EL SEGUNDO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

EL SEGUNDO HIGH SCHOOL

COURSE OF STUDY

Course Title: Introduction to Aerospace

Department: Science, Aerospace Academy

Grade Levels: 9-12

COURSE DESCRIPTION

By the end of Introduction to Aerospace, students will have learned about the broad areas of sciences related to atmospheric flight and space travel. Students will apply design theories to build and test fly small model aircraft, including the use of water tunnels and wind tunnels to test and improve flight performance. Students will understand the rich history of flight and space sciences. Students will understand the methods of flight control in the atmosphere and in space. Aerospace and Air Force guest lecturers will expose students to the wide range of careers available in related fields. This course should be taken before Meteorology as a part of our Aerospace Academy.

Length: 1 semester

Prerequisite for Enrollment: none

Recommendation for Enrollment: none

Type of Course: UC/CSU one semester only. This course satisfies the physical science requirement for high school graduation. It is a Physical Science Elective

COURSE OUTLINE AND STANDARDS

Based on California State Standards and ESHS Standards

Expected School-wide Learning Results (ESLRs) are:

1. Meaningful Integration Of Core Knowledge

2. Critical Thinking / Problem Solving

3. Effective Communication

4. Personal / Social Development

They will be referred to hereafter as ESLR1, ESLR 2, etc. Most or all items below incorporate ESLR1 and ESLR2. Hence they will not be itemized.

California State Standards in Physics covered in the course outline include standards 1c,d,e,f,g; 2c,d,f; 5e,i

Aerospace engineering and the aerospace environment

1. Students will research and learn about early aerospace engineers (ESLR4)

2. Students will know and understand he differences between space and earth environment

3. Students will understand the standard atmosphere

4. Students will understand the similarities and differences between Aircraft and spacecraft

5. Students will be introduced and understand the importance of the academic coursework helpful in the aerospace career field (mathematics, thermodynamics, physics, chemistry) (ESLR3,4)

Aircraft design and atmospheric flight

1. Students will know the scientific definition for an airplane and know the difference between manned, unmanned, powered, and un-powered airplanes.

2. Students will know the realms of flight (subsonic, transonic, supersonic,

hypersonic)

3. Students will be introduced to propulsion, flight mechanics, aircraft

structures, aerodynamics, aircraft design

4. Students will know the laws of physics governing atmospheric flight

5. Students will describe types of aircraft designs (ESLR3)

6. Students will know structural design highlights (ESLR3)

7. Students will differentiate between structural weight and strength issues

Aircraft flight mechanics and aerodynamics

1. Students will know how an aircraft maneuvers

2. Students will know aircraft flight control elements

3. Students will research weight and balance issues, structure and fuel loading

and know the impact of these on flight. (ESLR3)

4. Students will know the definition of aerodynamics and contrast this definition with hydrodynamics, fluid dynamics, and fluid mechanics

5. Students will discover aircraft lift generation (wings, flaps, slots, slats)(ESLR3)

6. Students will be introduced to propulsion dynamics

7. Students will know how the formula F = ma applies to aircraft

8. Students will understand the physics involved in takeoff, landing, climb-out, and range

Careers in aircraft industry

1. Students will describe the aircraft infrastructure (military and

civil) (ESLR3,4)

2. Students will know the jobs in the aircraft industry, where these jobs are

found, and the special type of training required for these jobs. (ESLR3,4)

Space Flight

1. Students will know the scientific definition of a spacecraft (manned shuttles, satellites, probes)

2. Students will be introduced to space environment, space propulsion,

launch vehicle propulsion, orbital mechanics, spacecraft structures, spacecraft design

3. Students will know the laws of physics governing trajectories in space (solar

wind, space junk, radiation hazards and hardening)

Spacecraft design

1. Students will describe types of spacecraft (missions, sensors) (ESLR3)

2. Students will research the environmental considerations for spacecraft (ESLR3)

3. Students will know the structural highlights and describe the weight

and strength parameters required

Orbital mechanics

1. Students will know orbital characteristics

2. Students will know how a spacecraft maneuvers

3. Students will research spacecraft flight control techniques (ESLR3)

4. Students will discover the weight and balance issues, structure and fuel loading

required for spacecraft (ESLR3)

5. Students will describe the space industry infra-structure (military

and civil) (ESLR3)

6. Students will know the types of jobs available in the space industry as well as

Where these jobs are found and the special levels of training required. (ESLR4)

INSTRUCTIONAL METHODS

Lecture (ESLR1,2,3)
Guest speakers (ESLR1,2,3,4)
Laboratory Experiments and Investigations (ESLR1,2,3,4; California State Standards for Laboratory Investigation 1a,b,c,f,g,i,j,k,l,n)
Group work (ESLR1,2,3,4)

EVALUATION/GRADING OF STUDENT WORK

Exams(ESLR1,2,3)
Homework (ESLR1,2,3)
Lab reports(ESLR1,2,3,4)
Participation(ESLR1,2,3,4)

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

Textbooks:

Aerospace Science: The Science of Flight, by Patricia Q. Roberson & Naomi L. Mitchell, Pub. Air Force Junior ROTC, 1993

Aerospace Science: Frontiers of Aviation History, by Patricia Q. Roberson & Naomi L. Mitchell, Pub. Air Force Junior ROTC, 1997

Aerospace Science: Exploration of Space, by Patricia Q. Roberson & Naomi L. Mitchell, Pub. Air Force Junior ROTC, 1994

Associated Workbooks

Eidetics Water Tunnel and accessories

Wind Tunnel and accessories

CD ROM Software

Videos

Other physics Laboratory equipment