing data. The course also discusses the implications of systems like Copernicus, showcasing the real-world application of these evolving technologies. #### Personal Takeaways and Recommendations Having gone through this course, I can definitively say that it is a must-attend for anyone interested in the intersection of technology and aerospace. The curriculum not only covers theoretical aspects of digitalisation but also provides practical insights into how these technologies are applied in real-world scenarios. The instructors are exceptionally knowledgeable and bring a wealth of experience that enhances the learning experience. The diverse topics—from digital workflows in manufacturing to advanced navigation systems and cutting-edge Earth observation innovations—provide a holistic view of the aerospace landscape in the digital age. **Who Should Take This Course?** - Aerospace and Engineering Professionals - Students in STEM fields looking to specialize in aerospace - Researchers interested in the application of AI in space data analysis - Anyone fascinated by how digital technologies are reshaping the future of aerospace exploration and operations ### Conclusion The **Digitalisation in Space Research** course not only offers foundational knowledge but also challenges participants to think critically about future trends and the role of digitalisation in aerospace. This course is perfect for those wanting to deepen their understanding of current advancements and prepare for the shifts in this exciting field. Highly recommended for aspiring aerospace professionals and technology enthusiasts alike!

Syllabus

Digital Transformation in the Space Industry

Dr. Peter Weckesser provides insights into digitalisation processes from the manufacturing perspective, discussing approaches taken with the new digital workflows.

The digital revolution has an impact on many levels of space business and space technology. The advent of “New Space” is strongly connected to digitalisation, a game changer challenging long-standing paradigms such as in spacecraft mission and system design. This module illustrates the innovative effects of digitalisation in various areas such as earth observation, downstream services and mission and system design. The module also examines digitalisation challenges in the space sector including cyber threats and the sector’s increasing strategic and commercial value. - Lecturer: Professor Roger Förstner (Universität der Bundeswehr München).

Civil aviation is a multi-trillion-dollar market projected to grow continuously until at least 2040. Aircraft navigation and guidance from terminal to terminal is the determining cost factor for individual flights. Thus any savings resulting from the introduction of new digital technology will yield an extremely high return on investment due to economies of scale. This course outlines the specific navigation context before identifying where conventional navigation means (flight routes) are insufficient for achieving further increases in capacity, flexibility and performance. The concept of performance-based navigation (PBN) is outlined and why positioning needs to be available everywhere (area navigation - RNAV). The GNSS basic positioning principle is described and the relatively frequent satellite failures and anomalies are explored which are the reason why stand-alone GNSS cannot be used directly for a safety-critical application. The concept of solution separation statistics combined with the use of multiple GNSS constellations is introduced (Advanced Receiver Autonomous Integrity Monitoring – ARAIM) which in the long term may replace conventional navigation technology. The lecture concludes with a look at limiting factors, the current planning of civil aviation authorities and the European GNSS Galileo project. - Lecturer: Professor Thomas Pany (Universität der Bundeswehr München).

This online course is about the advances made in Earth Observation (EO) over the last few years. No other area of space applications has seen so much advancement in recent decades.The objective of this course is to explore the major trends in the collection, storage, distribution and analysis of remote sensing data. The complementary data sources introduced in the course include satellites, high-altitude platforms (HAPSs), planes and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).The European Copernicus System is the world’s largest free and open monitoring system for environmental and security purposes. It is cited throughout the course as an example of the technological cutting edge, presented together with a commercial case study. Cloud-based access, archiving and processing technologies are introduced and discussed and basic terminology like DaaS, SaaS and PaaS is explained in the specific context of EO.The advent of Artificial Intelligence represents the dawn of a new era in data analysis. AI4EO provides additional analysis tools beyond physical algorithms. AI makes it possible to work on extremely big data volumes and combine very different data types such as images and social media data. - Lecturers: Professor Xiaoxiang Zhu (DLR German Aerospace Center & Technical University Munich) & Professor Volker Liebig (Airbus DS & University of Stuttgart).