ENGR-107: Aerospace Engineering

This course is INACTIVE
School
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math
Division
Science - DNU
Department
Engineering - DNU
Academic Level
Undergraduate
Course Subject
Engineering
Course Number
107
Course Title
Aerospace Engineering
Credit Hours
3.00
Instructor Contact Hours Per Semester
77.00 (for 15-week classes)
Student Contact Hours Per Semester
77.00 (for 15-week classes)
Grading Method
A-E
Pre-requisites
ENGR-101 or ENGR-102 or Instructor Permission
Catalog Course Description

Presents a type of engineering which develops new technologies for use in aviation, defense systems, and space exploration. Explores the evolution of flight, flight fundamentals, navigation and control, aerospace materials, propulsion, space travel, orbital mechanics, ergonomics, remotely operated systems, and related careers. Course also presents alternative applications for aerospace engineering concepts, and discusses how to analyze, design, and build aerospace systems. Final course activity is a multimedia project envisioning future professional accomplishments.

Goals, Topics, and Objectives

Core Course Topics
  1. Evolution of Flight
    1. Identify major Aerospace Engineering accomplishments.
    2. Describe trends in Aerospace Engineering.
    3. Analyze how Aerospace Engineering achievements were made.
    4. Predict how Aerospace Engineering achievements will impact future accomplishments.
    5. Synthesize discrete facts into a coherent sequence of events.
    6. Deliver organized oral presentations of work tailored to the audience
  2. Physics of Flight
    1. Identify major components of an aircraft.
    2. Approximate the center of gravity of geometric shapes.
    3. Identify the three axis of an aircraft.
    4. Label the motions about the three axis of an aircraft.
    5. Describe the four major forces which act on an aircraft.
    6. Describe the four ways that lift is generated by an airfoil.
    7. Label the components of an airfoil.
    8. Describe the Earth’s atmosphere composition and layers.
    9. Describe the relationship of altitude, temperature and pressure within the Earth’s atmosphere.
    10. Describe the factors that impact lift and drag.
    11. Explain factors which improve aircraft stability.
    12. Describe how the motions about the three axis of an aircraft are stabilized and controlled by aircraft components.
    13. Calculate the center of gravity of an aircraft.
    14. Revise the weight and location of masses onboard an aircraft for safe flight balance.
    15. Demonstrate how lift may be created with an airfoil.
    16. Calculate the values of Earth’s atmosphere altitude, temperature and pressure relative to each other.
    17. Calculate the values of lift, drag and Reynolds Number.
    18. Predict how aircraft characteristics affect lift, drag, and Reynolds Number.
    19. Design an airfoil to meet or exceed desired performance.
    20. Design a glider to meet or exceed desired performance.
    21. Summarize test data to evaluate glider performance against design criteria.
    22. Revise a glider to meet or exceed desired performance.
    23. Analyze the factors that contribute to a successful glider design.
    24. Construct a glider that represents a design.
    25. Predict glider performance.
    26. Compare glider performance to predicted performance.
    27. Optimize glider performance to improve performance.
  3. Flight Planning and Navigation
    1. Describe major advances in navigation technology.
    2. Identify components of common aviation navigation aids.
    3. Describe how an aircraft reacts to flight control inputs.
    4. Describe purpose of air traffic control system how it functions.
    5. Explain how Global Positioning System, GPS, functions.
    6. Identify the functions of a typical Global Positioning System, GPS, unit functions.
    7. Describe the relationship of Tsiolkovsky rocket equation variables.
    8. Identify characteristics which contribute to a successful team.
    9. Interpret an indication shown on a navigation aid.
    10. Illustrate navigation aid indication on a map.
    11. Operate an aircraft in a simulated environment.
    12. Plan a flight route.
    13. Use a navigation aid to fly an aircraft to a destination in a simulated environment.
    14. Predict an aircraft collision based on aircraft vectors.
    15. Calculate an alternate aircraft vector for safe separation.
    16. Create route consisting of latitude and longitude waypoints using a Global Positioning System, GPS, unit.
    17. Interpret a route from latitude and longitude waypoints.
    18. Select team members for a project based on characteristics.
    19. Select propulsion system based on characteristics of each.
  4. Materials and Structures
    1. Describe common aerospace materials and their properties.
    2. Identify moment of inertia and Young’s Modulus equations.
    3. Recognize the impact of loading conditions on a structure.
    4. Classify materials for aerospace applications.
    5. Model a structure using a 3D modeling software.
    6. Analyze deformation of a structure as a result of force application.
    7. Design a structure that meets a given criteria.
    8. Construct a composite structure.
    9. Measure mechanical properties of material.
    10. Interpret measurements of a tensile tester.
    11. Calculate moment of inertia and Young’s Modulus equations.
  5. Propulsion
    1. Describe the four primary forces acting on an aircraft.
    2. Explain how Newton’s Third Law applies to aerodynamic forces.
    3. Describe the characteristics of the four types of propulsion systems.
    4. Classify rocket engine systems.
    5. Identify the thrust and impulse equations.
    6. Describe parts and functions of a typical model rocket engine.
    7. Outline model rocket safety suggestions.
    8. Label model rocket components and functions.
    9. Recognize the equation of center of gravity and center of pressure.
    10. Identify common space propulsion systems.
    11. Identify basic criteria to consider when designing a spacecraft.
    12. Construct a physical model of a system.
    13. Measure mechanical properties of material.
    14. Interpret measurements of a test system.
    15. Simulate performance of propulsion systems.
    16. Design an aircraft propulsion system to meet a given objective such as maximum efficiency, maximum thrust to weight ratio.
