Space Engineering exams

TOTAL EXAMINATION PROGRAM

PEO Syllabus of Examinations, 2007 Edition

SPACE ENGINEERING

 

PROFESSIONAL EXAMS – SPECIFIC TO SPACE ENGINEERING

GROUP A

07-Space-A1  Signals and Communications (16-Elec-A3)

Amplitude and frequency modulation systems: signals, spectra, implementation.  Sampling of continuous signals and the Nyquist sampling theorem. Fourier series and transforms, spectral concepts. Discrete signals and systems:  the sampling theorem, time and frequency response, the Z-transform.  PCM and simple baseband pulse code modulation systems.

07-Space-A2  Electronics (16-Elec-A5)

Semiconductor devices; diodes and thyristors. Bipolar and field effect transistors as linear devices and switches. Small signal amplifiers. Operational amplifiers and comparators. Digital circuits and logic families.

07-Space-A3   Geodesy and Positioning (18-Geom-A3)

Concepts of geodesy; size and shape of the Earth; geoid and ellipsoid; terrestrial, celestial and orbital coordinate systems; coordinate transformations; computations of positions in three dimensions; computations of positions on the ellipsoid and on a conformal mapping plane; azimuthal, conic and cylindrical projections, UTM and 3TM; Canadian horizontal and vertical datums; height determination. Static and kinematic positioning with the Global Positioning System (GPS). Elements of inertial positioning; time systems; astronomic positioning; VLBI positioning; orbit computations; satellite laser ranging. Horizontal, vertical and three-dimensional networks; pre-analysis and post-analysis; theory of heights; gravimetry; global and local geoid determination; astrogeodetic, gravimetric and combined methods; levelling by GPS and the geoid. 

07-Space-A4   Photogrammetry (18-Geom-A4)

Airborne, space and terrestrial data acquisition systems. Metric and non-metric cameras, digital cameras, linear sensors, and non-conventional imagery. Fundamental coordinate systems and mathematical relationships between image, model and object space. Direct and inverse problems of projective and similarity coordinate transformations. Correction of photogrammetric measurements. Geometry of vertical and tilted aerial photographs. The collinearity and coplanarity conditions; analytical space resection and space intersection. Interior and exterior orientation; relative and absolute orientation of single model; stereomodel formation and error analysis. Flight project planning. Multi-image processing, mathematical models for image-triangulation for strip and block adjustment including self calibration and direct georeferencing. Concepts of terrain extraction from airborne sensors. Principles of digital photogrammetry, digital image acquisition, scanning and sampling; resampling, image enhancement; image matching, spatial filtering, stereo-vision techniques; digital rectification and orthorectification and their error analysis. 

07-Space-A5    Remote Sensing and Image Analysis (18-Geom-A5)

Basic physical principles of electro-optical, infra-red and microwave remote sensing; space- and air-borne sensor systems, active and passive sensors; properties of digital image data; radiometric processing including correction of instrumental artifacts and atmospheric corrections; geometric corrections and registration. Concepts of terrain extraction from space-borne sensors. Image statistics. Radiometric enhancement 

including histogram matching; Fourier representation of image data; image pyramids; geometric enhancement including spatial filtering, edge detection and enhancement; multispectral transformations including IHS, principle component analysis and vegetation indices; overview of remote sensing image interpretation; thematic classification and clustering; supervised classification including minimum distance and maximum likelihood classification; accuracy assessment of classification. Concepts of hyderspectral image analysis. 

07-Space-A6   Algorithms & Data Structures (19-Soft-A1)

Fundamental data structures and their associated algorithms. Stacks and queues, trees, tables, lists, arrays, strings, sets; files and access methods. B-trees, multi-key organizations. Searching. Sorting. 

Algorithm design techniques, such as divide and conquer, the greedy method, balancing, dynamic programming. Algorithms related to set operations, Graphs, graph algorithms: depth-first and breadth-first search, minimum spanning tree, shortest path. Empirical and theoretical measures of the efficiency of algorithms. 

Complexity analysis. Hard problems, NP-completeness, and intractable problems

 

GROUP B

07-Space-B1   Computer Control and Robotics (17-Comp-B6)

Discrete-time and quantized data control systems. Z-transform and state space methods. Principles of digital control. Digital controllers and components. Controller software.  Industrial and robotic systems.  Descriptions of 3D space, geometry of robotics manipulators. Transducers and interfacing.  This syllabus requires knowledge of linear systems as described in 98-Elec-A1.

07-Space-B2  Digital Communications Systems (16-Elec-B3)

Sampling, A/D conversion, source coding; signal sets, line codes, modulation, optimal reception, demodulation, performance in noisy channels, error detecting and correcting codes.  Public Switch Telephone Networks, television standards. Radio communications; link analysis and performance, terrestrial and satellite communications; personal communication networks; cellular telephone networks.

07-Space-B3   Gravity and Magnetic Fields (18-Geol-B10-1)

Theory and quantitative interpretation of the gravity and magnetic fields in geophysical exploration. Interpretation of regional gravity and magnetic maps. Identification of local anomalies. Data acquisition and data reduction for gravimeters and magnetometers. Design and conduct of field surveys. Potential field, Fourier, forward modeling and inversion methods in data interpretation and analysis. 

07-Space-B4   Surveying (18-Geom-A1)

Basic principles; instruments and procedures for angle, distance and height measurements; plane coordinate computations such as intersections, resections, traverses; coordinate transformation; simple horizontal and vertical curves; area and volume computations; cross-sections and profiles; setting-out surveys; pre-analysis, design and planning of precise surveys for horizontal and vertical control; principles of 

electronic distance and angle measurements; total stations; propagation of EM energy in the atmosphere and its application to EM ranging; theodolite observations and precise positioning systems; sources of errors in angle, distance and precision levelling surveys; influence of atmospheric refraction. Systematic and random errors, design, processing and analysis of angle, distance, and height difference measurements. Route survey and design; surveys for route planning, setting-out and as-built surveys, easement curves, alignment and grade for roads, sewers and pipelines, bridges, buildings, dams, tunnels, mining.

07-Space-B5   Applied Geophysics (18-Geol-A7)

Basic principles, interpretation, and limitations of geophysical methods applied to the exploration for coal, oil and natural gas, minerals, groundwater, and for geotechnical studies of the surface and subsurface. Introduction to electrical, electromagnetic, and magnetotelluric surveys; magnetic and gravity surveys; seismic reflection and refraction surveys; radiometric methods. Introduction to geophysical well logging techniques. Case histories of applications to engineering problems. 

07-Space-B6   Satellite Navigation (18-Geom-B2)

Performance requirements, mathematical models, observation methods, processing strategies, uncertainties and other characteristics associated with moving marine, land airborne, and space vehicle positioning, orientation and attitude applications. Description of GPS signal structure and derivation of observables; characteristics of instrumentation; analysis of atmospheric, orbital, random and non-random effects; derivation of mathematical models used for absolute and differential static and kinematic positioning; pre-analysis methods and applications; software considerations; introduction to GPS quality control; static and kinematic survey procedures and operational aspects; integrated GPS-INS systems. 

 

COMPLEMENTARY STUDIES

11-CS-1  Engineering Economics

Basic concepts of engineering economics through understanding of the theoretical and conceptual financial project analysis. Types and applications of engineering economic decisions. Capital, cash flow, and the time value of money concepts. Nominal and effective interest rates when considering loans, mortgages, and bonds. The application of present worth analysis, annual equivalent analysis and rate of return analysis in evaluating independent projects, comparing mutually exclusive projects, analyzing lease vs. buy alternatives and making decisions. After-tax financial analysis requiring an understanding of capital cost allowance (depreciation) and corporate income tax. Understanding methods of financing and capital budgeting. Break-even, sensitivity and risk analyses.

11-CS-2  Engineering in Society – Health and Safety

The duties and legal responsibilities for which engineers are accountable; safety laws and regulations; and a basic knowledge of potential hazards and their control: biological hazards – bacteria, viruses; chemical hazards - gases, liquids and dusts; fire and explosion hazards; physical hazards – noise, radiation, temperature extremes; safety hazards – equipment operation; workplace conditions - equity standards, human behaviour, capabilities, and limitations; managing safety and health through risk management, safety analyses, and safety plans and programs; practices and procedures to improve safety. The roles and social responsibilities of an engineer from a professional ethics point of view, as applied in the context of Canadian values. The integration of ethics into engineering practice, and its effect on public safety and trust.

11-CS-3  Sustainability, Engineering and the Environment

Basic knowledge of soil, water and air quality engineering: soil and water interaction, water supply issues, human activities and their interaction on soil, air and water resources. Fundamentals of: soil erosion, water quality, atmospheric pollution (carbon and nitrogen cycle), climate change, risk assessment. Basic knowledge of renewable energy sources: solar, photovoltaic, wireless electricity, thermal, wind, geothermal, and biofuels. Introduction to renewable materials engineering; nano materials, new material cycles. Eco-product development, and product life cycle assessment; recycling technologies; reuse of products; design for disassembly, recycling, e-waste, and reverse manufacturing. Consumption patterns; transportation; environmental communication; consumer awareness. Optimized energy and resources management. Sustainable methods: sustainability indicators; life cycle assessment; regulatory aspects of environmental management, ecological planning. 

11-CS-4  Engineering Management 

Introduction to management principles and their impact upon social and economic aspects of engineering practice. Engineering management knowledge topics including: market research, assessment and forecasting; strategic planning; risk and change management; product, service and process development; engineering projects and process management;  financial resource management;  marketing, sales and communications management; leadership and organizational management; professional responsibility. New paradigms and innovative business models, including: sustainable production, products, service systems and consumption; best practices and practical examples of successful implementations of sustainable scientific and engineering solutions.