Classes Offered · USC Schedule of Classes

Astronautical Engineering (ASTE)

http://astronautics.usc.edu/
D class assignments for undergraduates available in RRB230; phone (213) 821-4234.
D class assignments for graduate students available in RRB230; phone (213) 821-4234.
To be enrolled in an off-campus course, you MUST also be enrolled in the Distance Education Network (DEN). For more information, call 740-4488 or go to den.usc.edu. DEN courses are indicated by a location of OFF CAMPUS.

ASTE 101L: Introduction to Astronautics (4.0 units)

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.

Note: Register for lecture and lab

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29100R	001	Lecture	3:30-4:50pm	Mon, Wed	36 of 45	Paul Giuliano	ZHS163	PDF (961240 KB)
29101R	001	Lab	9:30-11:20am	Tuesday	36 of 45	Paul Giuliano	SAL127

ASTE 291: Team Projects I (1.0 units, max 4)

Participation in ASTE undergraduate student team projects. Intended for lower-division students or those with little prior project experience. Departmental approval.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location
Lunar Lander
29103D	001	Lecture	9:00-12:50pm	Wednesday	0 of 20	David Barnhart	OFFICE
Microsatellite Project
29104D	001	Lecture	5:00-6:20pm	Tuesday	5 of 20	David Barnhart	GFS229
Rocket Laboratory
29105D	001	Lecture	4:00-5:50pm	Friday	2 of 20	Joseph Wang	OFFICE

ASTE 331a: Spacecraft Systems Engineering (3.0 units)

Introduction to spacecraft systems: propulsion, attitude dynamics and control, structures, communications, power, thermal control. Space environment. Systems engineering as applied to spacecraft.

Prerequisite: ASTE 280
Corequisite: PHYS 153

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
28489R	001	Lecture	9:30-10:50am	Tue, Thu	26 of 35	Dan Erwin	KAP147	PDF (141264 KB)

ASTE 470: Spacecraft Propulsion (3.0 units)

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. Senior or graduate standing.

Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Senior, Master Student, Doctoral Student

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29117R	001	Lecture	3:30-6:20pm	Friday	63 of 70	Mike Gruntman	OHE136	PDF (102664 KB)
29157D	014	Lecture	3:30-6:20pm	Friday	34 of 60	Mike Gruntman	DEN@Viterbi	PDF (102664 KB)

ASTE 490x: Directed Research (1.0-8.0 units, max 12)

Individual research and readings. Not available for graduate credit.

Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Junior, Senior

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29120D	001	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 20	David Barnhart	OFFICE

ASTE 491: Team Projects II (1.0 units, max 4)

Participation in ASTE undergraduate student team projects. Intended for students with prior project experience. Departmental approval.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location
Lunar Lander
29123R	001	Lecture	9:00-12:50pm	Wednesday	1 of 20	David Barnhart	OFFICE
Microsatellite Project
29124R	001	Lecture	5:00-6:20pm	Tuesday	7 of 20	David Barnhart	GFS229
Rocket Laboratory
29125R	001	Lecture	4:00-5:50pm	Friday	19 of 35	Joseph Wang, David Barnhart	GFS106

ASTE 505a: Plasma Dynamics (3.0 units)

Charged particle dynamics. Kinetic and fluid theories. Rarefied and collisional plasma flows. Plasma-surface interactions. Waves, instabilities, turbulence. Applications in engineering and space technology. Recommended preparation: Graduate standing in engineering or physics. (Duplicates credit in EE-572a)

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29158R	048	Lecture	3:30-6:10pm	Thursday	8 of 20	Joseph Wang	KAP164

ASTE 520: Spacecraft System Design (3.0 units)

System components; vehicle structure, propulsion systems, flight dynamics, thermal control, power systems, telecommunication. Interfaces and tradeoffs between these components. Testing, system reliability, and integration.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29132R	048	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Thursday	40 of 60	Mike Gruntman	OHE100D	PDF (90229 KB)
29162D	034	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Thursday	59 of 80	Mike Gruntman	DEN@Viterbi	PDF (90229 KB)

ASTE 524: Human Spaceflight (3.0 units)

Engineering, technologies, and systems for human spaceflight. Life support, space environments, crew accommodations. Mission operations, safety. Astrodynamics, launch and space vehicles, space stations, planetary bases.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29122R	048	Lecture	11:00-1:40pm	Tuesday	30 of 40	Garrett Reisman	OHE100D	PDF (56270 KB)
29152D	034	Lecture	11:00-1:40pm	Tuesday	21 of 40	Garrett Reisman	DEN@Viterbi	PDF (56270 KB)

ASTE 527: Space Exploration Architectures Concept Synthesis Studio (3.0 units)

Programmatic/conceptual design synthesis/choice creation methods for complex space missions. Aerospace system engineering/architecting tools to create innovative projects. Evaluated by faculty/industry/NASA experts. Graduate standing in engineering or science. Recommended preparation: ASTE-520 or experience in space industry

Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Master Student, Doctoral Student

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29134R	048	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Tuesday	5 of 7	Madhu Thangavelu	OHE114	PDF (495860 KB)
29164D	034	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Tuesday	2 of 5	Madhu Thangavelu	DEN@Viterbi	PDF (495999 KB)

ASTE 535: Space Environments and Spacecraft Interactions (3.0 units)

Space environments and interactions with space systems. Vacuum, neutral and ionized species, plasma, radiation, micrometeoroids. Phenomena important for spacecraft operations.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29135R	048	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Tuesday	24 of 40	William Tobiska	OHE100C
29165D	034	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Tuesday	23 of 40	William Tobiska	DEN@Viterbi

ASTE 554: Spacecraft Sensors (3.0 units)

Spacecraft sensors from concepts 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.

Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Master Student, Doctoral Student

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29140R	048	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Thursday	8 of 20	Mohamed Abid	RTH105
29170D	034	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Thursday	21 of 40	Mohamed Abid	DEN@Viterbi

ASTE 557: Spacecraft Structural Strength and Materials (3.0 units)

Spacecraft structural strength analysis and design concepts overview; spacecraft material selection; analysis of composite materials; finite element method; spacecraft configuration; structural testing; bolted joint design.

Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Master Student, Professional Year 1, Doctoral Student

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29172D	034	Lecture	7:00-9:40pm	Thursday	18 of 30	Robert Williams	DEN@Viterbi	PDF (191875 KB)

ASTE 561: Human Factors of Spacecraft Operations (3.0 units)

Engineering fundamentals and experimental methods of human factors design and evaluation for spacecraft which incorporate human-in-the-loop control.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
28498R	048	Lecture	3:00-5:40pm	Friday	5 of 10	Garrett Reisman	OHE100B	PDF (63666 KB)
28499D	034	Lecture	3:00-5:40pm	Friday	10 of 12	Garrett Reisman	DEN@Viterbi	PDF (63666 KB)

ASTE 580: Orbital Mechanics I (3.0 units)

Physical principles; two-body and central force motion; trajectory correction maneuvers; position and velocity in conic orbits; Lambert's problem; celestial mechanics; orbital perturbations.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29145R	048	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Wednesday	31 of 48	Ryan Park	OHE100B	PDF (80031 KB)
29175D	034	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Wednesday	17 of 30	Ryan Park	DEN@Viterbi	PDF (80031 KB)

ASTE 583: Space Navigation: Principles and Practice (3.0 units)

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. Recommended preparation: ASTE 580

Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Master Student, Doctoral Student

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29147R	048	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Wednesday	4 of 30	Gerald Hintz	OHE136
29177D	034	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Wednesday	5 of 30	Gerald Hintz	DEN@Viterbi

ASTE 590: Directed Research (1.0-12.0 units)

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.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29180D	048	Lecture	TBA	TBA	3 of 10	Mike Gruntman,Dan Erwin, Joseph Anthony Kunc, Joseph Wang, Azad Madni, David Barnhart	OFFICE

ASTE 594a: Master's Thesis (2.0 units)

Credit on acceptance of thesis. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29181D	048	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 10	Mike Gruntman	OFFICE

ASTE 594b: Master's Thesis (2.0 units)

Credit on acceptance of thesis. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Prerequisite: ASTE 594A

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29182D	048	Lecture	TBA	TBA	1 of 10	Mike Gruntman	OFFICE

ASTE 594z: Master's Thesis (0.0 units)

Credit on acceptance of thesis. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Prerequisite: ASTE 594b

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29183D	048	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 10	Mike Gruntman	OFFICE

ASTE 690: Directed Research (1.0-4.0 units, max 8)

Laboratory studies of specific problems by candidates for the degree Engineer in Astronautical Engineering. Graded CR/NC.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29190D	048	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 10	Mike Gruntman,Dan Erwin, Joseph Anthony Kunc, Joseph Wang, Azad Madni	OFFICE

ASTE 694a: Thesis (2.0 units)

Required for the degree Engineer in Astronautical Engineering. Credit on acceptance of thesis. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29191D	048	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 10	Mike Gruntman	OFFICE

ASTE 694b: Thesis (2.0 units)

Required for the degree Engineer in Astronautical Engineering. Credit on acceptance of thesis. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Prerequisite: ASTE 694A

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29192D	048	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 10	Mike Gruntman	OFFICE

ASTE 694z: Thesis (0.0 units)

Required for the degree Engineer in Astronautical Engineering. Credit on acceptance of thesis. Graded IP/CR/NC.

Prerequisite: ASTE 694B

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29193D	048	Lecture	TBA	TBA	0 of 10	Mike Gruntman	OFFICE

ASTE 790: Research (1.0-12.0 units)

Research leading to the doctorate. Maximum units which may be applied to the degree to be determined by the division. Graded CR/NC.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29194D	048	Lecture	TBA	TBA	9 of 20	Mike Gruntman,Dan Erwin, Joseph Anthony Kunc, Joseph Wang, Azad Madni, David Barnhart	OFFICE