675.702.8VL - Spacecraft Materials

Course Structure

The course materials are divided into modules which can be accessed by clicking Modules on the course menu. A module will have several sections including the overview, content, readings, discussions, and assignments. You are encouraged to preview all sections of the module before starting. Most modules run for a period of seven (7) days. You should regularly check the Calendar and Announcements for assignment due dates.

Course Topics

Weekly course view:

1. Introduction to Spacecraft Materials
2. Properties of Materials and Environments
3. Material Selection Considerations
4. Polymers (1)
5. Polymers (2)
6. Metals (1)
7. Metals (2)
8. Ceramics
9. Composites (1)
10. Composites (2)
11. Tools of the Trade
12. Materials and Spacecraft Development Phases
13. Failures and Lessons (1)
14. Failures and Lessons (2)

The sequence for 4-10 may be adjusted.

Course Goals

To identify and describe the materials applications to spacecraft development and then apply that knowledge as a spacecraft systems engineering leading a development.

Textbooks

1. Wertz et al (2011). Space mission engineering: The New SMAD. Hawthorne, CA. Microcosm Press.
2. Callister, W. D. and Rethwisch, D. G. (2014). Materials science and engineering: An introduction. Hoboken, NJ. Wiley & Sons, Inc.

***Both texts are highly recommended but not required to successfully complete the course***

Student Coursework Requirements

Preparation and Participation (20% of total grade)

You are responsible for carefully reading all assigned material and being prepared for discussion. The majority of readings are from the course text. Additional reading may be assigned to supplement text readings. Post your initial response to the discussion questions by the evening of day 4 for that module week. Posting a response to the discussion question is part one of your grade for module discussions (i.e., Timeliness).

Part two of your grade for module discussion is your interaction (i.e., responding to classmate postings with thoughtful responses) with at least two classmates (i.e., Critical Thinking). Just posting your response to a discussion question is not sufficient; we want you to interact with your classmates. Be detailed in your postings and in your responses to your classmates' postings. Feel free to agree or disagree with your classmates. Please ensure that your postings are civil and constructive.

We will monitor module discussions and will respond to some of the discussions as discussions are posted. In some instances, We will summarize the overall discussions and post the summary for the module.

Evaluation of preparation and participation is based on contribution to discussions and will be graded as follows:

Initial original post	6 points
Response and engagement with 1st classmate	2 Points
Response and engagement with 2nd classmate	2 points

Preparation and participation will also be evaluated by the following grading elements:

• Timeliness (50%)
• Critical Thinking (50%)

Preparation and participation is graded as follows:

• 100-90 = A—Timeliness [regularly participates; all required postings; early in discussion; throughout the discussion]; Critical Thinking [rich in content; full of thoughts, insight, and analysis].
• 89–80 = B—Timeliness [frequently participates; all required postings; some not in time for others to read and respond]; Critical Thinking [substantial information; thought, insight, and analysis has taken place].
• 79–70 = C—Timeliness [infrequently participates; all required postings; most at the last minute without allowing for response time]; Critical Thinking [generally competent; information is thin and commonplace].
• <70 = F—Timeliness [rarely participates; some, or all required postings missing]; Critical Thinking [rudimentary and superficial; no analysis or insight is displayed].

Assignments (30% of total grade)

Assignments will include a mix of qualitative assignments (e.g. literature reviews, model summaries), quantitative problem sets, and case study updates. There will be 3 assignments having a 1-page minimum requirement.  Include a cover sheet with your name and assignment identifier. Also include your name and a page number indicator (i.e., page x of y) on each page of your submissions. Each problem should have the problem statement, assumptions, computations, and conclusions/discussion delineated. All Figures and Tables should be captioned and labeled appropriately.

All assignments are due according to the dates in the Calendar. Late submissions will be reduced by one letter grade for each week late (no exceptions without prior coordination with the instructors).

