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Undergraduates

Current Students

Courses

Technical Electives - explanatory notes and a list of popular courses.
  • AERSP 001S. AEROSPACE EXPLORER (1:1:0)
    First-Year Seminar explores aerodynamics, structural mechanics, flight mechanics, rotorcraft systems, high performance computers, air/space propulsion and space systems. Offered both semesters.
  • AERSP 097S Hands-On Helicopters
    This seminar will introduce first year students to engineering by studying the fascinating world of vertical flight. Students will visit a helicopter hanger, see a radio-controlled helicopter demonstration, and participate in several activities to learn about the basic properties of helicopters. Each meeting period (8 periods total) will include a 75-minute instruction period followed by a 90-minute lab session.
  • AERSP 055. SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (3:3:0)
    The science and technology of space exploration and exploitation; physical principles; research and development; history, space policy and social implications. Prerequisites: none.
  • AERSP 204H. FLIGHT VEHICLE DESIGN AND FABRICATION (2:1:2) -- Sailplane
    Integrated project management, design, fabrication, testing, and flight evaluation of an advanced composite flight vehicle. Intended for University Scholars (freshmen and sophomores). [credit substitutions using AERSP 204H/404H]
  • AERSP 301. AEROSPACE STRUCTURES I (3:3:0)
    Analysis of thin-walled beams subjected to combined loads, including bending, torsion, and shear; elastic stability; work and energy principles. Prerequisite: E MCH 013. Prerequisite or concurrent: AERSP 313.
  • AERSP 302. AEROSPACE STRUCTURES II (3:3:0)
    Design and analysis of aerospace structures. Mechanics of advanced materials; advanced design concepts; numerical methods; structural dynamics. Prerequisite: AERSP 301. Prerequisite or concurrent: AERSP 304, E MCH 215.
  • AERSP 304. DYNAMICS AND CONTROL OF AEROSPACE SYSTEMS (3:3:0)
    Vibrations of single, multiple, and infinite degree-of-freedom systems; operational methods applied to aerospace vehicles; design of controllers. Prerequisites: AERSP 313, E MCH 012.
  • AERSP 306. AERONAUTICS (3:3:0)
    Lift and drag characteristics of aircraft; propulsion systems; airplane performance; introduction to stability and control. Prerequisite: AERSP 311, 313.
  • AERSP 308H. MECHANICS OF FLUIDS (3:3:0)
    Kinetics and dynamics of fluids; perfect fluid theory using complex variables; introduction to viscous flow theory; fundamentals of compressible flow. Prerequisites: E MCH 012 or 112H; MATH 251.
  • AERSP 309. ASTRONAUTICS (3:3:0)
    Introduction to space and space flight; laws of particle mechanics; orbits and trajectories; space vehicles and propulsion. Prerequisites: E MCH 012, MATH 251, CMPSC 201.
  • AERSP 311. AERODYNAMICS I (4:4:0)
    Fluid statics and kinematics; fluid mechanics of inviscid and viscous flows. Prerequisites: E MCH 012, MATH 251, CMPSC 201.
  • AERSP 312. AERODYNAMICS II (4:4:0)
    Fluid mechanics of viscous and compressible flows, laminar boundary layers, turbulent flows, isentropic flows, shock waves, supersonic life and drag. Prerequisite: AERSP 311, 313, M E 030.
  • AERSP 313. AEROSPACE ANALYSIS (3:3:0)
    Mathematical methods applied to aerospace engineering: Fourier series, ordinary and partial differential equations, complex variables, numerical methods. Prerequisites: CMPSC 201, MATH 220, 230, 251.
  • AERSP 401A. SPACECRAFT DESIGN-PRELIMINARY (2:0:4)
    Formulation of conceptual and preliminary design to satisfy a given set of specifications for a spacecraft. Prerequisites: AERSP 309. Prerequisite or concurrent: AERSP 450.
  • AERSP 401B. SPACECRAFT DESIGN-DETAILED (2:0:4)
    Design of primary and secondary structural components and other details of a spacecraft. Prerequisite: AERSP 302, 401A.
  • AERSP 402A. AIRCRAFT DESIGN-PRELIMINARY (2:0:4)
    Formulation of conceptual and preliminary design to satisfy a given set of specifications for an aircraft. Prerequisites: AERSP 306. Prerequisite or concurrent: 413.
  • AERSP 402B. AIRCRAFT DESIGN-DETAILED (2:0:4)
    Design of primary and secondary structural components and other details of an aircraft. Prerequisites: AERSP 307, 402A.
  • AERSP 403. DESIGN OF AIR TRANSPORT SYSTEMS (3:3:0)
    Air transportation; vehicle technology; vehicle-airport-route design interface; ATC, energy, environmental, human, and regulatory considerations in design. Prerequisite: AERSP 306.
  • AERSP 404H. FLIGHT VEHICLE DESIGN AND FABRICATION (3:1:4) -- Sailplane
    Integrated project management, design, fabrication, aerodynamic and structural testing, and flight evaluation of an advanced composite flight vehicle. Prerequisite: AERSP 204H. [credit substitutions using 204H/404H].
