Studies in Space Exploration
Duration
- One Semester or equivalent
Contact hours
- 150 contact hours - Online
On-campus unit delivery combines face-to-face and digital learning. For Online unit delivery, learning is conducted exclusively online.
2023 teaching periods
| Hawthorn HOL Study Period 3 |
||
|---|---|---|
Dates: Results: Last self enrolment: Census: Last withdraw without fail: |
Aims and objectives
This unit aims to present the basic principles of space exploration, a brief history of manned and unmanned spacecraft, and the challenges facing current and future missions.
Unit Learning Outcomes (ULO)
Students who successfully complete this unit will be able to:
1. Identify and describe the basic principles, issues and science goals in space exploration
2. Discuss and explain the history and development of space exploration, especially issues such as manned versus unmanned space exploration, spacecraft design, launch and navigation, imaging and remote sensing, and the biomechanics of space flight, in a non-technical way understandable to the wider public
3. Recognise how the social implications of space science and an analysis of the costs, risks & benefits of space exploration, including the ethical and legal implications of topics such as the use of radioisotope fuel sources, 'space junk' and mining rights in space
4. Use problem solving skills to explain solutions to problems in space exploration
5. Design and create a research project using credible sources of astronomical information and research articles and/or observational means
Unit information in detail
- Teaching methods, assessment and content.
Teaching methods
Type | Hours per week | Number of Weeks | Total |
Online Learning Activities | 4.62 | 13 | 60 |
| Unspecified Activities Independent Learning | 6.92 | 13 | 90 |
TOTAL | 150 hours |
Assessment
Types | Individual or Group task | Weighting | Assesses attainment of these ULOs |
Online Tests | Individual | 20-30% | 1,2,3,4 |
Newsgroups | Individual | 20-30% | 1,2,3,4 |
Project | Individual | 40-60% | 5 |
Content
- Ground-based space exploration: telescopes, detectors, limitations of ground-based observations.
- Unmanned space exploration: orbiting observatories, planetary missions.
- People in space: manned versus robotic missions, space stations, colonisation and terraforming.
- Evolution of human space flight: from fireworks to V-2 rocket, Sputnik to Gargarin, the Moon, Skylab to Space Station, living and working in space, future space flight.
- Spacecraft design, launch and navigation: a probe for every purpose, lift-off and boosters, docking and course correction, navigating in space, basic orbital mechanics and calculations.
- Imaging and remote sensing: instrumentation, telemetry, communication, space observatories, data processing and manipulation.
- Fuelling interplanetary missions: energy sources and techniques, present and planned space missions, relative benefits, risk analysis.
- Costs, risks and benefits: scientific, legal and ethical dimensions: science goals, public perception, legal implications and ethics
Study resources
- Reading materials.
Reading materials
A list of reading materials and/or required texts will be made available in the Unit Outline.