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SpaceatDIAMSSEProgram

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MSSEProgram
AimsandScope
TheMSSEGraduateProgramoffersadvancedstudyandresearchleadingtotheMasterofScience
degree in Space Engineering (Laurea Magistrale in Ingegneria Aerospaziale Indirizzo Spaziale)
AccordingtothestandardizedEuropeanSystemofhighereducation(Bolognaprocess),thishigher
leveldegreeisa2yeargraduateprograminvolvingamandatorybasisof120ECTScreditsincluding
a 24 credits research thesis. The program is exclusively offered in English to both national and
internationalstudents.
Theprogramhasbeenestablishedandisspecificallyintendedtotrainspecializedprofessionalsable
toeffectivelycarryoutthedesignandmanagementofcomplexspacesystems,aswellastoprepare
studentsforfurtherstudiesinthespaceengineeringfield.Theseobjectivesarepursuedbyproviding
a thorough education in the foundations of the space engineering sciences, with emphasis on
researchandtheexperimentalmethods.
Entering students should have a sound background in undergraduate mathematics, physics, and
engineeringscience.Thetheoreticalandscientificaspectsofspaceengineeringaretreatedindetail,
with the aim of developing the capabilities necessary for the effective design and management of
space vehicles and systems. The combination of knowledge and skills characterizing the graduate
programinspaceengineeringare:
athoroughknowledgeofthetheoreticalandscientificaspectsofthephysicalandmathematical
disciplines and of the other fundamental sciences, together with the capability to use this
knowledge to understand complex problems, or problems requiring an interdisciplinary
approach
athoroughknowledgeofthetheoreticalandscientificaspectsofengineeringingeneral,andin
moredetail,spaceandastronauticalengineering
the capability to conceive, plan, design and manage complex and/or innovative systems,
processesandservices
thecapabilityofdesigningandmanagingcomplexexperiments.
ResearchandcourseworkinspaceengineeringattheUniversityofPisacoveraverybroadrangeof
subjects.Inworkingfortheirdegree,spaceengineeringstudentsmaypursueamajorstudyinoneof
thefollowingareas:spacesystems,spacepropulsion,spacestructures,aerothermodynamics,space
flight dynamics and control. The choice of one of the these fields allows students to focus their
activities, while taking advantage of the flexibility offered by the breadth of interests of the space
groupatDIA.
TheMSSEprogramopensthewaytofurtheracademicworkaswellastoprofessionalactivitiesin
aerospaceindustry,inpublicandprivateresearchinstitutionsintheaerospacefield,intheAirForce,
andinindustrialcompaniesfortheproductionofmachineryandequipmentwheretheapplicationof
spacederivedtechnologiesisespeciallyrelevant.Finally,asaconsequenceofthemultidisciplinary
natureoftheeducationalprogram,thespaceengineeringgraduateswillalsoeasilyfindemployment
inthemechanicalindustry,withspecificreferencetostructuralandfluidmechanicdesignwork.
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Tuition
Higher education in Italy is largely subsidized by the government. This applies to both foreign and
Italianstudents.Thankstothat,allstudentsenrolledattheUniversityofPisaareonlyrequiredtopay
anannualenrollmentfee(Tassadiiscrizione).Theamountofthefeedependsuponthecountryof
originofthestudentandcanvaryfromaminimumofabout250toamaximumofabout2100.In
mostcases,foreignstudentspaytuitionfeesclosetotheminimum.
TheMSSEscheme,whichhasbeenespeciallydesignedfortheattendanceofinternationalstudents,
complementsthebasicprogramoftheLaureaMagistraleinAerospaceEngineeringbyofferingtoits
participantsanumberofadditionalelements:
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acomprehensivesetofservicesspecificallyintendedforinternationalgraduatestudents,which
includesassistanceforthefollowing:
applicationandadmission
immigrationformalities(visas,residencepermits,etc.)
firstguidancefortransportation,firstaccommodation,etc.,uponarrivalinPisa
networkingwithEuropeanaerospaceindustryand/orresearchinstitutionsfor
placements/thesiswork
accesstolaterdoctoralprogramsinPisa,Europeorelsewhere
careerdevelopmentintheEuropeanaerospacesector
extracurricularactivities(sports,leisure,culture,tourism,travel,etc.),throughUniPi's
facilities
Updatedinformationontutionfeesandfinancialsupport

