AME 424/524

AN INTRODUCTION TO SPACE TECHNOLOGIES

Fall 2007

Instructor: K.N.R.Ramohalli Email: rnkumar@ame.arizona.edu

Office: AME N733 Phone: (520)621-2395

Office Hrs: TR 2:30-3:30

Class Meeting time and location: T,TH 12:30-1:45 AME S338

Pre-requisites: AME 323 or permission of the instructor

Catalog Info: The Space Environment: Rarefied gases/plasmas/ions, microgravity, radiation(s), free molecule flow and drag on bodies. Introduction to orbital mechanics. Resource utilization in deep space. Space transportation, spacecraft thermal design, automation and robotics, communications, space power, space structures; newer technologies such as muscle wires and nanosystems.

Course Goals: The principal aim of this course is to lay a solid foundation upon which many applications are possible: examples include spacecraft, communication satellites, robots, weather monitoring, efficient rockets and spinoffs to improve everyday life with down-to-earth applications.

Textbook: As this is a senior/grad technical elective, there is no text for the class. I will provide numerous detailed handouts in class. Also, the book: Space Vehicle Design by Michael Griffin and James French, AIAA press, is especially appropriate and an excellent reference for an aerospace engineer interested in this topic. I will try and place a copy of this on reserve in the library.

Grading: The course has 3 in-class exams (100 points each), a final exam final examination (200 points), and a set of Homework assignments (100 points). The total points available during the semester is 600 points.

The following standard based on total points will be used to assign final grades.

The above standard may be relaxed at the discretion of the instructor; however the standards will not be increased.

Exams: Exams will be given in class. These will be closed book and closed notes. Each exam is worth 100 points. You may bring in 1 sheet of paper (both sides) with notes for the exam. There are no restrictions on the format or content of you note sheet.

As the days for the exams are stated below, any conflicts must be brought to my attention at least 1 week before the exam. Make-ups will typically done during office hours. If you are sick and have an emergency, then we will use the AME department policy relative to documentation required.

Academic integrity policy: Students are encouraged to share intellectual views and discuss freely the principles and applications of course materials. However, graded homework must be the product of independent effort unless otherwise instructed. Students are expected to adhere to the UA Code of Academic Integrity as described in the UA General Catalog. See: http://dos.web.arizona.edu/uapolicies/. Any violation of the University honor code will be dealt with directly through the appropriate channels. Examples include: cutting and pasting from a web site; not citing sources of information; taking another student's work and claiming it as your own, copying off of another student on an assignment where teamwork is not allow.

Drop/withdrawal policy: Students may drop and/or add courses by following instructions and adhering to deadlines in the appropriate Schedule of Classes each semester.  Change of Schedule (drop/add) forms are available in departments and can also be printed in .pdf format on the Curriculum and Registration site.  To see when a Change of Schedule form is required, see Registration Dates and Deadlines. The Key Calendar Dates for dropping and adding are:

• Friday September 15, 2006 - Last day to drop courses resulting in deletion of course enrollment from record,

• Friday, October 13, 2006 - Last day to drop a class with a grade of "W" (if passing) or to change to or from audit grading; the instructor's signature on a Change of Schedule form is required After today, all registration changes require not only the instructor's signature, but also the Dean's signature on a Change of Schedule form. By policy, permission from the Dean to make a registration change requires an extraordinary reason. (doing badly in a class is not an extraordinary reason).

Classroom behavior policy: The Arizona Board of Regents' Student Code of Conduct, ABOR Policy 5-308, prohibits threats of physical harm to any member of the University community, including to one's self. See: http://policy.web.arizona.edu/~policy/threaten.shtml.

Special Needs and Accommodations: Students who need special accommodation or services should contact the Disability Resources Center, 1224 East Lowell Street, Tucson, AZ 85721, (520) 621-3268, FAX (520) 621-9423, email: uadrc@email.arizona.edu, http://drc.arizona.edu/. You must register and request that the Center or DRC send me official notification of your accommodations needs as soon as possible. Please plan to meet with me by appointment or during office hours to discuss accommodations and how my course requirements and activities may impact your ability to fully participate. The need for accommodations must be documented by the appropriate office.

Confidentiality of Student Records: The UA policy on confidentiality is on the web at http://www.registrar.arizona.edu/ferpa/default.htm.

Subject to Change Statement: Information contained in the course syllabus, other than the grade and absence policy, may be subject to change with advance notice, as deemed appropriate by the instructor.

Schedule and Topics: