Optimal decision making for orbit transfer system of a student micro-satellite, using multi-criteria decision making

One of the most important aspects of a successful space mission is the transition to the correct orbit and maintaining it. As a result, many modern orbit transfer techniques have been developed in space industry in order to accomplish this task in a more reliable and less expensive way. However, when it comes to the design of student satellites, usually there are serious limitations on the financial resources, technical database and satellite industry experts. These limitations may compromise the access to advanced methods and techniques. Therefore, reliability and expenses may no longer be the only criteria to be met in the process of design. As a result, at each step of the design, a decision should be made by the designer (student), which is not exclusively based upon system reliability and cost. The decision should also take into account criteria such as technology accessibility, implementation and integration issues, regarding the available or affordable equipment. Therefore, the process of design of a student satellite could be different from that of a commercial satellite. Furthermore, it is very likely for a team of students who try to follow standards and design criteria of industrial satellites to be disappointed after all. In some cases, students consider outsourcing parts of the design process. In this case, the creativity and innovation of the student team might be compromised by the industrialized routine procedures. Therefore, in order to achieve a genuine student design, a different approach should be adopted in the process of the design and the decision making process. This paper is the result of this approach in choosing an optimal propulsion system for a student satellite.