675.613.81 - Bold Science Enabled by 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, advanced reading, content (recording and powerpoint file), quiz questions, and an introduction to best practices for communicating technical content effectively. 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
#Week Opening Deadline LockUntil Module Title
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Week 1 -- May 20 - May 26, 2026 --- -- Module 1 -- Our Place in the Universe
Week 2 -- May 27 - Jun 02, 2026 --- -- Module 2 -- Ocean Worlds
Week 3 -- Jun 03 - Jun 09, 2026 May 26 -- Module 3 -- Golden Eye and Webb Projects Start
Week 4 -- Jun 10 - Jun 16, 2026 Jun 02 -- Module 4 -- Space Hazards
Week 5 -- Jun 17 - Jun 23, 2026 Jun 09 -- Module 5 and 6 -- Engineering Team Projects - Start AND -- Living with our Star Module
Week 6 -- Jun 24 - Jun 30, 2026 May 26* -- Module 7 -- Webb Projects Finalize and Report Out
Week 7 -- Jul 01 - Jul 07, 2026 Jun 23 -- Module 8 -- Hubble
Week 8 -- Jul 08 - Jul 14, 2026 Jun 30 -- Module 9 -- Roman
Week 9 -- Jul 15 - Jul 21, 2026 Jun 09** and Jul 07th (lunar) -- Module 10 and 11 -- Engineering Projects - Interim AND -- Lunar Module
Week 10 -- Jul 22 - Jul 28, 2026 Jul 07*** -- Module 12 -- Comms Challenge Report Out (Releases Jul 07th; one week early)
Week 11 -- Jul 29 - Aug 05, 2026 Jul 21 -- Module 13 -- Exotic Universe
Week 12 -- Aug 06 - Aug 12, 2026 Jun 09** -- Module 14 -- Engineering Team Projects - Final Report Out
*Modules 3 and 7 are coupled and released at the same time.
**Modules 5, 10, and 14 are coupled and released at the same time.
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 on canvas for each module. This includes papers, documents, videos, and websites.
Other Materials & Online Resources
Reading Material
Module 1: Our Place in the Universe
Website: https://www.nasa.gov/feature/410-years-ago-galileo-discovers-jupiter-s-moons
Website: https://web.archive.org/web/20131029195547/http://bulletin.kenyon.edu/x1446.xml
Module 2: Exploration of Ocean Worlds
Website: https://europa.nasa.gov/
Website: https://dragonfly.jhuapl.edu/
Article: https://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/LPSC99/pdf/1088.pdf
Document: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20205008712/downloads/enceladusorbilander_2020pmcs.pdf
Module 3: Golden Eye
Article: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00107514.2018.1467648
Document: https://webb.nasa.gov/resources/JWST_spinoffs_v122011.pdf
Website: https://webbtelescope.org/home
Module 4: Space Hazards
Website: https://dart.jhuapl.edu/
Article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-05878-z
Article: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-05810-5
Module 5: Initiate Engineering Team Challenge Projects
Previous SSE course materials
Module 6: Living with our Star
Article: National Academy of Sciences, NRC, Interim Report No. 3 to Space Science Board of Committee on Physics of Fields and Particles in Space (1960)
Article: AIAA Aviation, 13-17 June 2016, Washington DC, 32nd AIAA Aerodynamic Measurement Technology and Ground Testing Conference, Development of the Solar Probe Plus Spacecraft Thermal Protection System (TPS) Thermal Simulator - Subscale Testing (Congdon, E., Abel, E., Heisler E.)
Website: http://parkersolarprobe.jhuapl.edu/
Website: https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Solar_Orbiter
Module 7: Webb Project Reports
Previous SSE course materials
Jovian System
https://jwstgiantplanets.github.io/web/
https://github.com/JWSTGiantPlanets/
Exoplanets
https://ers-transit.github.io/
Stellar Populations
https://ers-stars.github.io/
Cosmic Evolution
https://ceers.github.io/
Module 8: Hubble!
