ASTE 101 Fall 2008:
Introduction to Astronautics
4 units
Lecture Monday and Wednesday 3:00-4:15, RTH 115
Lab Wednesday 8:30-9:50, SAL 126
Note:
There will be no lab session the first two weeks. The first lab session
will be Wednesday September 10.
Another note:
There will be no lecture on Wednesday September 3.
Instructor:
Dan Erwin, RRB 222, (213) 740-5358,
erwin@usc.edu.
Office Hours: Tuesdays 10:30-12:30, Thursdays 3:30-5, or by appointment.
Text:
Jerry Jon Sellers, Understanding Space: An Introduction to Astronautics, 3rd ed.
McGraw-Hill, 2005. ISBN 0-07-340775-5
Midterm Exams: Wednesday, October 1, in class. Wednesday, November 5, in class.
Final Exam: Monday, December 15, 2:00 PM-4:00 PM in the regular classroom.
Homework: Assigned weekly. Due on Wednesdays in class.
Grading: Homework, 25%; each midterm, 20%; final exam, 35%.
Software used:
Matlab:
A general-purpose numeric computation environment, with some
symbolic capability. An interpreted C-like language, extended with
vector and matrix syntax, is coupled with mathematics and graphics
libraries. The student who is comfortable with Matlab will be able to
do numeric solution of any problem he or she is faced with, as well as
provide graphical representation of the solutions. USC-ISD maintains
Matlab on the student computing cluster. The student version of Matlab
is available at the bookstore; while it is not necessary to have the
program installed on the student's computer, it is very convenient.
Matlab is used throughout the undergraduate curriculum, so its
purchase is highly recommended.
STK (Satellite Toolkit):
A package for setting up, simulating, and
visualizing the operation of space missions. Launch, orbits and
stationkeeping, attitude dynamics and control, communications, and
ground station operations can all be simulated. ASTE has a site
license for STK through a donation from the company, Analytical Graphics Inc. (AGI). Installation CDs
will be provided.
Course Material:
The times and topics given below are approximate, and the list may change
as the semester progresses.
We will see how things go and take more or less time on each topic as seems appropriate.
|
Week |
Date |
Topic |
Reading |
|
1
|
08/25 & 08/27
|
Introduction to the space industry: communication, remote sensing, exploration.
Unique characteristics of autonomous spacecraft. Demo of Matlab, STK.
The universe and solar system. Time and units.
|
Ch. 1, 2
|
|
2
|
09/03
|
No class this week.
|
Matlab tutorials
|
|
3
|
09/08 & 09/10
|
Intro to computation.
Kepler's laws.
Low Earth orbit (LEO) and geostationary orbit (GEO).
Atmospheric layers. Space environment. Tidal forces. Vernal equinox vector.
Matlab: Control flow; plotting.
|
Ch. 3
|
|
4
|
09/15 & 09/17
|
Intro to orbits. Energy and angular momentum. Approximations that lead to conic section orbits.
|
Ch. 4
|
|
5
|
09/22 & 09/24
|
Orbital elements. Euler and roll-pitch-yaw angles.
|
Ch. 5
|
|
6
|
09/29 & 10/01
|
Rotational transformations. Matrices.
Solution of simultaneous equations. FIRST MIDTERM EXAM.
|
Ch. 5
|
|
7
|
10/06 & 10/08
|
Intro to graphics. Intro to STK.
Orbital maneuvers: Hohmann transfer and plane change.
|
Ch. 6, sections 1, 2. STK tutorials.
|
|
8
|
10/13 & 10/15
|
Applications of Hohmann transfer.
Hyperbolic trajectories. Flybys. Planetary escape.
Intro to gravity assist.
|
|
|
9
|
10/20 & 10/22
|
Matlab code for Hohmann transfer.
Orbital rendezvous.
Synodic period for interplanetary launch windows.
|
Ch. 6, section 3.
|
|
10
|
10/27 & 10/29
|
Interplanetary trajectories. Departure and arrival.
|
Ch. 7, secs. 1, 2
|
|
11
|
11/03 & 11/05
|
Gravity assist. Rocket propulsion.
SECOND MIDTERM EXAM.
|
Ch. 7, sec. 3. Ch. 14, secs. 1, 2
|
|
12
|
11/10 & 11/12
|
Vehicle performance. Staging. Earth launch.
|
Ch. 14, sec. 3. Ch. 9
|
|
13
|
11/17 & 11/19
|
Spacecraft systems.
|
Ch. 13
|
|
14
|
11/24 & 11/26
|
Politics and economics of the space industry.
|
Ch. 16
|
|
15
|
12/01 & 12/03
|
Special topics. Review.
|
|
