Course Details in 2026/27 Session

Module Title	LM Space Environment
School	Metallurgy and Materials
Department	Metallurgy & Materials
Module Code	04 33300
Module Lead	Sean Elvidge
Level	Masters Level
Credits	20
Semester	Semester 1
Pre-requisites
Co-requisites
Restrictions	None
Contact Hours	Lecture-22 hours Tutorial-22 hours Guided independent study-156 hours Total: 200 hours
Exclusions
Description	At the end of this module the student should understand the key physical parameters of the near-earth space environment and how these affect spacecraft design and operation. Topics will include: properties of the near-Earth space environment and interplanetary medium (i.e. solar wind, geomagnetic field, magnetosphere, ionosphere, thermosphere); basic plasma physics relevant to radio propagation; basic solar-terrestrial physics relevant to spacecraft charging and drag.
Learning Outcomes	By the end of the module students should be able to: Demonstrate a comprehensive knowledge of the mathematical and scientific study of the space environment as applied to complex aspects of spacecraft design, critiquing current work and future developments (M1, R10). Apply space environment standards to authentic mission element designs by formulation and problem analysis, accounting for available data and using judgement to address and discuss uncertain or incomplete information (M2). Choose appropriate computational and analytical methods for simulating space environment effects, discussing technique limitations (M3).
Assessment	33300-01 : Exam : Exam (Centrally Timetabled) - Written Unseen (40%) 33300-09 : Project : Coursework (50%) 33300-10 : Tutorial sheets : Coursework (10%)
Assessment Methods & Exceptions	Assessment: 2 hour written examination (50%), Continuous assessment resulting in reports with individual components up to 1500 words (50%). Reassessment: Exam (100%)
Other
Reading List