Space Flight Operations Training Center (SFOTC)

Thanks to Hammers Company, a MD-based firm that has contributed to numerous NASA and commercial missions, Capitol Technology University now offers a resource that most space engineering programs lack: a platform for real-time training in a virtual satellite environment.

In this center, you’ll have the chance to use the same tools pioneered by Hammers, which has supported more than 30 NASA missions with real-time simulation, flight, and ground software systems.

The VirtualSat® spacecraft dynamic simulator “closes-the-loop” with the flight software simulating the actual spacecraft in orbit with sensors and actuators. Firing thrusters, performing spacecraft slews and monitoring the spacecraft telemetry are all possible in the virtual environment. VirtualSat allows the instructor to inject errors into the spacecraft so you gain experience in detecting anomalies and conducting recovery procedures to up-link to the spacecraft. The Galaxy® spacecraft command and telemetry system allows you to actually operate the virtual spacecraft in real-time and function as a spacecraft operator.

The Space Flight Operations Training (SFOTC) center also provides students with experience in all aspects of spacecraft mission planning from station contact analysis, instrument scan planning, orbit raising  maneuvers and much more using industry tools such as Satellite Tool Kit (SKT) and the General Mission Analysis Tool (GMAT) . In our simulated mission operations environment we prepare students to enter careers in the spacecraft operations industry with the tools and knowledge to operate some of NASA much complex missions such as Hubble, LRO and JWST.