Last offered Summer 2005

 

ASEN 2519 Introduction to Human Space Flight

 

This summer session course introduces students to the challenges and rewards of human space flight. Historical and current space programs and spacecraft will be discussed, along with the motivation, cost and rationale for human space exploration.  An overview of the space environment will be presented in the context of what is needed to sustain human life and health, including physiological and psychological concerns, in a space habitat. Current research will also be highlighted. You will learn about the astronaut selection and training processes. Finally, mission operations, anomalies and future program directions will be covered, with some insight offered into career planning in this field. The summer course counts as an Engineering Humanities/Social Science elective.

 

Instructors: Co-taught by Colonel (USA, ret.) James Voss, former NASA Astronaut, and Dr. David Klaus, Assistant Professor, Aerospace Engineering and Associate Director, BioServe Space Technologies (klaus@colorado.edu), with special guest lecturer Yury Usachev, Russian Cosmonaut (from June 6-9).

Prerequisites: none, open to all majors for summer session

Textbook: Harrison, “Spacefaring - The Human Dimension” (University of California Press), 2001

Grading Breakdown: 2 homeworks, 3 quizzes, 2 exams

25%     Exam 1            

20%     Quizzes

30%     Homework

25%     Final

 

Lecture Topics

I. INTRO AND BACKGROUND

 

Introductions / Course Expectations

Why Space? (Ch. 1)

            Space programs, Historical perspectives

            Rationale

Space flight human factors (Ch. 2)

            Current spacecraft overview

            Space flight analogs

 

II. SUSTAINING HUMAN LIFE AND HEALTH IN SPACE

 

Hazards and Countermeasures (Ch. 3)

            Space environment

            Operational medicine

Life support requirements – staying alive

Physiological effects – staying healthy

Spacecraft Life Support Systems – (Ch. 4)

Advanced Life Support Systems

            Moon / Mars Base Concepts

Habitability (Ch. 5)

            Human Factors

 

III. ASTRONAUT SELECTION AND WORKING IN SPACE

 

Stress and coping (Ch. 7)

            Psychological

Group dynamics (Ch. 8)

            Sociological, International crew

Off duty (Ch. 11)

            Hygiene, Recreation

Selection and Training (Ch. 6)

            ASCAN Selection Process

            ASCAN Training

            Astronaut Training (STS, ISS and Mission Specific)

EVA – physiology and space suit design (Ch. 9 pp. 163-164)

Mishaps (Ch. 10)

            Mission Accidents and Anomalies

At work (Ch. 9 remainder)

            General performance factors

Space Research

 

IV. THE FUTURE

 

Exploration / CEV

Space tourism (Ch. 12)

            Recent activities, Thoughts and Discussion

Space settlements (Ch. 13)

            When, Where and How

Interstellar migration (Ch. 14)

            Challenges

Restoring the dream (Ch. 15)

            Funding, Public Opinion and Politics

Human Space Flight Careers – ‘Engineers and Astronauts’

 

Current Events

http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/

http://space.com/

http://nasawatch.com/