AE 8803: Astrodynamics I

AE 1350A: Introduction to Aerospace Engineering

Fall Semester 2008

Instructor: Dr. Robert D. Braun

robert.braun@ae.gatech.edu

321-3 Knight Building

Class Schedule: MW 10:05 – 10:55 am, Guggenheim 246

Textbooks: Required: Anderson, John D., Introduction to Flight, 6^th edition, McGraw-Hill, 2008.

Instructor Office Hours: MWF 2:05 – 2:55 pm

TA: Xin Zhang

xaxtoo@gmail.com

TA Office Hours: Tues 2-3 pm; Wed 3-4pm in Knight 306

Thurs 4:30-5:30pm in Weber 215

Course web site: http://www.ae.gatech.edu/people/rbraun/classes/introAEF08/index.html

Prerequisites: None

Course Overview:

AE 1350 provides an introduction to the field of aerospace engineering through a discussion of basic principles, aerospace disciplines and aerospace systems. Course content includes a historical perspective followed by an introduction to fluid mechanics, applied aerodynamics, propulsion, airplane performance, stability, orbital motion, and launch vehicle performance. Guest speakers will discuss recent advances in aerospace systems.

There will be five homework sets. Each assignment will be due at the beginning of the lecture, one week from the date it is handed out. No late homework assignments will be accepted. The class midterm will cover historical background, fundamental concepts of fluid mechanics, applied aerodynamics, propulsion and airplane performance (Chapters 1-6 and the first half of Chapter 9 in the Anderson text). All class material will be covered in a comprehensive final during finals week. The final exam will cover Anderson Chapters 7, 8 and the remaining Chapter 9 material, as well as that material required for the midterm. Both the midterm and final exam employ a closed book, closed notes format. A team design project is required and a report describing this project is due on the final day of the semester. The team project requires design, development, construction and flight of a small launch vehicle. Aerodynamic, stability, and flight mechanics predictions will be compared to flight data. A final report of 15 pages or less, not including an appendix for the source code, is required. This report must be written in a professional manner, documenting the project scope, significance, analysis approach, results and verification. The report should follow the AIAA conference publication standards and format.

Course Materials:

Aug 18 Syllabus

Aug 18 Course overview

Aug 18 Aerospace company listing

Sept 22 Team project guidelines (updated Nov 7)

Nov 10 Team project

Aug 18 Lecture 1

Aug 20 Lecture 2: Aeronautics history

Aug 25 Lecture 3: Astronautics history

Aug 27 Lecture 4: Gas properties and the standard atmosphere

Sept 3 Lecture 5: Fluid mechanics

Sept 15 Lecture 6: Airplane flight