If, after submitting a written assignment you are not satisfied with the grade received, you are encouraged to redo the assignment and resubmit it. If the resubmission results in a better grade, that grade will be substituted for the previous grade.

Project (40% of total grade)

The final project is similar to the assignments, but with a 5-page minimum requirement.  The focus is on lessons learned utilizing the previous lecture topics.

Quizzes (10% of total grade)A graded quiz will be assigned in each module to evaluate the content presented during the week. They will comprise of several multiple choice questions that must be completed individually and submitted by the due date.

Grading Policy

Assignments are due according to the dates posted in your Canvas course site. You may check these due dates in the Course Calendar or the Assignments in the corresponding modules. We will post grades one week after assignment due dates.

We generally do not directly grade spelling and grammar. However, egregious violations of the rules of the English language will be noted without comment. Consistently poor performance in either spelling or grammar is taken as an indication of poor written communication ability that may detract from your grade.

A grade of A indicates achievement of consistent excellence and distinction throughout the course—that is, conspicuous excellence in all aspects of assignments and discussion in every week.

A grade of B indicates work that meets all course requirements on a level appropriate for graduate academic work. These criteria apply to both undergraduates and graduate students taking the course.

EP uses a +/- grading system (see “Grading System”, Graduate Programs catalog, p. 10).

Score Range	Letter Grade
100-97	= A+
96-93	= A
92-90	= A−
89-87	= B+
86-83	= B
82-80	= B−
79-77	= C+
76-73	= C
72-70	= C−
69-67	= D+
66-63	= D
<63	= F

The final grades will be will be determined by the following weighting:

Item	% or Grade
Preparation and participation in discussions	20%
Assignments	30%
Project	40%
Quizzes	10%

Course Policies

Weekly attendance in the Virtual Live sessions is highly encouraged.  All sessions will be recorded so that they can be reviewed for absences or additional insight in completing the assignments and self-quizzes.

AI Usage

We all find ourselves in a new world where AI in general, and generative AI (genAI) in particular, has become a ubiquitous tool being employed by nearly everyone, some more “successfully” than others.  Technically savvy engineering professionals and students are certainly no exception.  In the academic environment we collectively operate in for this class, and for the SSE program as a whole, it would benefit us all to have clear guidelines and expectations for how we employ genAI.

Simply producing products and deliverables is not the main reason for course assignments and project work. The assignments and project activities and the active, iterative process of producing deliverables are meant to engage you in the art and science of applied systems thinking and systems engineering. Possibly in 10-20 years, AI programs will be able to do most of the thinking, writing, and engineering for you.  But today and for the near future, success in your academic and career endeavors will continue to be enabled by your ability to engage in critical thinking, develop innovative ideas, discuss and evaluate alternatives, engineer solutions to complex problems, and communicate via the written and spoken word, all enabled and enhanced by your engineering knowledge and demonstrated technical excellence.  Please make sure the convenience of genAI does not rob you of the learning opportunities that higher education avails you.

genAI tools may produce individual sentences or even paragraphs that seem well written, but please be mindful of the following concerns associated with genAI tools and/or their products:

• can perpetuate social/societal biases (that can even affect space engineering topics)
• can hallucinate; that is, make stuff up
• often generates incomplete and disorganized results when assessed broadly
• limitations and flaws necessitate critical review; question, check, or otherwise verify outputs

The use of genAI technology itself does not violate JHU’s academic misconduct policy.

