Classes Offered · USC Schedule of Classes

Astronautical Engineering (ASTE)

http://astronautics.usc.edu/
D class assignments for undergraduates available in RRB-230; Phone: (213) 821-4234.
D class assignments for graduate students available in RRB-230; 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 280: Foundations of Astronautical Engineering (3.0 units)

Coordinate systems and transformations. Spherical trigonometry. Orientation angles. Spacecraft orbits and orbital maneuvers. Introduction to rocket propulsion, spacecraft attitude dynamics and control and space environment.

Prerequisite: MATH 226 and PHYS 151

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29102R	001	Lecture	3:30-4:50pm	Mon, Wed	64 of 98	Dan Erwin	SOSB2	PDF (67243 KB)

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
29103R	001	Lecture	9:00-12:50pm	Wednesday	0 of 18	David Barnhart	OFFICE
Microsatellite Project
29104R	001	Lecture	5:00-6:20pm	Tuesday	0 of 18	David Barnhart, Dan Erwin	OFFICE
Rocket Laboratory
29105R	001	Lecture	4:00-5:50pm	Friday	0 of 18	Dan Erwin	OFFICE

ASTE 305: Astronautical Gas Dynamics (4.0 units)

Introduction to compressible and rarefied gas flows with applications to rocket propulsion and the dynamics of supersonic and hypersonic vehicles and spacecraft; ionized gases and plasmas.

Prerequisite: 1 from (PHYS 153 or PHYS 163) and AME 310
Corequisite: MATH 245

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
32514R	001	Lecture	8:00-9:50am	Tue, Thu	30 of 36	Daniel Depew	DMC211

ASTE 331b: 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 331A

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
28493R	001	Lecture	1:00-3:50pm	Friday	34 of 37	Jim Chase	THH114	PDF (361373 KB)

ASTE 421x: Space Mission Design (3.0 units)

Space systems engineering process: requirements definition; trade studies; system integration; technical reviews; cost and schedule development; case studies; ethics. Capstone design experience.

Prerequisite: ASTE 331B
Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Senior

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29112R	001	Lecture	3:30-4:50pm	Tue, Thu	24 of 40	David Barnhart, Lisa Hill	DMC101

ASTE 480: Spacecraft Dynamics (3.0 units)

Two-body motion. Rigid-body motion. Attitude dynamics and maneuvers. Spacecraft stabilization: gravity gradient, reaction wheels, magnetic torques. Thruster attitude control. Senior standing.

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

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29118R	001	Lecture	6:30-9:10pm	Wednesday	25 of 40	Bryan Cooley	GFS207

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	2 of 18	David Barnhart, Mike Gruntman,Dan Erwin	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	6:00-7:20pm	Friday	6 of 18	David Barnhart	GFS111
Microsatellite Project
29124R	001	Lecture	5:00-6:20pm	Tuesday	7 of 18	David Barnhart, Dan Erwin	DMC211
Rocket Laboratory
29125R	001	Lecture	4:00-5:50pm	Friday	21 of 25	David Barnhart, Dan Erwin	GFS104

ASTE 523: Design of Low Cost Space Missions (3.0 units)

Reviews all aspects of space mission design for practical approaches to reducing cost. Examines "LightSat" mission experience and potential applicability to large scale missions. Graduate standing in engineering or science. Recommended preparation: ASTE 520 or some experience in space engineering.

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

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29126R	048	Lecture	5:00-7:40pm	Thursday	22 of 34	James Wertz, Dan Erwin	OHE120
29173D	034	Lecture	5:00-7:40pm	Thursday	47 of 50	James Wertz, Dan Erwin	DEN@Viterbi

ASTE 529: Safety of Space Systems and Space Missions (3.0 units)

Engineering methodology and analysis techniques for safety certification and mission assurance of robotic and human space systems and space missions by government and commercial industry. Recommended preparation: ASTE 520 or some experience in space engineering. Open only to Engineering graduate students.

Restriction: Registration open to the following class level(s): Master Student, Professional Year 1, Doctoral Student
Restriction: Registration open to the following school(s): Andrew and Erna Viterbi School of Engineering

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29166D	034	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Tuesday	19 of 50	Michael Kezirian	DEN@Viterbi	PDF (287562 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	21 of 40	William Tobiska	OHE136
29165D	034	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Tuesday	28 of 50	William Tobiska	DEN@Viterbi

ASTE 546: Computational Plasma Dynamics (3.0 units)

Plasma simulation techniques: particle-in-cell (PIC); PIC with Monte Carlo; computational electromagnetics; computational magnetohydrodynamics. Parallelization. Applications in engineering and space plasma physics. Prerequisite: ASTE 505a.

Prerequisite: 1 from (ASTE 505a or EE 572a)

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29150R	048	Lecture	1:00-3:50pm	Thursday	Canceled	Lubos Brieda		PDF (977446 KB)
32520D	034	Lecture	1:00-3:50pm	Thursday	Canceled	Lubos Brieda

ASTE 562: Spacecraft Life Support Systems (3.0 units)

Engineering fundamentals of spacecraft systems design and analysis to support human life in the space environment.