  • AERSP 405W. AERODYNAMICS LABORATORY (2:0:4)
    Experiments in fluid mechanics, measurement systems, subsonic wind tunnel testing, supersonic wind tunnel testing. Prerequisite: AERSP 312. Prerequisite or concurrent: ENGL 202C.
  • AERSP 406W. STRUCTURES AND DYNAMICS LABORATORY (2:0:4)
    Experiments in static deformations and stresses, vibrations, and control of aerospace structures. Prerequisite or concurrent: AERSP 302, ENGL 202C.
  • AERSP 407. AERODYNAMICS OF V/STOL AIRCRAFT (3:3:0)
    Rotary wing aircraft; VTOL and STOL performance; propeller-wing combinations; jet flap; high lift devices. Prerequisite: AERSP 312.
  • AERSP 410. AEROSPACE PROPULSION (3:3:0)
    Analysis and performance characteristics of reciprocating engine, turbo-jet, turbo-prop, turbo-fan, ram-jets, and chemical rockets. Aerothermodynamics of inlets, combustors, and turbo-machinery. Prerequisite: AERSP 312.
  • AERSP 412. TURBULENT FLOW (3:3:0)
    Homogeneous turbulence; spectral transfer of energy, viscous dissipation; turbulent shear flow: mixing-length theory, eddy viscosity, scaling laws, energy budget. Prerequisite: one course in fluid mechanics.
  • AERSP 413. STABILITY AND CONTROL OF AIRCRAFT (3:3:0)
    Static and dynamic stability and control of aircraft; open and closed loop systems. Prerequisites: AERSP 304, 306.
  • AERSP 420. PRINCIPLES OF FLIGHT TESTING (3:2:4)
    In-flight and analytical studies of airplane performance, stability, and control; reduction of data; instrumentation; flight test techniques. Prerequisites: AERSP 306.
  • AERSP 423. INTRODUCTION TO NUMERICAL METHODS IN FLUID DYNAMICS (3:3:0)
    Finite difference methods applied to solving viscid/inviscid fluid dynamics problems, error control, numerical stability. Prerequisites: AERSP 312 or M E 033; CMPSC 201; MATH 250 or 251.
  • AERSP 424. (previously Aersp 497B) ADVANCED COMPUTER PROGRAMMING (3:3:0)
    This course discusses how to solve a variety of engineering and scientific problems on parallel computers. The latest scientific languages are also introduced, such as Fortran-90, High Performance Fortran, Message Passing Interface, and more. Prerequisites: Math 250 or 251, Math 220, CMPSC 201.
  • AERSP 425. THEORY OF FLIGHT (3:3:0)
    Advanced wing and airfoil theory, conformal mapping, slender body theory. Prerequisite: AERSP 312.
  • AERSP 430. SPACE PROPULSION AND POWER SYSTEMS (3:3:0)
    Analysis and performance of chemical and nuclear rockets, electric propulsion systems. Introduction to solar, chemical, thermoelectric, and nuclear power sources. Prerequisite: AERSP 410 or M E 403.
  • AERSP 440. INTRODUCTION TO SOFTWARE ENGINEERING FOR AEROSPACE ENGINEERS (3) Software engineering for safety- and mission-critical systems, including requirements, management, processes, designs, programming, validation/ verification, and other aspects of software development. Prerequisite: CMPSC 201 or 202.
  • AERSP 450. ORBIT AND ATTITUDE CONTROL OF SPACECRAFT (3:3:0)
    Principles of mechanics and vector analysis applied to basic concepts of satellite motion and control, rocket ballistics, and gyroscopic instruments. Prerequisites: AERSP 304, 309.
  • AERSP 473 (E MCH 473). COMPOSITES PROCESSING (3:2:2)
    An introduction to the principles of mechanics governing manufacturing, computer- aided design, and testing of composite materials and structures. Prerequisite: E MCH 471.
  • AERSP 490 (E E 490, NUC E 490). INTRODUCTION TO PLASMAS (3:3:3)
    Plasma oscillations; collisional phenomena; transport properties; orbit theory; typical electric discharge phenomena. Prerequisite: E E 361 or PHYS 400.
  • AERSP 492 (ASTRO 492, E E 492). SPACE ASTRONOMY AND INTRODUCTION TO SPACE SCIENCE (3:3:0)
    The physical nature of the objects in the solar system; the earth's atmosphere, ionosphere, radiation belts, magnetosphere, and orbital mechanics. Prerequisites: PHYS 400 or E E 361.
  • AERSP 494. AEROSPACE UNDERGRADUATE THESIS (1-3 per semester, maximum of 6)
    Individual problem investigations reported in written thesis and seminar lectures. Cooperative research with faculty guidance on topics of current interest. Prerequisite: seventh- semester standing.
  • AERSP 496. INDEPENDENT STUDIES (1-18)
  • AERSP 497. SPECIAL TOPICS (1-9)
  • AERSP 497F. ADVANCED AEROSPACE STRUCTURES (3:3:0)
    Introduction to composite materials, anisotropic elasticity, behavior of composite structures, energy methods. Prerequisites: Aersp 302, 313.
  • AERSP 497G. CLASSICAL AND MODERN CONTROLS(3:3:0)
    Introduction to analysis and design of feedback control systems; Laplace transforms, Bode plots, stability, Nyquist criterion, state-space methods. Prerequisite: Aersp 304 or equivalent.