🌌 Interstellar Propulsion Analytics

Presented by the AstroDynamics Research Division

United Terran Federation · Luna Prime Headquarters

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“Between the stars, energy is the language of survival.”

Welcome, Cadet Engineer.
You are joining the AstroDynamics Research Division (ADR) — the research wing of the United Terran Federation.
Your assignment: analyse the propulsion and energy systems of the Helios-V Deep-Space Vessel, operating within the Epsilon Eridani system.

This assessment evaluates your ability to:

• Analyse high-dimensional telemetry from an interstellar propulsion platform
• Build quantitative models that predict system behaviour
• Translate noisy data into actionable insight for long-range missions

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Mission Context

Telemetry from two consecutive orbital cycles has been logged by the Helios-V:

Cycle	Description	Collector Status
Cycle 1	Nominal operation under stable stellar conditions	✅ Active
Cycle 2	Nominal operation under stable stellar conditions	✅ Active
Cycle 3 (The next cycle)	Expect slightly lower irradiance	✅ Active

The first two cycles contain full system telemetry, including irradiance and energy reserve readings.
We are preparing for our third cycle, the ship follows a pre-defined trajectory and speed profile, but most data (like irradiance) are still unknown.

Your mission is to forecast the Helios-V’s remaining energy at the end of Cycle 3.

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Dataset Overview

Each record corresponds to a snapshot of the vessel’s propulsion and energy state.

Column	Description
mission_time	Mission timestamp (local ship time).
ship_speed_kps	Ship velocity (km/s).
reactor_output_A	Main reactor output current (A).
reactor_voltage_V	Reactor bus voltage (V).
stellar_irradiance_Wm2	Incident stellar irradiance (W/m²).
collector_A_W, collector_B_W, collector_C_W	Output from three independent radiant-energy collectors (W).
helio_remaining_energy	Remaining Helios-core energy reserve (arbitrary units).
orbital_inclination_deg	Orbital inclination (°).
orbital_longitude_deg	Orbital longitude (°).
orbital_altitude_km	Altitude above the reference plane (km).

Note:

• For Cycle 3, most of the columns are missing.

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Mission Objective

1. Explore and interpret Cycles 1–2 telemetry to understand energy inflow and outflow dynamics.
2. Identify relationships between propulsion load, stellar irradiance, and collector performance.
3. Develop a model that can predict the evolution of helio_remaining_energy over time for Cycle 3.
4. Estimate the end-of-cycle energy reserve once the vessel completes its trajectory and powers down.

While analysing, you are encouraged to:

• Report any anomalies or inconsistencies in the telemetry (e.g., sensor drift, missing values, unrealistic transients).
• Discuss potential physical explanations behind these behaviours.
• Balance data-driven modelling with physics-based reasoning.

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Evaluation Criteria

Criterion	Description
Analytical Depth	Explore, interpret, and visualise telemetry effectively.
Modelling Rigor	Use sound, reproducible methods supported by quantitative reasoning.
Communication	Present results with clarity, structure, and good visuals.

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Deliverables

Submit a single Python notebook (.ipynb) containing:

• Data exploration for Cycles 1–2
• Modelling and justification
• Predicted helio_remaining_energy curve for Cycle 3
• A single numeric estimate: End-of-Cycle Energy Reserve

Good luck, Cadet.
The Helios-V will sail the void on the strength of your models.