SDA

Structural Design and Analysis for Aerospace Engineers

Course Overview

This new course is a companion and intended follow-on to Instar's flagship course, "Spacecraft Structures, from Concept to Launch" (SCS). SCS gives the big picture of spaceflight structures development, while SDA goes into much more detail on design and analysis of aerospace structures and is not specific to spacecraft; most of the course applies to aircraft as well. SCS is not a prerequisite.

Subjects include statics and mechanics of materials (with emphasis on practical applications), strength and fatigue analysis (with emphasis on empirical and semi-empirical methods rather than sole reliance on finite element analysis), and structural design (philosophy, material selection, types of structures and their considerations, methods of attachment, and guidelines).

Participants should be prepared to work class problems.

Target Audience

Structural and mechanical design engineers, stress analysts, and others interested in the topic

Course Length

Three full days

Course Testimonials

"This course is a 'must take' for every engineer and analyst involved with space hardware/systems."
"Very valuable. Relates classroom knowledge to actual experiences in the space industry."
"Excellent presentation — a reminder of how much fun engineering can be."
"I wish I had taken this class 20 years ago. Possibly the best course I've ever taken."
"I really enjoyed it! I feel I am a better engineer because of this course."
"Great course!"
— Retired Chief Engineer who helped develop the Saturn family of launch vehicles

Instructor

Tom Sarafin

Tom Sarafin

Tom Sarafin is President, Chief Engineer, and founder of Instar Engineering and Consulting, Inc. He has over 45 years experienc in the space industry since 1979, working as a structural engineer, a mechanical systems engineer, a project manager, and a consultant. Since founding Instar in 1993, he’s consulted for NASA, DARPA, the DOD Space Test Program, Lockheed Martin, DigitalGlobe (Maxar), Sierra Nevada Corp (Sierra Space), and many other organizations. He was a key member of the team that developed NASA-STD-5020, “Requirements for Threaded Fastening Systems in Spaceflight Hardware” (March 2012). He is the editor and principal author of Spacecraft Structures and Mechanisms: From Concept to Launch and is a contributing author to Space Mission Analysis and Design. He’s also the principal author of a series of papers titled “Vibration Testing of Small Satellites.” Since 1995, he has taught over 300 courses to more than 6000 engineers and managers in the aerospace industry.