    17. Infer how changes in propulsion system parameters affect performance.
    18. Interpret measurements of a model rocket engine thrust.
    19. Design a stable model rocket.
    20. Construct a stable model rocket.
    21. Gather performance data associated model rocket launch such as maximum height of flight.
    22. Construct a stable model rocket.
    23. Calculate maximum height using rocket engine test data and indirect height measurements.
    24. Organize and express thoughts and information in a clear and concise manner.
    25. Select spacecraft components based on characteristics of each component.
    26. Select spacecraft landing system based on characteristics of each component.
  6. Flight Physiology
    1. Describe common human body systems and their functions.
    2. Recognize the formula for distance with respect to time and acceleration.
    3. List common factors contribute to an aircraft accident.
    4. Measure human vision quality such as acuity, astigmatism, color vision perception, depth perception and peripheral vision field.
    5. Analyze how human factors affect aerospace system design.
    6. Infer reaction time through indirect measurements.
    7. Analyze an aircraft accident to determine likely causes.
  7. Space Travel
    1. Recognize common celestial groups such as galaxy, star and planet.
    2. Describe the relative sizes of celestial bodies.
    3. Explain how global governance applies to space issues.
    4. Outline how past space faring achievements contributed to subsequent achievements.
    5. Describe how commercial organizations contribute to space related activities.
    6. Identify the impact that space junk has on space based activities.
    7. Analyze an issue to which space applies.
    8. Organize and express thoughts and information in a clear and concise manner.
    9. Design a system to mitigate space junk.
    10. Construct a prototype to demonstrate a design solution.
  8. Orbital Mechanics
    1. List major contributions made by people studying orbital mechanics.
    2. Describe common satellite orbital pattern shapes and applications.
    3. Name and describe the six Keplerian elements.
    4. Explain Kepler’s Laws.
    5. Recognize the equations for orbital period, orbital gravitational potential energy, orbital kinetic energy, and total orbital energy.
    6. Describe how an orbital mechanics modeling software can be applied design a satellite system.
    7. Explain how financial factors impact a project.
    8. Analyze how an orbital mechanics theory can describe satellite motion.
    9. Organize and express thoughts and information in a clear and concise manner.
    10. Identify the most appropriate orbital pattern for an application.
    11. Calculate an orbiting body’s orbital period, orbital gravitational potential energy, orbital kinetic energy, and total orbital energy.
    12. Model a satellite system using a modeling software.
    13. Formulate a financial proposal for a project.
  9. Alternative Applications
    1. Alternative applications than aircraft for aerospace engineering concepts.
    2. Describe the parts and functions of a wind turbine.
    3. Identify factors that impact aircraft efficiency.
    4. Recognize the drag equation.
    5. Design aerospace system as an alternate to an aircraft which use aerospace engineering concepts. Examples include a wind turbine and a parachute.
    6. Construct an alternate aerospace system.
    7. Measure output of an alternate aerospace system.
    8. Optimize an alternate aerospace system.
    9. Explain aircraft efficiency affects aircraft design.
  10. Remote Systems
    1. Explain how unmanned systems can be integrated into aerospace systems.
    2. Recognize factors that affect communication with equipment in space.
    3. Describe how input and output devices function.
    4. Explain the purpose of a flowchart or pseudocode.
    5. Describe functions of a computer program.
    6. Identify how functions of a computer program can be applied to perform a task.
    7. Outline how a satellite data is gathered and used to create a map.
    8. Describe how human factors impact space travel.
    9. Describe how spacecraft systems function.
    10. Analyze how aerospace unmanned systems function.
    11. Synthesize a discrete knowledge into a coherent sequent of events.
    12. Deliver organized oral presentations of work tailored to the audience.
    13. Describe the impact of a communication delay on the success of a mission.
    14. Operate output devices to perform a function.
    15. Relate sensor input to the environment being measured.
    16. Create a flowchart or pseudocode to perform a task.
    17. Construct a control program to accomplish a specified goal.
    18. Operate a remote system through a series of performance tasks including autonomous navigation.
    19. Gather data using robot control software.
    20. Arrange data using spreadsheet software.
    21. Operate a simulated spaceflight.
  11. Aerospace Careers
    1. Describe factors that a student should consider when planning a career.
    2. Outline questions as preparation to interview a professional.
    3. Collect information related to a future career.
    4. Interview a professional.
    5. Assemble career information into a coherent plan.
    6. Criticize the work of a peer.
General Information

This course was created back in 2014 when we were partnering with PLTW. Project Lead The Way is an American nonprofit organization that develops STEM curricula for K-12. PLTW courses did not transfer to 4-year schools. We never offered this course. To clean up our catalog, we propose to deactivate this course.

Assessment and Requirements

Assessment of Academic Achievement
  • Assignments
  • Exams
  • Projects
  • Individual and Group Activities
  • Final Assessment

Outcomes

General Education Categories
  • Natural Sciences
Institutional Outcomes
  • Scientific Reasoning
MTA Categories
  • Category 6: Natural Sciences (Lecture Only)
Satisfies Wellness Requirement
No

Credit for Prior College-Level Learning

Options for Credit for Prior College-Level Learning
Other
Other Details

Completion of Aeronautical Engineering (AE) at an official PLTW schools

Approval Dates

Effective Term
Winter 2021
Deactivation Date
ILT Approval Date
AALC Approval Date
Curriculum Committee Approval Date