When using genAI tools for assignments and other assessments in this course, please note the following:

• presenting the output of genAI as one's own work is considered plagiarism
• the tools JHU uses to check for plagiarism and originality also detect AI-generated text
• use only as a support tool, not as the primary source of your deliverable
• use is permitted, and citation is not required, for basic applications such as seeking a better or different word, or for help rephrasing a sentence
• this genAI policy should be considered as a use case of our general course policy on citations

AI Requirements

• citation is required when you refer to, summarize, paraphrase, cut and paste, or quote from a genAI tool or genAI output products
• genAI citation requirements:

• o unique in-text identification (e.g., superscript number) of the content that was affected or influenced by genAI usage
• o include a description of the source in a reference list within your deliverable
  • name of genAI tool used; LLM used; description of how the genAI product was used

Penalties for AI misuse

• use of genAI products in a way that violates this policy will trigger a grade reduction for the affected deliverable, resulting in a grade as low as zero (0)
• violation of this policy could also initiate actions as defined in JHU's Academic Misconduct Policy

Academic Policies

Deadlines for Adding, Dropping, and Withdrawing from Courses

Students may add a course up to one week after the start of the term for that particular course. Students may drop courses according to the drop deadlines outlined in the EP academic calendar. Between the 6th week of the class and prior to the final withdrawal deadline, a student may withdraw from a course with a W on their academic record. A record of the course will remain on the academic record with a W appearing in the grade column to indicate that the student registered and withdrew from the course. 

Academic Misconduct Policy

All students are required to read, know, and comply with the Johns Hopkins University Krieger School of Arts and Sciences (KSAS) / Whiting School of Engineering (WSE) Procedures for Handling Allegations of Misconduct by Full-Time and Part-Time Graduate Students. This policy prohibits academic misconduct, including but not limited to the following: cheating or facilitating cheating; plagiarism; reuse of assignments; unauthorized collaboration; alteration of graded assignments; and unfair competition. Course materials (old assignments, texts, or examinations, etc.) should not be shared unless authorized by the course instructor. Any questions related to this policy should be directed to EP’s academic integrity officer at ep-academic-integrity@jhu.edu.

Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility

Johns Hopkins University values diversity and inclusion. We are committed to providing welcoming, equitable, and accessible educational experiences for all students. Our courses are designed with a proactive approach to accessibility to minimize the need for disability disclosure and accommodation requests, but we recognize that you may need additional support. Students with disabilities (including those with psychological conditions, medical conditions, and temporary disabilities) can request accommodations for this course by providing an Accommodation Letter issued by Student Disability Services (SDS). Please request accommodations for this course as early as possible to provide time for effective communication and arrangements.  For further information or to start the process of requesting accommodations, please contact EP Student Disability Services at ep-disability-svcs@jhu.edu. 

Student Conduct Code

The fundamental purpose of the JHU regulation of student conduct is to promote and to protect the health, safety, welfare, property, and rights of all members of the University community as well as to promote the orderly operation of the University and to safeguard its property and facilities. As members of the University community, students accept certain responsibilities which support the educational mission and create an environment in which all students are afforded the same opportunity to succeed academically. For a full description of the code please visit the Student Conduct Code website.

Classroom Climate

JHU is committed to creating a classroom environment that values the diversity of experiences and perspectives that all students bring. Everyone has the right to be treated with dignity and respect. Fostering an inclusive climate is important. Research and experience show that students who interact with peers who are different from themselves learn new things and experience tangible educational outcomes. At no time in this learning process should someone be singled out or treated unequally on the basis of any seen or unseen part of their identity. If you have concerns in this course about harassment, discrimination, or any unequal treatment, or if you seek accommodations or resources, please reach out to the course instructor directly. Reporting will never impact your course grade. You may also share concerns with your program chair, the Assistant Dean for Diversity and Inclusion, or the Office of Institutional Equity. In handling reports, people will protect your privacy as much as possible, but faculty and staff are required to officially report information for some cases (e.g. sexual harassment).

Course Auditing

When a student enrolls in an EP course with “audit” status, the student must reach an understanding with the instructor as to what is required to earn the “audit.” If the student does not meet those expectations, the instructor must notify the EP Registration Team (EP-Registration@exchange.johnshopkins.edu) in order for the student to be retroactively dropped or withdrawn from the course (depending on when the "audit" was requested and in accordance with EP registration deadlines). All lecture content will remain accessible to auditing students, but access to all other course material is left to the discretion of the instructor.