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Expenses
Theaveragestudentsyearlybudgetforlivingandmiscellaneousexpensesisestimatedtobe:
Accommodationandutilities(singleroompermonth):12x350=4200
Board(365x5atthestudentdiningfacilities)=~1800
Booksandsupplies=~300
Healthanddental=~500
Total=6800
Of course, the above figures may change according to the individual's lifestyle. The University
maintainsalistingofavailablerooms,apartments,andhousesinPisa.
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PlanofStudy
Theacademicyearisdividedintotwosemesters.Coursesaretaughtoveroneortwosemestersand
areattributedanumberofcreditsinproportiontotheestimatedtimerequiredfortheirpreparation.In
compliance with the ETCS regulations, one Credit (or CFU, Credito Formativo Universitario
corresponds to 25 estimated hours of work, including class lectures, study and laboratory training.
For teachingoriented activities the student work load is approximately divided into 1/3 for classes
and2/3forindependentstudy.Forlaboratoryorientedactivitiesthestudentworkloadisdividedinto
approximatelyequalpartsforclassesandindependentstudy.
To qualify for the MSSE, a student has to gain 120 credits in two years, (60 credits per year), by
passingtheexaminationsofthestudentsapprovedcurriculum.Theprogramofstudyconsistsof84
credits of required courses, 12 credits of approved elective courses, and 24 credits for the
preparation of the graduation thesis. Elective courses different from the ones suggested by the
University are to be chosen from courses that support the broader goals of the space engineering
program,subjecttotheapprovalofthefaculty.Studentswillingtofollowaprogramdifferentfromthe
suggestedonemusthaveitapprovedbytheDegreeProgramCouncil(ConsigliodiCorsodiLaurea
priortoregistrationforthesecondacademicyearofworktowardthedegree.
For the 2014/15 academic year the plan of study suggested by the University for the Space
Engineeringoptionisthefollowing:
Year1

AerospaceStructures

1st&2nd
semester

12
CFU

AerospaceControlSystemDesign

1stsemester

6CFU

AerospaceSystemsAnalysis

2stsemester

6CFU

SpaceflightMechanics

1st&2nd
semester

ElectricPropulsionI

1stsemester

6CFU

ElectricPropulsionII

2ndsemester

6CFU

FundamentalsofSpacecraft
Technology

1stsemester

6CFU

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12
CFU

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ThermalFluidSciences

2ndsemester

Year2

6CFU

SpacecraftStructuresand
Mechanisms

1st&2nd
semester

12
CFU

RocketPropulsionI

1stsemester

6CFU

RocketPropulsionII

2ndsemester

6CFU

SpaceSystemsI

1stsemester

6CFU

SpaceSystemsII

2ndsemester

6CFU

FinalProject

1st&2nd
semester

24
CFU

No special approval is necessary if the program suggested by the University is chosen. In

