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ASTE 101 Fall 2024: Introduction to Astronautics

4 units
Lectures Mondays and Wednesdays 8:30-9:50 AM. Lab Tuesdays, 9:30-11:20 AM, Lecture: VHE 217. Lab: SAL 109

Instructor:

Dan Erwin, OHE 500W, 213-740-5358, erwin@usc.edu.

Office Hours: Mondays 10 AM - noon; Tuesdays 12 noon – 3 PM

Catalogue Description
Gateway to the major in Astronautical Engineering. 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.

Course Description
This course is usually taken by Astronautical Engineering majors in their first year. It is a broad introduction not only to the field of astronautics but to engineering in general and how engineering differs from science.

Learning Objectives

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

Understand the importance of space in our society.
Be able to write simple programs in Matlab and Python.
Understand basics of the engineering software systems STK and NX.
Understand the role of uncertainty and its effects on engineering design, manufacturing and control.
Understand the key role of systems engineering in development of technological products.
Understand the key elements of the GPS global constellation as an exemplar large-scale space enterprise.

Course Notes

This course uses several pieces of software:

Matlab: A numerical computing language and environment
Systems Toolkit (STK), a software package widely used in the space industry for designing, analyzing and visualizing space missions. STK is generously provided for use in the ASTE curriculum by the company, Analytical Graphics Inc..
Siemens NX, a computer-aided design (CAD) package
Python, a general-purpose programming language

Students can install these packages on their own machines or can use them via the Viterbi Desktop.

Lab

The lab will start in the third week of classes, so the first lab meeting will be Tuesday September 10. The lab is primarily to allow increased instruction and group practice with the software packages covered in the course. It is also a resource for discussing and asking questions about homework and projects.

Description and Assessment of Assignments:

Homework: Written homework assigned weekly and due in class on Wednesdays. Homeworks will be graded and returned, generally in one week. Homework solutions will be posted on the class website.
Projects: Two projects will be assigned during the semester. These will be done in teams. For each project, one written report will be submitted by each team. The second project will also have a team oral presentation.
Final Exam: There will be no final exam. The oral presentations for the final project will be given on the last day of classes. The written reports for the final project will be due on the University-scheduled final exam date.

Grading Breakdown

Homework, 40%

1st Project, 25%

2nd Project, 25%

Oral Presentation of 2nd Project, 10%

Generative AI Policy

You may use generative AI tools as you see fit. Wherever you give a result obtained using, or with the assistance of, generative AI, you must declare this and give details (tool used, prompts, etc.)

Course Schedule

Week

Date

Topics

Software/Hardware

1

08/26 & 08/28
Importance and applications of space.
Introduction to Matlab.

2

09/02 & 09/04
Near-Earth space and the Solar System.

3

09/09 & 09/11
Physics of spaceflight. Orbits.
Introduction to STK.

4

09/16 & 09/18
Electromagnetic propagation. Applications to communications and imaging.

5

09/23 & 09/25
Rocket propulsion
NX design software.

6

09/30 & 10/02
Systems engineering.

7

10/07 & 10/09
Errors and error propagation. Uncertainty in design.
Python programming

8

10/14 & 10/16
Control of engineered systems.

9

10/21 & 10/23
Control methods and examples.

10

10/28 & 10/30
Filtering and estimation.

11

11/04 & 11/06
Filtering: Examples.

12

11/11 & 11/13
Global Positioning System.
Examples of control using microcomputers

13

11/18 & 11/20
Ethical case study: Challenger explosion

14

11/25 & 11/27
Spacecraft as autonomous systems

15

12/02 & 12/04
New Space: Current space ventures and research efforts.

Course Content Distribution and Synchronous Session Recordings Policies

USC has policies that prohibit recording and distribution of any synchronous and asynchronous course content outside of the learning environment.

Recording a university class without the express permission of the instructor and announcement to the class, or unless conducted pursuant to an Office of Student Accessibility Services (OSAS) accommodation. Recording can inhibit free discussion in the future, and thus infringe on the academic freedom of other students as well as the instructor. (Living our Unifying Values: The USC Student Handbook, page 13).

Distribution or use of notes, recordings, exams, or other intellectual property, based on university classes or lectures without the express permission of the instructor for purposes other than individual or group study. This includes but is not limited to providing materials for distribution by services publishing course materials. This restriction on unauthorized use also applies to all information, which had been distributed to students or in any way had been displayed for use in relation to the class, whether obtained in class, via email, on the internet, or via any other media. Distributing course material without the instructor’s permission will be presumed to be an intentional act to facilitate or enable academic dishonestly and is strictly prohibited. (Living our Unifying Values: The USC Student Handbook, page 13).

Academic Integrity

The University of Southern California is foremost a learning community committed to fostering successful scholars and researchers dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge and the transmission of ideas. Academic misconduct is in contrast to the university’s mission to educate students through a broad array of first-rank academic, professional, and extracurricular programs and includes any act of dishonesty in the submission of academic work (either in draft or final form).

