Revisions of the Aerospace Engineering Curriculum at the University of Texas at Austin

1. Revisions of the Aerospace Engineering Curriculum at the University of Texas at Austin Dr. Wallace Fowler Department of Aerospace Engineering

2. What I Will Cover • Emphasis on the Design Sequence • No boring overview of entire curriculum • Limited discussion of “Atmospheric Flight” option • Focus on “Space Flight” option • Highlight Changes Made to Accommodate Integration of Systems Engineering into curriculum

3. Opportunity Knocked • Fall 2005 - Mike Griffin visited University of Texas at Austin - Strongly suggested including Systems Engineering instruction in engineering programs. • ASE Department Chair invited Ms. Lisa Guerra of NASA ESMD to UT to accomplish this task.

4. Subsequent Events • 2005-2006 - Dr. Mark Maughmer (Penn State) • Revitalized aeronautical segment of curriculum • Greatly improved Design-Build-Fly efforts • 2006-Present – Ms. Lisa Guerra (NASA ESMD) • IPA from NASA to UT Austin • Extensive Systems Engineering experience • 2006-2007 – Curriculum Revision Opportunity (A RARE Occurrence)

5. Curriculum Change Constraints • New courses require extra effort – takes time from research • Faculty under pressure to bring in $ (17% of UT funding provided by state) • Curriculum changes need multiple approvals • Old and New Curricula exist together for at least 4 years – increasing number of courses that must be taught

6. 2006-2008 Curriculum 128 Semester Credit Hours • 30 hours of Math & Science • 24 hours of Humanities/Social Science/Liberal Arts • 22 hours of Basic Engineering Topics • 14 hours of Aerodynamics/Propulsion/Fluids/Flt Mech • 6 hours of Electric Circuits / Controls • 16 hours of Structures/Materials/Measurements • 3 hours of Orbital Mechanics / Attitude Dynamics • 6 hours of Technical Electives • 7 hours of Option Area Courses (Atmospheric / Space)

7. 2008-2010 Curriculum 128 Semester Credit Hours • 30 hours of Math & Science • 24 hours of Humanities/Social Science/Liberal Arts • 23 hours of Basic Engineering Topics • 14 hours of Aerodynamics/Propulsion/Fluids/Flt Mech • 6 hours of Mechatronics / Controls • 9 hours of Structures/Materials/Measurements • 3 hours of Orbital Mechanics / Attitude Dynamics • 6 hours of Technical Electives (Six 1 credit projects) • 13 hours of Option Area Courses (Atmospheric / Space)

8. Major Changes in Curriculum • Added 1 hour to Engineering Computation • Moved Technical Writing to fourth semester • All students take Compressible Aerodynamics • Electric Circuits  Mechatronics • Thermodynamics  Thermodynamics & Heat Transfer • Added up to six one-hour project credits • Basic Orbital Mechanics  Intro to Orbital Mechanics and Attitude Dynamics • Technical Areas increased from 7 to 13 hours

9. Space Flight Technical Area Changes • Advanced Orbits / Attitude Dynamics  Attitude Dynamics (3 hours) • Added Advanced Orbital Mechanics (3 hours) • Orbital Computations Lab  Spacecraft Systems Modeling Lab (1 hour) • Added (Space) Systems Engineering (3 hours) • Modified Capstone Spacecraft/Mission Design (3 hours )

10. S/C Systems Modeling Lab • Replaces Space Applications Lab • Replaced material goes into Advanced Orbital Mechanics course • Focus on Spacecraft Subsystems • Working Knowledge of Subsystems • Preliminary Sizing • Estimating Performance • Modeling and Simulation Techniques

11. One Hour Project Credits • Up to six one-hour credits (one per semester) for non-class related project participation. • Satellite build projects • Design – Build – Fly Projects • Student participation in research projects • Hours accumulate along with COOP hours for technical elective credit. • Previously, students received no formal credit for these efforts.

12. Satellite Design/Build Projects • Air Force NanoSat Program • Nano Satellite (FASTRAC) • Dual Satellites (Texas2step) • NASA/TAMU/UT Project • Dual Satellites – Autonomous Rendezvous (Paradigm) • WIPSat Project • Wireless Internet Protocol Communications Information from the Systems Engineering Course has already strengthened these efforts

13. 2006-08 Design Sequence • Structural Design and Testing – 4 hrs • Primarily a structural testing project course • Spacecraft/Mission Conceptual Design – 3 hrs • Team design projects course taught only in Fall • 60 students in class in Fall 2007/Six teams • Ideal is 5-7 students per team • Limited “systems engineering” instruction in class • Focus on getting a project done

14. 2008-2010 Design Sequence • Space Systems Engineering – 3 hours • Replaced Structural Design and Test • Pilot Class in Spring 2008 • Required in 2008-2010 Curriculum (Offered regularly beginning Fall 2008) • Prerequisite for Spacecraft/Mission Design • Spacecraft / Mission Design – 3 hours • Project types will change • Students will be better prepared

15. Student Concept Awareness • Project Life Cycles • Project Scoping • Concepts of Operations • System Hierarchy • Requirements • Functional Analysis • Trade Studies • Design Margins • Costs / Risks / Verification and Validation • Technical Reviews

16. Expectations • Better understand the “whole picture” • Aware of the importance of subsystems and interfaces between them • View from multiple perspectives • Understand the importance of requirements • Understand the concept of “unintended consequences” • Earlier focus on problem identification and solving

17. September 2008 • Transition Period • Systems Engineering • Required for Space Flight Option (roughly half of students in department) • Spacecraft/Mission Design • Taught both Fall and Spring  Smaller classes • Have 4 students with Systems Engineering background

18. QUESTIONS?