675.613.81 - The Bold Science Motivating and Enabled by our Engineering
Description
This course will introduce students to the connection between innovative space engineering and the most significant scientific breakthroughs that have resulted from it. This course will first explore the early generation of engineering tools that were turned to the night sky due to curiosity, and the discoveries that were made. These tools fundamentally changed our understanding of what our place in the Universe was, and the exploration led to a new framework for how engineers and scientists partner together to advance space exploration. A long line of observatories, both on the ground and in space, followed and have brought the wonders of the cosmos to humanity. The latest marvel of engineering in this line of engineering tools, a tennis-court sized “eye” in space called the Webb Telescope, was just launched and has revealed the Universe to us in unimaginable ways. It took 20,000 engineers and scientists working over 20 years to enable this mission. The course will explore how these engineering marvels were motivated and built, how they are used, the challenges that were encountered along the way, and how we plan to move forward to chase down even bolder pursuits (e.g., a new generation of robotic engineering experiments to detect life on alien moons in the Solar System).This course is also being given during an era in which space exploration is one of the most exciting, fast-paced, and rapidly growing industries. The increased competition from hundreds of private companies that are entering space is resulting in incredible reductions in the cost to access to space, and has led to an explosion in the number of launches and space-based assets. Lessons in the course will challenge students to explore the modern capabilities of the space industry and how these innovations will power future scientific pursuits.
Expanded Course Description
Topics in the course will include a mix of engineering and science on
- Lessons learned and development of early and modern telescopes,
- Landing and exploring diversity on ocean worlds,
- Multi-point and distributed measurements of the sun-earth system,
- Technologies to protect our planet against space hazards,
- Engineering and technology frameworks for lunar surface and cis-lunar space,
- NASA as one of many customers in the space industry,
- Special topics on foundational questions that can be uniquely addressed through space exploration,
- Engineering challenges created by bold science mission concepts.
By the end of this course, you will be able to:
- Describe the major scientific discoveries in the history of space exploration.
- Categorize the major scientific discoveries to the engineering and technologies that enabled them.
- Develop engineering strategies to tackle the big science questions facing the future of space exploration.
- Analyze a proposed scientific investigation from the perspective of the engineer tasked with assessing requirements for the spacecraft and instruments, and deriving engineering solutions.
Instructor
Jason Kalirai
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 (powerpoint file), readings, in-class quizzes, and communication challenges. You are encouraged to preview all sections of the module before starting. Most modules run for a period of seven (7) days, exceptions are noted in the Course Outline. You should regularly check the Calendar and Announcements for assignment due dates.
Course Topics
Module 1: 8/31/23
Course Introduction
Our Place in the Universe
Module 2: 9/7/23
Exploration of Ocean Worlds
Module 3: 9/14/23
Golden eye
and
Initiate Webb Telescope Projects
Module 4: 9/21/23
Space Hazards
Module 5: 9/28/23
Initiate Engineering Team Challenge Projects
Module 6: 10/05/23
Living with our Star
Module 7: 10/12/23
Webb Project Reports
Module 8: 10/19/23
Hubble
Module 9: 10/26/23
Roman
Module 10: 11/02/23
Interim Update - Engineering Team Challenge Projects
Module 11: 11/09/23
"New Space" in Lunar and Cislunar Space
no module on 11/23/23 (thanksgiving)
Module 12: 11/16/23
Best Practices for Communicating Science and Engineering
and
Student Communication Challenge Pitches
Module 13: 11/30/23
The Exotic Universe
Module 14: 12/07/23
Engineering Challenge Team Projects
Course Goals
To introduce students to the connection between innovative space engineering and the most significant scientific breakthroughs that have resulted from it.
Course Learning Outcomes (CLOs)
- Describe the major scientific discoveries in the history of space exploration.
- Categorize the major scientific discoveries to the engineering and technologies that enabled them.
- Develop engineering strategies to tackle the big science questions facing the future of space exploration.
- Analyze a proposed scientific investigation from the perspective of the engineer tasked with assessing requirements for the spacecraft and instruments, and deriving engineering solutions
- Effectively present complex space engineering projects to a wide range of audiences.
Textbooks
No required textbooks. Reading material and other resources are provided separately.
Student Coursework Requirements
Assessment of student progress will be measured through several methods:
- James Webb Space Telescope Project – The class will be split into 3-5 teams and each one assigned a newly released JWST Early Release Observation data set and/or other new scientific result. The teams will be responsible for building a report (PowerPoint slides and/or with back up white paper) that outlines their new scientific discovery and maps the science to the JWST engineering that enabled it. This not only includes the instruments that took the data, but a full observatory engineering assessment (e.g., the thermal environment, point spread function, stability, detector sensitivity, etc.). A template will be provided to the students and they will present the results of their analysis to the class so the instructor can assess their knowledge and understanding. The project will be introduced one quarter of the way through the class after a module on Webb, and will be due half way through the course. (25% of total grade)
- Reflection Papers – Weekly white paper (1 page) reflecting on the course material, knowledge gained, and other relevant thoughts. These will be a mix of VoiceThreads vs. written documents, and each student will be responsible for reviewing and commenting on other submissions. A subset of the papers and VoiceThreads early in the course will be assessed by the instructor and explicit feedback will be provided on ways to improve communication skills. (20% of total grade)
- Communication Challenge – Students will each identify one topic of their choice from the course and prepare a 2 min pitch for their classmates to generate excitement and interest. The intended target audience is a member of congress. These pitches will be posted on Canvas and all students will be expected to participate in a discussion board. (10% of total grade for internal pitches and 5% for students review of pitches from their peers)
- Engineering Challenge – Team project: The instructor will act as a mission Principal Investigator and give each small team a unique and bold space science challenge. Each of the teams will perform an engineering analysis and propose a focused engineering concept in response to the space science-oriented investigation. The focus will be on the engineering challenges and driving spacecraft performance requirements, mission design, and instrument requirements. The students will derive and present concepts, backed up by engineering analysis, that could address those challenges. The students must also identify the primary technical risks and populate a risk matrix for their concepts. The challenge will be initiated in week 5 with students presenting initial ideas to the instructor and their peers for constructive feedback in week 10 (15 min each team). The final class of the course will be based on out briefs of the final concepts. The instructor will provide the students with a database of unique mission concept study reports built off of National Academies Decadal Survey priorities. These will serve as examples for them to study and understand what real-world ideas and concepts look like. (30% of total grade).
- Participation – Active class participation through interactive discussions, targeted questions, canvas-based quizzes. Students will be expected to ask questions every class and instructor will track this. (10% of total grade)
- In-Class Assignments and Quizzes – Brief, ungraded quizzes will be given throughout each module. (0% of total grade)
Grading Policy
| 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 |
Course Evaluation
The instructor will ask the students for feedback on the course.
The instructor will create a short anonymous survey and send to students to complete after the course is over.
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 (https://ep.jhu.edu/student-services/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. 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 Student Disability Services at Engineering for Professionals, 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 following website: https://studentaffairs.jhu.edu/policies-guidelines/student-code/
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.