Learn all about the world’s first reusable spacecraft - the Space Shuttle - from the very people who designed, built, and operated it for 30 years. This course examines how the Space Shuttle was designed and how its design was influenced by economics and politics. The course goes into detail on many of the Shuttle’s subsystems (e.g. rocket engines, thermal protection, aerodynamics, environmental control and life support, communications, etc.) and explains how the Shuttle was operated (launch, mission control, payloads, etc.). The course also uses the Space Shuttle to present the fundamentals of Systems Engineering.
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For 30 years the Space Shuttle enabled human spaceflight in the United States and partner nations. Learn all about the Shuttle with thisunique course, which also serves as a unique historical record. Since the lecturers are the same people who designed, built and operated the Shuttle, this is a first-hand testimonial to the world’s first reusable spacecraft.
Students will gain a systems perspective on the complexities of Shuttle development and its operations. Itexplores both the Shuttle’s successes and its shortcomings and has valuable object lessons for future space initiatives.The Shuttle is a valuable case study in the advantages and difficulties involved in reusable space systems - particularly relevant today as reusability is a key requirement of many rockets and spacecraft currently under development.
In addition, understanding how the Shuttle was first conceived and how it achieved governmental approval is relevant for understanding how politics and economics interact with technology on all large public programs.
The lectures are organized in three fundamental sections: history and policy, technical design of Shuttle systems, and how the Shuttle was operated. Although the sections relate to one another, students can benefit from any of the sections independently.
This course does not require advanced mathematics.It is targeted to students with a variety of interests including the history of human spaceflight,space policy, the design of human spaceflight systems, the operation of complex space systems, and principles of systems engineering.
What you'll learn
- Fundamentals of Systems Engineering
- How a major technical program gets governmental approval
- Design of human spaceflight systems
- Operation of complex spaceflight systems
Syllabus
Section 1 Origins of the Space Shuttle Program (4 Lectures on History and Policy)
Introduction to Systems Engineering
Section 2 – Space Shuttle Subsystems
Structures and Thermal Protection
Rocket Engines
Aerodynamics
Mechanisms
Hydraulic Systems
Environmental Control and Life Support
Guidance, Navigation and Control
Section 3 – Operating the Space Shuttle
Launch Operations
Shuttle Abort Modes
Mission Control
Payload Operations
Extravehicular Activity (Spacewalking)
Shuttle Accident Investigations
Flight Testing the Space Shuttle
