Spacecraft Propulsion
AE-473
Department of Aerospace Engineering
University of Southern California (USC)
Mike Gruntman's WWWeb sites on Astronautics and Spacecraft Design:
Number of visitors since September 1, 1997:
- The Spacecraft Propulsion course (AE-473) is offered by USC Department of Aerospace Engineering (AE) and the class is usually taken by AE seniors and AE graduate students.
- Instructor: Professor Mike Gruntman
- AE-473 is available for graduate credit (please check with AE Student Coordinator).
- AE-473 is usually offered during the Fall semester.
- Since 1996, AE-473 is available through USC Interactive Instructional Television Network (ITV). The ITV classes are taken by students pursuing graduate degrees (MS and Ph.D.) and working at major aerospace companies with ITV sites (Aerospace Corporation, Hughes, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Rockwell, TRW, etc.).
- To get more information (it can be mailed to you) on AE-473, other astronautics-related courses, USC graduate and undergraduate programs in Aerospace Engineering and on ITV and NTU aerospace classes, please send e-mail to AE Student Coordinator.
AE-473 Spacecraft Propulsion
Course Outline
- Organization of the class. History of rocketry. Types of rockets. Units.
- Solar system. Orbital mechanics. Basic orbits, orbit perturbations, Hohmann transfer, maneuvers, delta-V. Launching sites.
- Thrust. Specific impulse. Rocket equation. Staging. Thermodynamics of fluid flow.
- Combustion. Chemical equilibrium.
- One-dimensional flow. Flow in the nozzles. Non-ideal flow. Shocks. Boundary layer.
- Ideal rocket, thrust coefficient, characteristics velocity. Nozzle types.
- Rocket heat transfer.
- Liquid rocket systems. Starting and ignition. Processes in combustion chamber. Injection. Liquid propellants.
- Solid rocket. Burn rate, erosive burning. Grain design. Solid propellants.
- Hybrid rockets.
- Thrust vector control.
- Advanced propulsion. Power sources: chemical, solar, nuclear. Electrostatic, electrothermal, electromagnetic thrusters.
Text:
P. G. Hill and C. R. Peterson, Mechanics and Thermodynamics of Propulsion, Addison-Wesley Publ. Co., 1992.
There are a number of excellent books covering various areas of spacecraft propulsion.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS:
- HOMEWORK: There will be 10-11 homework assignments. The homework will be done individually.
- EXAMINATION: One midterm and one final examination. The grade will be computed as follows: homework 30%; midterm 30%; final 40%.
- REQUIRED COMPUTER FACILITIES: Communication with instructor via e-mail and WWW a plus but not required.
To AE-482 and AE-501 Spacecraft Systems Design course page
This page URL - http://ae-www.usc.edu/bio/mikeg/spacecra/ae473_sp.html
Updated on 1September 1997
The page is designed and maintained by Mike Gruntman
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