consultationwithhisorheradvisor,astudentmaydesignaprogramofstudyconsistinginadifferent
set of graduate courses chosen among those offered by other graduate programs of Aerospace
Engineering,totalingtheprescribednumberofcreditsandapprovedbytheDegreeProgramCouncil.
Thesis. The preparation and discussion of a final thesis with a substantial research content and
distinctiveoriginalityisrequired.Eachstudentisrequiredtosubmitthreecopiesofhisorherthesisto
theChairoftheDegreeProgramCouncilatleasttwoweeksbeforethedegreeistobeconferred.
FinalExamination.Afinalgraduationexaminationisrequired,wherethecandidatewillpresentand
discussthecontentsandresultsofhisorherthesiswork.Thefinalexaminationisconductedbya
CommitteeappointedbytheDeanoftheEngineeringFaculty(PresidedellaFacoltdiIngegneria
Graduation is awarded upon satisfactory completion of all of the required courses and successful
discussionofthethesis.
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Courses
ThecoursesofferedfortheMSSEoptionduringthe2011/12academicyeararebrieflyillustrated
belowtogetherwiththerelevantinformation:name,lectureperiod(1st/2ndsemesters),numberof
credits,description,instructor,prerequisites(ifany),proficiencyverificationprocedure.
AerospaceControlSystems.12CFU,1st&2ndsemester.Thecourseaimsatlettingthestudents
acquiretherequiredelementsforthedesignofcontrolsystemsoftypicaluseinaircraftsand
satellites.Thetechniquesillustratedinthecourseincludetheanalysisoflinearsystemsbymeansof
Laplacetransformsandtheirdesignthroughseveraltechniquesinthefrequencydomainandinthe
timedomainapproaches.Earlyinthedesignphasethestudentwillbeintroducedtotheuseof
computerassisteddesigntools(usingMatlab).Instructor:GiovanniMengali.Prerequisites:None.
Proficiencyverification:Writtenandoralexam.
AerospaceStructures.1st&2ndsemester,12CFU.Continuummechanics,strainandstress
tensors,constitutiveequations.Straingauges.Theoriesofbeams(DeSaintVenantsolidsbeam
systems,virtualworkandstrainenergyprinciplesstresscharacteristicsdesigncriteria),plates
(simplysupportedrectangularplates),thinstructures(wing,fuselage,tailstructures),andpressurized
vessels(cylindricalandspherical).Bucklingofbeamsandplates(Eulerstheory,semiempirical
solutionsforpanels).Aerospacestructuresinthemultidisciplinarycontextofaircraftdesign.The
PrandtlPlaneaircraftconfiguration.Instructor:MarioChiarelli.Prerequisites:None.Proficiency
verification:Oralexam.
ElectricPropulsionI,6CFU,1stsemester.Thecourseintroducesthebasicbackgroundnecessary
totacklethestudyandtheexperimentationoftheelectricpropulsionsystemsforspaceapplications,
developsthefundamentalsofplasmaphysicsanddescribesitsapplicationtotheanalysisofthe
accelerationprocessinelectricthrustersforspaceapplications.Instructor:MarianoAndrenucci.
Prerequisites:None.Proficiencyverification:Oralexam.
ElectricPropulsionII,6CFU,2ndsemester.Thecourseimpartsthestudentsaspecialized
preparationinthepropulsionfieldextendedtothemostadvancedormorerecentlyintroduced
technologies,andprovidesthemwiththeknowledgeconcerningtheprinciplesofoperation,the
typicalperformance,thecriticalaspectsandthestateofdevelopmentofelectricthrustersforspace
applicationsneededtoaddressthemainproblemsofanalysis,design,integrationandusage.
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Instructor:MarianoAndrenucci.Prerequisites:ElectricPropulsionI.Proficiencyverification:Oral
exam.
SpacecraftStructuresandMechnisms.12CFU,1st&2ndsemester.Thestudentwho
successfullycompletesthecoursewillbeabletodemonstrateagoodknowledgeofbothmechanical
andtechnologicalaspectsthatrefertothespacestructuresandtothemechanismswillbeawareof
fatigueandfracturemechanicsofmetallicmaterialswillbeabletosolveproblemsofmechanicsand
willbeabletoprepareatechnicalreportattheendofaprojectexercise.Instructor:MarioChiarelli.
Prerequisites:None.Proficiencyverification:Discussionoftheprojectassignmentandoralexam.
RocketPropulsionI.1stsemester,6CFU.Rocketpropulsionfundamentalsoperationaland
performanceparametersrocketpropulsionsystemsandarchitecturemissionanalysisand
trajectoriespropulsiverequirementschemicalpropellantrocketperformancesolidpropellant
rocketsliquidpropellantrocketshybridrocketsturbomachinesforrocketpropulsionapplications
cavitatingturbopumpsmissilessolidpropellantmissilesliquidpropellantmissiles.Instructor:Luca
dAgostino.Prerequisites:ThermalFluidSciences.Proficiencyverification:Oralexam.
RocketPropulsionII.2ndsemester,6CFU.Moreadvancedtopicsinrocketpropulsion:solid
propellantcombustioncombustioninstabilitiesinsolidpropellantrocketsliquidpropellant
atomizationandcombustioncombustioninstabilitiesinliquidpropellantrocketsturbopump
cavitationpropellantflowinstabilitiesinliquidpropellantrocketscombustioninstabilitiesinhybrid
propellantrockets.Instructor:LucadAgostino.Prerequisites:RocketPropulsionI.Proficiency
verification:Oralexam.
FundamentalsofSpacecraftTechnology.1stsemester,6CFU.Thecourseisdesignedtoprovide
anoverviewofmodernspaceinstrumentationandsensorsusedincommercialandscientific
payloadsfornearEarthandinterplanetarymissions.Followinganintroductiononthespace
environmentandoperatingconditionsforvariousmissioncategories,thecourseintroducesthebasic
typesofspaceinstrumentationandspacesensorsandhowtheyaremodeledandcalibrated.The
discussioncoversaspectsofsatellitecommunicationsincludingtopicsrelatedtosignalsandspectra,
codingandmodulationnavigationandsignalprocessingappliedtonavigationreceivers,remote
sensingaswellasradarandimageprocessing,telemetryandlinkbudget,datastorageand
handling,spacecraftbusdesign.Instructor:SalvoMarcuccio.Prerequisites:None.Proficiency
verification:Oralexam.
SpaceFlightMechanics.12CFU,1st&2ndsemester.Thestudentwhocompletesthecourse
successfullywillbeabletodemonstrateasolidknowledgeofthemainissuesrelatedtothe
knowledgeofphysicalphenomenaandanalyticalproceduresrequiredtounderstandandpredictthe
behavioroforbitingspacecraft.Heorshewillbeawareofthemodernmethodologiesandsuitable
applicationtools,bothfromatheoreticalandapracticalviewpoint,requiredtotackleamission
analysisintermsoforbitalmechanicsandattitudecontrol.Thecoursecomprisesadetailed
introductiontobothorbitalmechanicsandspacecraftdynamicsandcontrol.Theorbitalmechanics
includestheKeplerianorbits,theproblemoforbitaltransferswithimpulsivemaneversandlowthrust
transfers,theorbitalperturbations,andananalysisofinterplanetarytrajectoriesusingthemethodof
patchedconics.Thespacecraftdynamicsincludestheattitudemotionofspacecraft,thegravity
gradientstabilizationwithpassivedamping,thespacecraftdynamicswithmomentumwheelsandthe
attitudecontrolsystems.Instructor:GiovanniMengali.Prerequisites:None.Proficiencyverification
Oralexam.
SpaceSystemsI.1stsemester,6CFU.Thecoursegivesanoverviewofcurrentmethodsinmission
analysisanddesignforspacesystems.Themainideasofdynamicalsystemsandoptimalcontrol
theoriesenablingderivationofnonlinearastrodynamicssolutionsareintroduced.Thegeneraln
bodydynamicsaretreatedbydecouplingtheprobleminsimplifiedmodelsspanningfromthe
classicalpatchedconicapproachtoperturbationtechniques.Mainly,restrictedthreebodymodels,
withtheirinherentfeatures,arepresentedtogetherwithoptimizationprinciplesofnonKeplerianlow
thrusttrajectories.Practicalexamplesarediscussedwithreferencetorealmissionapplications.
Instructor:SalvoMarcuccio.Prerequisites:SpaceFlightMechanicsI.Proficiencyverification:Oral
exam.
SpaceSystemsII.2ndsemester,6CFU.Thecourseillustratesthefundamentalaspectsofspace
systemdesignandintegration:operationalrequirementstechnicalspecificationsdesignphases,
fromconceptiontothepreliminarydesignphase,todetaileddesigndefinitionandmodelingofthe
spacesystemandofthemainsubsystems,withtherelevantdesignmethodsandtoolsintegration
methodslaunchandsystemoperationaspects,groundsupport,logisticsandreliability.Practical
examplesarediscussedwithreferencetogeostationarytelecommunicationsatellites,remote
sensingapplications,constellationsandglobalpositioning,interplanetarymissions.Instructor:Salvo
Marcuccio.Prerequisites:SpaceSystemsI.Proficiencyverification:Oralexamandteamdesign
project.
ThermalFluidSciences.2ndsemester,6CFU.Thermodynamicsgaskineticsthermochemistry
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chemicalkineticsfluiddynamicequationsmasstransferidealflowsacoustics1Dgasdynamics
andhydrodynamicsshockandexpansionwaveslaminarviscousflowsfluiddynamicinstabilityand
turbulenttransitionturbulentflowsheattransfertwophaseflowsandcavitationchemicallyreacting
flowsandcombustion.Instructor:LucadAgostino.Prerequisites:None.Proficiencyverification:Oral
exam.

