The hyperion project: International university collaboration in spacecraft design education

The challenges involved in the exploration of deep space provide excellent opportunities in space education. In 2004 an international design exercise was conducted between RMIT University and Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands involving students from both universities. The objective was to design a mission and spacecraft, which would return scientific data from the heliopause region, with mission duration and budgetary constraints. The project has provided an opportunity for students to experience engineering in a global environment, across international time zones, and using various communication mediums such as video conferencing. In addition, the students were responsible for project planning and management. Students had access to experienced engineers and technical resources within the European Space Agency (ESA) Science Payloads and Advanced Concepts Office. The design exercise provided an excellent opportunity to become involved in a realistic spacecraft design project, which has direct links to a similar mission currently in development at ESA. The results of the project included a proposed mission profile and selection of instruments to measure interactions between the solar system and interstellar space and search for organic material, which may provide clues to the origin of life on Earth. A preliminary design study was conducted for the space vehicle to deliver the payload to a distance of 200 AU (approximately 30 billion kilometers). Configurations of power, communications, thermal and structural systems were given and two options for propulsion were proposed which include ion engine and solar sail. The paper will give a description of the project and the final result of the spacecraft design, designated as Hyperion.