Prerequisite: ASTE 524

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
28494D	034	Lecture	1:00-3:50pm	Friday	17 of 30	Garrett Reisman	DEN@Viterbi
28495R	048	Lecture	1:00-3:50pm	Friday	13 of 30	Garrett Reisman	OHE120

ASTE 566: Ground Communications for Satellite Operations (3.0 units)

Theory, practice, architecture, operations of ground satellite communications with satellites. Practical implementation of satellite communications system and reception and analysis of satellite transmitted signals.

Prerequisite: ASTE 520
Restriction: Registration open to the following school(s): Andrew and Erna Viterbi School of Engineering

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location
32511D	034	Lecture	12:00-1:20pm	Tue, Thu	7 of 12	David Barnhart	DEN@Viterbi
29116R	048	Lecture-Lab	12:00-1:20pm	Tue, Thu	9 of 12	David Barnhart	OHE336
32512D	034	Lab	TBA	TBA	7 of 12	David Barnhart	TBA

ASTE 570: Liquid Rocket Propulsion (3.0 units)

Liquid-propelled rocket propulsion systems. Capillary devices for gas-free liquid acquisition in zero gravity. Ground and in-orbit operations. Propellant life predictions and spacecraft end-of-life de-orbiting strategies.

Prerequisite: ASTE 470

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29142R	048	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Thursday	Canceled	Ghanshyam Purohit
29172D	034	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Thursday	Canceled	Ghanshyam Purohit

ASTE 572: Advanced Spacecraft Propulsion (3.0 units)

Nuclear, electric, sails, and far-term propulsion systems. Overviews of nozzles, heat transfer, electromagnetics, rarefied gases, and plasma physics. Analysis of electrothermal, electrostatic and electromagnetic thrusters. Graduate standing in engineering or science.

Prerequisite: ASTE 470

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29174D	034	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Tuesday	18 of 50	Keith Goodfellow	DEN@Viterbi	PDF (181477 KB)

ASTE 574: Space Launch Vehicle Design (3.0 units)

Fundamentals, technologies, and design of space launch vehicles. Propulsion, trajectory analysis and optimization, static and dynamic structural loads, stability, control, and safety.

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29184R	048	Lecture	12:30-3:10pm	Tuesday	19 of 40	Don Edberg	SCT1501K
29185D	034	Lecture	12:30-3:10pm	Tuesday	18 of 50	Don Edberg	DEN@Viterbi

ASTE 575: Rocket and Spacecraft Propulsion (3.0 units)

Space missions, rocket dynamics, and propulsion requirements. Thermodynamics and combustion; compressible gas dynamics in nozzles. Liquid- and solid-propellant rockets; launch systems. Advanced propulsion.

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

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
32516R	048	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Monday	30 of 120	Mike Gruntman	OHE122	PDF (122477 KB)
32526D	034	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Monday	57 of 120	Mike Gruntman	DEN@Viterbi	PDF (122477 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	7 of 30	Gerald Hintz	RTH109
29175D	034	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Wednesday	16 of 50	Gerald Hintz	DEN@Viterbi

ASTE 581: Orbital Mechanics II (3.0 units)

Theory of perturbations of orbits; numerical methods in orbital mechanics; satellite dynamics; averaging methods; resonance; mission analysis.

Prerequisite: ASTE 580

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29146R	048	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Wednesday	4 of 30	Ryan Park	OHE120	PDF (78485 KB)
29176D	034	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Wednesday	5 of 50	Ryan Park	DEN@Viterbi	PDF (78485 KB)

ASTE 584: Spacecraft Power Systems (3.0 units)

Introduction to solar arrays, batteries, nuclear power sources, mechanical energy storage. Application, theory of operation, practical considerations. Subsystem topologies and performance. Design optimization techniques. Graduate standing in engineering or science.

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

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29148D	048	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Wednesday	9 of 30	Steve Lapen, David Lee	RTH105	PDF (306087 KB)
29178D	034	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Wednesday	28 of 30	David Lee, Steve Lapen	DEN@Viterbi	PDF (306087 KB)

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	8 of 18	David Barnhart, Mike Gruntman	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 8	Mike Gruntman,David Barnhart	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 8	Mike Gruntman,Dan Erwin, David Barnhart	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 8	Mike Gruntman,Dan Erwin, David Barnhart	OFFICE

ASTE 683: Advanced Spacecraft Navigation (3.0 units)

Advanced topics in spacecraft navigation: Rendezvous, frozen/sun synchronous orbits, stationkeeping. Nonlinear filtering for orbit and attitude determination. Optical navigation. Mission applications. Prerequisites: ASTE 580 and ASTE 583. Recommended preparation: Skill in MATLAB programming.

Prerequisite: 1 from (ASTE 580 or ASTE 583)

Section	Session	Type	Time	Days	Registered	Instructor	Location	Syllabus	Info
29188R	048	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Tuesday	Canceled	Gerald Hintz
29189D	034	Lecture	6:40-9:20pm	Tuesday	Canceled	Gerald Hintz

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 8	Dan Erwin, 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 8		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 8		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 8		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	11 of 35	Dan Erwin, Mike Gruntman,Joseph Wang, Azad Madni	OFFICE