Courses

Intro to Convex Optimization

This course aims to introduce students basics of convex analysis and convex optimization problems, basic algorithms of convex optimization and their complexities, and applications of convex optimization in aerospace engineering. This course also trains students to recognize convex optimization problems that arise in scientific and engineering applications, and introduces software tools to solve convex optimization problems. Course Syllabus

Systems Analysis and Synthesis

State space methods for modelling, analysis and design of continuous- and discrete-time dynamical systems. Linearization. Stability, controllability, observability, stabilizability, detectability. Pole assignment and state estimation. Lyapunov analysis. Linear quadratic optimal controllers . Use of Matlab/Simulink.

Applied Optimal Control And Estimation

This course introduces students to analysis and synthesis methods of optimal controllers and estimators for deterministic and stochastic dynamical systems. Optimal control is a time-domain method that computes the control input to a dynamical system which minimizes a cost function. The dual problem is optimal estimation which computes the estimated states of the system with stochastic disturbances by minimizing the errors between the true states and the estimated states. Combination of the two leads to optimal stochastic control. Applications of optimal stochastic control are to be found in science, economics, and engineering. The course presents a review of mathematical background, optimal control and estimation, duality, and optimal stochastic control. Spring 2020 Syllabus

Introduction to Satellite Navigation and Positioning

This course is intended both for students who have an interest in the development of new satellite navigation technology (eg., receivers, signal processing or software) as well as for students looking to apply satellite navigation methods to problems in their own fields (eg., aircraft navigation, vehicle tracking, wireless device locating, surveying, agriculture and Earth science). The course will progress through all stages of the navigation problem, starting with the structure of the transmitted signals and the definition of coordinate systems, through to the integration of these with key physical models to generate estimates of the end user position.

Aerospace Propulsion

This course provides an overview of gas turbine and rocket propulsion systems and their analysis. It may serve as a prerequisite to AAE538 and AAE539 for students whose major or minor area of concentration is propulsion.

Data Science in Mechanics of Materials

Focus of this course is on exploring applications of data science to mechanics of materials related models and experiments. Emphasis is on (a) hands on use of finite element related models for formulating data science problems (e.g. n-point correlation functions to describe material microstructures, data science procedures to formulate material constitutive behavior etc.) and (b) on correlating design of experiments with automated data extraction in high throughput experiments such as indentation experiments and sensor data fusion type of experiments. A third part of course is focused on analyzing available options in high volume data processing and analytics with emphasis on mechanics of materials applications. In a typical 14 week semester, data science analyses procedures using mechanics of materials simulations will be typically done in 7 weeks, and experimental data science procedures will be focused upon for 7 weeks. Spring 2021 Syllabus

Design of Composite Materials and Structures

Molecular Gas Dynamics

The course is about microscopic approach to understanding the behavior of a gas which states that all substances are composed of a large number of very small particles (molecules or atoms). The observable properties of gas are the consequence of the actions of the molecules making up the gas. We will cover gas dynamic phenomena that require the molecular description such as the structure of shock wave, high-altitude aerodynamics and expansions into vacuum, velocity slip and aerodynamic forces in nano/microsystems.

Multi-Agent Autonomy and Control

This graduate-level course introduces distributed control of multi-agent networks, which achieves global objectives through local coordination among nearby neighboring agents. The course will prepare students with basic concepts in control (Lyapunov stability theory, exponential convergence, Perron-Frobenius theorem), graph theories (adjacency matrix, Laplacian matrix, incidence matrix, rigidity matrix), matrix theories (stochastic matrices, double stochastic matrices), and optimizations (gradient descent methods, ADMM). Topics of applications to be covered include flocking (by consensus), sensor networks (by distributed averaging), distributed fusion (by distributed linear equation solver), multi-robot formation (by distributed gradient descent method), cyber-security (by resilient information fusion), and increasing autonomy of multi-robot coordination through machine learnings.

Nonequilibrium Hypersonic Flows

This introductory course provides engineering students with an overview of statistical physics, physical chemistry, and the modeling of nonequilbrium thermodynamic processes. It goes on to apply these tools to predicting flow at very high speeds, for example in atmospheric entry flight. Theory and application of hypersonic aerothermodynamics will be covered evenly.

Space Flight Operations

Space Flight Operations will provide students with a technical foundation for the operation of Earth orbiting and planetary missions. The course covers spacecraft design, mission planning, anomaly resolution, and industry best-practices. Fall 2021 Syllabus

Space Traffic Management

Starting with the understanding of how measurements are collected and processed, astrodynamics specific to the space around the earth inhabited by the vast majority of all operational satellites. The class introduces the challenges of sparse data per object, initializing orbits without a priori information and how to maintain custody of objects in the highly non-linear fastly changing orbital regime.

Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics

This senior level course in vehicle dynamics is based on the fundamentals from previous courses in particle and rigid body dynamics. Here, the focus is the vehicle orientation,specifically spacecraft. The students acquire the necessary and most fundamental technical competence in natural spacecraft attitude motion and the introduction to attitude control. An ability to formulate these engineering problems and the skills to analyze (as well as solve) them is addressed through homework exercises; this includes extensive computational work and the interpretation of results. The ability to communicate their analysis techniques and orally interpret their results is practiced in the homework as well as structured class discussions. The methodology is emphasized as an engineering skill with applications to other vehicle issues. Depending on the NASA launch schedules during the current semester, the projects/homework are correlated to actual spacecraft/missions. Previous missions are used as examples as well. Spring 2019 Syllabus

Complex System Safety

You will work in teams to investigate a particular high-profile accident in detail. And we will learn about the latest theories in accident progression, and how we can use these theories to design and operate safer systems. F2018 Syllabus

Laminar-Turbulent Transition

Instability mechanisms, such as: Kelvin-Helmholtz, Tollmien-Schlichting, Gortler, and crossflow. Secondary instabilities. Nonlinear and nonparallel effects. The Parabolized Stability Equations. Receptivity. Transition prediction. Effects of compressibility, heating, roughness, turbulence, noise, curvature, etc. Turbulent spots and the extent of transitional flow. SP2018 Syllabus

Turbulence and Turbulence Modeling

The course is broken into two parts. The first half covers basic theoretical and physical descriptions of turbulence. In the second half a wide range of turbulence models and simulation methods are presented and discussed. Topics include turbulence models typically used in commercial CFD codes as well as current research approaches. Spring 2019 Syllabus

Advanced Orbital Dynamics

Discussion of more advanced concepts in astrodynamics. Includes fundamental theories from celestial mechanics, resonance, dynamical systems theory and numerical methods with application to the motion in multi-body regimes and interplanetary spacecraft under the simultaneous influence of multiple gravitational bodies. Assumes experience with the two-body problem.

Fracture Mechanics

The objective of this course is to provide students with an introduction to the mechanics of fracture of brittle and ductile materials. Lectures will focus on the basics of linear-elastic fracture mechanics (LEFM) and elastic-plastic fracture mechanics (EPFM) including the J-Integral. Time dependent fracture including creep and fatigue crack growth will be covered. Methods to experimental determine fracture properties (ASTM standards) will be introduced.

Nonlinear Dynamics, Systems and Control

Advanced Signals and Systems for Satellite Navigation

Ranging signal design considerations will be derived from basic principles and then demonstrated using the specifications of current and modernized GPS and Galileo constellations. Methods for processing these signals will be derived from fundamental theory, and then applied to problems in receiver design, illustrating practical considerations such as finite bandwidth, quantization, clock stability, tracking threshold, and multipath effects. Students will select a relevant topic in recent research and thoroughly investigate it through a literature review and application of the course material.