PDF reflects print Astronautical Engineering
Courses of Instruction
Astronautics and space technology (ASTE)
The terms indicated are expected but are not guaranteed. For the courses offered during any given term, consult the Schedule of Classes.ASTE 101L Introduction to Astronautics (4, Fa) Gateway to the Astronautical Engineering major. Introduction to space, space exploration and the space business. Elements of orbits, spacecraft systems, rocket propulsion, and communications. Laboratory: introduction to graphics, computation and simulation.
ASTE 280 Astronautics and Space Environment I (3, Sp) Solar system, two-body problem, orbits, Hohmann transfer, rocket equation, space environment and its effects on space systems, sun, solar wind, geomagnetic field, atmosphere, ionosphere, magnetosphere. (Duplicates credit in former AME 282.) Prerequisite: MATH 226, PHYS 152L.
ASTE 291 Team Projects I (1, max 4, FaSp) Participation in ASTE undergraduate student team projects. Intended for lower-division students or those with little prior project experience.
ASTE 301ab Thermal and Statistical Systems (3-3, FaSp) Thermodynamics and statistical mechanics; kinetics of atoms, molecules, and photons; compressible fluid dynamics. (Duplicates credit in former AME 311ab.) Prerequisite: MATH 245, PHYS 153L.
ASTE 330 Astronautics and Space Environment II (3, Fa) Basics of spacecraft dynamics, Euler’s equation, introduction to space plasma physics, spacecraft in plasma, radiation effects on space systems, space instrumentation: detectors, analyzers, spectrometers. (Duplicates credit in former AME 382.) Prerequisite: ASTE 280, PHYS 153L.
ASTE 390 Special Problems (1-4) Supervised, individual studies. No more than one registration permitted. Enrollment by petition only.
ASTE 420 Spacecraft Design (3, Fa) Spacecraft mission design, space environment, attitude determination and control, telecommunications, propulsion, structures and mechanisms, thermal control, power systems, launch systems and facilities. (Duplicates credit in former AME 482.) Prerequisite: junior or senior standing in engineering or physics.
ASTE 421x Space Mission Design (3, Sp) Space systems engineering process: requirements definition; trade studies; system integration; technical reviews; cost and schedule development; case studies; ethics. Capstone design experience. Open only to seniors. Not for graduate credit. Prerequisite: ASTE 330
ASTE 445 Molecular Gas Dynamics (3) Physical description of kinetic nature of gas flows; distribution function; introduction to the Boltzmann equation; free-molecule flow; surface and molecular reflection properties; Monte-Carlo flow calculations. (Duplicates credit in former AME 485.) Recommended preparation: AME 309 or ASTE 301b.
ASTE 470 Spacecraft Propulsion (3) Introduction to rocket engineering. Space missions and thrust requirements. Compressible gas dynamics. Propellant chemistry and thermodynamics. Liquid- and solid-fueled rockets. Nuclear and electric propulsion. (Duplicates credit in former AME 473.) Prerequisite: senior or graduate standing.
ASTE 480 Spacecraft Dynamics (3) Two-body motion, rigid-body motion, attitude dynamics and maneuvers, spacecraft stabilization: gravity gradient, reaction wheels, magnetic torques, thruster attitude control. (Duplicates credit in former AME 483.) Prerequisite: senior standing.
ASTE 490x Directed Research (2-8, max 8, FaSpSm) Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.
ASTE 491 Team Projects II (1, max 4, FaSp) Participation in ASTE undergraduate student team projects. Intended for students with prior project experience.
ASTE 499 Special Topics (2-4, max 8) Course content to be selected each semester from current developments in astronautics, space technology, and related fields.
ASTE 501ab Physical Gas Dynamics (3-3, FaSp) a: Molecular structure; radiative processes; microscopic description of gas phenomena; translational, rotational, vibrational, and electronic freedom degrees; particle energy distributions; microscopic representation of thermodynamic functions. Prerequisite: graduate standing or departmental approval. b: Kinetic concepts in gas physics; thermal non-equilibrium; intermolecular potentials; transport of radiation and particles in high-temperature gas; dissociation and ionization equilibrium; energy relaxation. (Duplicates credit in former AME 520ab.) Prerequisite: ASTE 501a.
ASTE 520 Spacecraft System Design (3) System components; vehicle structure, propulsion systems, flight dynamics, thermal control, power systems, telecommunication. Interfaces and tradeoffs between these components. Testing, system reliability, and integration. (Duplicates credit in former AME 501.)
ASTE 523 Design of Low Cost Space Missions (3, Sp) Reviews all aspects of space mission design for practical approaches to reducing cost. Examines “LightSat” mission experience and potential applicability to large-scale missions. (Duplicates credit in former AME 506.) Graduate standing in engineering or science. Recommended preparation: ASTE 520 or some experience in space engineering.
ASTE 527 Space Studio Architecting (3, Sp) Programmatic/conceptual design synthesis/choice creation methods for complex space missions. Aerospace system engineering/Architecture tools to create innovative projects. Evaluated by faculty/industry/NASA experts. Graduate standing in engineering or science. (Duplicates credit in former AME 557). Recommended preparation: ASTE 520 or experience in space industry.
ASTE 535 Space Environments and Spacecraft Interactions (3) Space environments and interactions with space systems. Vacuum, neutral and ionized species, plasma, radiation, micrometeoroids. Phenomena important for spacecraft operations. (Duplicates credit in former AME 585.)