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AcademicCalendar
Theacademiccalendardefinestheperiodsoflectures,examinationsandvacationsforallofthe
EngineeringcoursesofferedattheUniversityofPisa.AllEngineeringcoursesaretaughtovertwo
semestersseparatedbyaperiodreservedfortheexaminations.Yearlycoursesarealsoheldintwo
segments,withintermediateexams,ifany,heldduringtherecessperiodbetweenlectures.Thefirst
semesterdevelopsfromSeptembertoFebruaryandthesecondfromFebruarytoJuly.
LecturePeriods:
1stperiod:October1midDecember
2ndperiod:March1endofMaywithoneweekvacationforEaster
Examinations:
3sessionsinJanuaryandFebruary(threeweeksbetweensessions)
3sessionsinJuneandJuly(threeweeksbetweensessions)
2sessionsinSeptember(threeweeksbetweensessions)
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Grades
Numericalgradesfromlessthan18/30(failed)to30/30elode(honors)areusedtoindicatethelevel
ofthestudentsperformance.Pass/Conditional/Failgradingcanalsobeusedforshortandseminarial
courses.
The instructor has full responsibility for assigning grades to students enrolled in his course. If the
student believes the grade is undeserved and is not happy with the explanations of the instructor,
he/shecanappealtotheDegreeProgramCouncil(ConsigliodelCorsodiLaurea),whichwillreview
thecaseandpossiblyindicatetotheregistrartoenteranewgradeinthestudentstranscript.
Numericalgradesfrom66/110(sufficient)to110/110elode(honors)areusedinthefinal
examinationtoindicatethelevelofthestudentsperformancethroughouthis/herdegreeprogramin
aerospaceengineeringdisciplines.
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