Article: https://www.jstor.org/stable/27838468
Website: https://hubblesite.org/home
Feature: https://www.nae.edu/260967/Servicing-the-Hubble-Space-Telescope-A-Partnership-of-Engineering-and-Science
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqZ68VYMRgE
Article: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/19910003124/downloads/19910003124.pdf (browse only)
Module 9: Roman
Website: https://roman.gsfc.nasa.gov/
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W805TLOhVVE
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1zfz-OEKH8
Module 10: Interim Update - Engineering Team Challenge Projects
Previous SSE course materials
Module 11: "New Space" in Lunar and Cislunar Space
Website: https://www.nasa.gov/commercial-lunar-payload-services-overview
Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmC-FwibsZg&t=1s
Document: https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/artemis_plan-20200921.pdf
Document: https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/atoms/files/m2m-objectives-exec-summary.pdf
Document: https://www.jhuapl.edu/sites/default/files/2022-12/CislunarSecurityNationalTechnicalVision.pdf
Module 12: Communication Challenge Pitches
Book: https://www.amazon.com/slide-ology-Science-Creating-Presentations/dp/0596522347 (browse)
Website: Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mtjatz9r-Vc
Module 13: The Exotic Universe
Document: https://www.nasa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/enduring_quests-daring_visions_eng.pdf (page 61 to 77)
Website: https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/
Website: https://www.nasa.gov/mission/chandra-x-ray-observatory/
Website: https://www.space.com/27692-science-of-interstellar-infographic.html
Website: https://science.nasa.gov/astrophysics/focus-areas/black-holes/
Module 14: Engineering Challenge Team Projects
Previous SSE course materials
Student Coursework Requirements
Assessment of student progress will be measured through several methods:
- In-Class Assignments and Quizzes – Brief, quiz questions will be given throughout each module. Students should answer the questions on canvas. Expectations are that the answer should be a short paragraph and it can be relatively qualitative in nature. Various points depending on the number of questions in each module; 10% of total grade
- Reflection Papers – Weekly paper (1 page) reflecting on the course material, knowledge gained, and other relevant thoughts. These will be written documents submitted through canvas. The papers will be assessed by the instructor per the rubric, and feedback will be provided. 15 points each (see rubric); 20% of total grade
1.) Did the paper accurately describe the lesson content? (5 pts)
2.) Was the paper's length appropriate? (5 pts)
3.) Did the student identify a unique reflection from the lesson that was not explicitly covered in class? (5 pts)
- James Webb Space Telescope Project – The class will be split into ~3-6 person teams and each one assigned a newly released JWST Early Release Observation data set and/or new scientific result. The teams will be responsible for building a powerpoint report w/ voiceover (20 min length) 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 and students 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. 100 points (see rubric); 25% of total grade
1.) Science - Clear explanation of science goals of the ERS, including sufficient depth into research (20 pts)
2.) Link to Engineering - Ability to link science to JWST instrument/spacecraft engineering that is enabling (20 pts)
3.) Comparison to Current Capabilities - Delineation of why JWST is uniquely suited to answer the science, including comparison to current state of the art (20 pts)
4.) Future Investigations with Webb - Insight on forward looking future observations of the target that could push to new discovery (20 pts)
5.) Presentation Quality - Length, clarity and impact of the presentation (20 pts)
- Engineering Challenge – Team project: The Engineering Challenge Team Projects will kick off in module 5. Students will learn what the objectives of this project are and background information will be given. A template will be released to students and questions will be answered. Students will discuss their initial ideas with one another and enter the "storming" phase.
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 module 5 with students presenting initial ideas to the instructor and their peers for constructive feedback in module 10 (rough powerpoint deck is fine). The final class of the course will be based on out briefs of the final concepts. These will be a single powerpoint file with an integrated voice over. The length of the presentation should be no more than 20 min. 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. 100 points each (see rubric); 30% of total grade
1.) Clear explanation of science behind your mission? (20 pts)
2.) Ability to link science to instrument/spacecraft engineering that will enable it (30 pts)
3.) Discussion of Risks and Mitigations (10 pts)
4.) Schedule, Cost, Management, Trades presentation (20 pts)
5.) Length, clarity and impact of the presentation (20 pts)
- 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 and to submit comments on at least 6 other projects of their choosing. 25 points each (see rubric); 15% of total grade
1.) Was the pitch on time and clearly communicated? (5 pts)
2.) Did the students successfully leverage 2 or more strategies that were discussed during the lessons? (5 pts)
3.) Was the pitch structured in a way that a key "punch line" was conveyed in a compelling manner to generate a "gasp", "jaw drop", or "ah ha" moment among the audience? (5 pts)
4.) How memorable was the key point? (5 pts)
5.) Student feedback on one another’s projects. Each student should provide comments on at least 6 other communications pitches, of their choosing. The comments will be received on each pitch will be a part of the grade (5 pts)
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 and offer to meet with all students.
Students will be encouraged to complete a survey of the instructor and course.
Course Policies
AI Use
Introduction
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 Space Systems Engineering and Applied Physics program as a whole, it would benefit us all to have clear guidelines and expectations for how we employ GenAI.
Discussion
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 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 verifying 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 policy on citations
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:
- Unique in-text identification (e.g., superscript number) of the content that was affected or influenced by GenAI usage
- 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
- 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
Deadlines and Late Assignments
Assignment deadlines will be generally set to be one week after each module starts, and an additional 1 week grace period will be given before points are deducted for lateness. So, students can complete quizzes, reflection papers, discussions during the week of the module or a full week after the module. Webb projects (released in Module 3) will be due at the end of the Module 7 week. Communications Challenge projects (released in Module 12) will be due at the end of the Module 13 week. Engineering Team Challenge projects (released in Module 5) will be due at the end of Module 14 week.
If students submit a weekly quiz or reflection paper after 1 week past the deadline, they will lose 25%.
If students submit a weekly quiz or reflection paper after 2 weeks past the deadline, they will lose 50%.
If students submit a weekly quiz or reflection paper after 3 weeks past the deadline, they will lose 75%.
If students submit a weekly quiz or reflection paper after 4 weeks past the deadline, they will lose 100%.
Any quizzes or reflection papers not received by the end of the semester will receive a zero. So, modules towards the end of the year will have less weeks applicable to extension since the semester runs out.
For the 3 larger projects with powerpoint and audio voiceover (Webb Projects, Engineering Team Challenge Projects, Module 12 Communication Challenge), the projects must be submitted on time to receive credit.
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
Students with Disabilities - Accommodations and Accessibility
Student Conduct 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.