ASTE 541 Partially Ionized Plasmas (3) Review of microscopic processes involving particles and radiation, and their impact on properties of high-temperature gases and plasmas in local thermal equilibrium and non-equilibrium. (Duplicates credit in former AME 586.)
ASTE 545 Computational Techniques in Rarefied Gas Dynamics (3, Irregular) Particle-based computational simulation methods for rarefied, high-speed flows. Molecular collision kinetics. Monte Carlo direct simulation and related techniques. (Duplicates credit in former AME 564.) Recommended preparation: ASTE 501a and skill in FORTRAN programming.
ASTE 552 Spacecraft Thermal Control (3, Sp) Spacecraft and orbit thermal environments; design, analysis, testing of spacecraft thermal control system and components; active and passive thermal control, spacecraft and launch vehicle interfaces. Graduate standing in engineering or science.
ASTE 553 Systems for Remote Sensing from Space (3) The operation, accuracy, resolution, figures of merit, and application of instruments which either produce images of ground scenes or probe the atmosphere as viewed primarily from space. (Duplicates credit in former AME 502.) Graduate standing in engineering or physics.
ASTE 554 Spacecraft Sensors (3, Fa) Spacecraft sensors from concept and design to building, testing, interfacing, integrating, and operations. Optical and infrared sensors, radiometers, radars, phased arrays, signal processing, noise reduction. Graduate standing in engineering or science. Recommended preparation: ASTE 520.
ASTE 556 Spacecraft Structural Dynamics (3) Applied analytical methods (vibrations of single and multi-degree of freedom systems, finite element modeling, spacecraft applications); requirements definition process; analytical cycles; and design verification. Graduate standing in engineering or science.
ASTE 570 Liquid Rocket Propulsion (3, Sp) Liquid-propelled rocket propulsion systems. Capillary devices for gas-free liquid acquisition in zero gravity. Ground and in-orbit operations. Propellant life predictions and spacecraft end-of-life de-orbiting strategies. Prerequisite: ASTE 470.
ASTE 572 Advanced Spacecraft Propulsion (3, Sp) Nuclear, electric, sails, and far-term propulsion systems. Overviews of nozzles, heat transfer, electromagnetics, rarefied gases, and plasma physics. Analysis of electrothermal, electrostatic and electromagnetic thrusters. Graduate standing in engineering or science. (Duplicates credit in former AME 573.) Recommended preparation: ASTE 470.
ASTE 580 Orbital Mechanics I (3) Physical principles; two-body and central force motion; trajectory correction maneuvers; position and velocity in conic orbits; Lambert’s problem; celestial mechanics; orbital perturbations. (Duplicates credit in former AME 580.)
ASTE 581 Orbital Mechanics II (3, Fa) Theory of perturbations of orbits; numerical methods in orbital mechanics; satellite dynamics; averaging methods; resonance; mission analysis. (Duplicates credit in former AME 581.) Prerequisite: ASTE 580.
ASTE 583 Space Navigation: Principles and Practice (3, Sp) Statistical orbit determination: (weighted) least squares, batch and sequential (Kalman) processing, illustrative examples; online ephemeris generation: potentially hazardous asteroids, comets, satellites; launch: vehicles, payloads, staging. Graduate standing in engineering or science. (Duplicates credit in former AME 558.) Recommended preparation: ASTE 580.
ASTE 584 Spacecraft Power Systems (3, Sp) Introduction to solar arrays, batteries, nuclear power sources, mechanical energy storage. Application theory of operation, practical considerations. Subsystem topologies and performance. Design optimization techniques. Graduate standing in engineering or science. (Duplicates credit in former AME 508.)
ASTE 585 Spacecraft Attitude Control (3, SpSm) Review of attitude dynamics, gravity gradient stabilization, attitude stabilization with a spin, attitude maneuvers, control using momentum exchange devices, momentum-biased stabilization, reaction thruster control. (Duplicates credit in former AME 582.) Prerequisite: AME 451 or EE 482; recommended preparation: a course in dynamics.
ASTE 586 Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics (3) Dynamics of systems of particles and rigid bodies; spacecraft attitude systems; attitude maneuvers (spin, precession, nutation, etc.); attitude stabilization and attitude determination; simulation methods. (Duplicates credit in former AME 583.)
ASTE 590 Directed Research (1-12, FaSpSm) Research leading to the master’s degree. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the division. Graded CR/NC.
ASTE 594abz Master’s Thesis (2-2-0, FaSpSm) Credit on acceptance of thesis. Graded IP/CR/NC.
ASTE 599 Special Topics (2-4, max 9) Course content to be selected each semester from current developments in astronautics, space technology, and related fields.
ASTE 690 Directed Research (1-4, max 8, FaSpSm) Laboratory studies of specific problems by candidates for the degree Engineer in Astronautical Engineering. Graded CR/NC.
ASTE 694abz Thesis (2-2-0, FaSpSm) Required for the degree Engineer in Astronautical Engineering. Credit on acceptance of thesis. Graded IP/CR/NC.
ASTE 790 Research (1-12, FaSpSm) Research leading to the doctorate. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the division. Graded CR/NC.
ASTE 794abcdz Doctoral Dissertation (2-2-2-2-0, FaSpSm) Credit on acceptance of dissertation. Graded IP/CR/NC.