This course will follow the expectations for academic integrity as stated in the USC Student Handbook. All students are expected to submit assignments that are original work and prepared specifically for the course/section in this academic term. You may not submit work written by others or “recycle” work prepared for other courses without obtaining written permission from the instructor(s). Students suspected of engaging in academic misconduct will be reported to the Office of Academic Integrity.

Other violations of academic misconduct include, but are not limited to, cheating, plagiarism, fabrication (e.g., falsifying data), knowingly assisting others in acts of academic dishonesty, and any act that gains or is intended to gain an unfair academic advantage.

Academic dishonesty has a far-reaching impact and is considered a serious offense against the university. Violations will result in a grade penalty, such as a failing grade on the assignment or in the course, and disciplinary action from the university itself, such as suspension or even expulsion.

For more information about academic integrity see the student handbook or the Office of Academic Integrity’s website, and university policies on Research and Scholarship Misconduct.

Please ask your instructor if you are unsure what constitutes unauthorized assistance on an exam or assignment or what information requires citation and/or attribution.

Statement on University Academic Conduct and Support Systems

Students and Disability Accommodations:

USC welcomes students with disabilities into all of the University’s educational programs. The Office of Student Accessibility Services (OSAS) is responsible for the determination of appropriate accommodations for students who encounter disability-related barriers. Once a student has completed the OSAS process (registration, initial appointment, and submitted documentation) and accommodations are determined to be reasonable and appropriate, a Letter of Accommodation (LOA) will be available to generate for each course. The LOA must be given to each course instructor by the student and followed up with a discussion. This should be done as early in the semester as possible as accommodations are not retroactive. More information can be found at osas.usc.edu. You may contact OSAS at (213) 740-0776 or via email at osasfrontdesk@usc.edu.

Student Financial Aid and Satisfactory Academic Progress:

To be eligible for certain kinds of financial aid, students are required to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward their degree objectives. Visit the Financial Aid Office webpage for undergraduate- and graduate-level SAP eligibility requirements and the appeals process.

Support Systems:

Counseling and Mental Health — (213) 740-9355 — 24/7 on call
Free and confidential mental health treatment for students, including short-term psychotherapy, group counseling, stress fitness workshops, and crisis intervention.

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline — 988 for both calls and text messages – 24/7 on call
The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline (formerly known as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline) provides free and confidential emotional support to people in suicidal crisis or emotional distress 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, across the United States. The Lifeline consists of a national network of over 200 local crisis centers, combining custom local care and resources with national standards and best practices. The new, shorter phone number makes it easier for people to remember and access mental health crisis services (though the previous 1 (800) 273-8255 number will continue to function indefinitely) and represents a continued commitment to those in crisis.

Relationship and Sexual Violence Prevention Services (RSVP) — (213) 740-9355(WELL) — 24/7 on call
Free and confidential therapy services, workshops, and training for situations related to gender- and power-based harm (including sexual assault, intimate partner violence, and stalking).

Office for Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Title IX (EEO-TIX) — (213) 740-5086
Information about how to get help or help someone affected by harassment or discrimination, rights of protected classes, reporting options, and additional resources for students, faculty, staff, visitors, and applicants.

Reporting Incidents of Bias or Harassment — (213) 740-2500
Avenue to report incidents of bias, hate crimes, and microaggressions to the Office for Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Title for appropriate investigation, supportive measures, and response.

The Office of Student Accessibility Services (OSAS) — (213) 740-0776
OSAS ensures equal access for students with disabilities through providing academic accommodations and auxiliary aids in accordance with federal laws and university policy.

USC Campus Support and Intervention — (213) 740-0411
Assists students and families in resolving complex personal, financial, and academic issues adversely affecting their success as a student.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion — (213) 740-2101
Information on events, programs and training, the Provost’s Diversity and Inclusion Council, Diversity Liaisons for each academic school, chronology, participation, and various resources for students.

USC Emergency — UPC: (213) 740-4321, HSC: (323) 442-1000 — 24/7 on call
Emergency assistance and avenue to report a crime. Latest updates regarding safety, including ways in which instruction will be continued if an officially declared emergency makes travel to campus infeasible.

USC Department of Public Safety — UPC: (213) 740-6000, HSC: (323) 442-1200 — 24/7 on call
Non-emergency assistance or information.

Office of the Ombuds — (213) 821-9556 (UPC) / (323-442-0382 (HSC)
A safe and confidential place to share your USC-related issues with a University Ombuds who will work with you to explore options or paths to manage your concern.

Occupational Therapy Faculty Practice — (323) 442-2850 or otfp@med.usc.edu
Confidential Lifestyle Redesign services for USC students to support health promoting habits and routines that enhance quality of life and academic performance.