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Advanced Degrees in Astronautical Engineering for the Space Industry Acta Astronautica 103 (2014) 92–105 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Acta Astronautica journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/actaastro Advanced degrees in astronautical engineering for the space industry Mike Gruntman n Department of Astronautical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1192, USA article info abstract Article history: Ten years ago in the summer of 2004, the University of Southern California established a Received 2 January 2014 new unique academic unit focused on space engineering. Initially known as the Received in revised form Astronautics and Space Technology Division, the unit operated from day one as an 7May2014 independent academic department, successfully introduced the full set of degrees in Accepted 11 June 2014 Astronautical Engineering, and was formally renamed the Department of Astronautical Available online 19 June 2014 Engineering in 2010. The largest component of Department's educational programs has Keywords: been and continues to be its flagship Master of Science program, specifically focused on Space education meeting engineering workforce development needs of the space industry and government Astronautical engineering space research and development centers. The program successfully grew from a specia- Space engineering lization in astronautics developed in mid-1990s and expanded into a large nationally- Workforce development Distance learning visible program. In addition to on-campus full-time students, it reaches many working Space systems students on-line through distance education. This article reviews the origins of the Master's degree program and its current status and accomplishments; outlines the program structure, academic focus, student composition, and enrollment dynamics; and discusses lessons learned and future challenges. & 2014 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd. on behalf of IAA. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/). 1. Introduction Astronautical Engineering in the USC's Viterbi School of Engineering (VSOE) in 2010. Ten years ago in June 2004, the University of Southern In the United States, space engineering education was California (USC) announced establishment of a new unique traditionally part of a significantly broader aerospace curricu- academic unit focused on space engineering [1]. Initially lum, historically anchored in aeronautics and dominated by known as the Astronautics and Space Technology Division fluids-focused engineering and sciences. Aerospace degrees (ASTD), the unit operated from day one as an independent are usually offered by departments of aerospace engineering academic department and successfully introduced the full or by departments combining aerospace with other engineer- set of degrees (Bachelor, Bachelor Minor, Master, Engineer, ing disciplines, particularly with mechanical engineering. Ph.D., and Graduate Certificate) in Astronautical Engineer- In contrast, USC established a unique separate pure- ing. (This article author had the privilege to serve the space-focused academic department to address specific founding chairman of ASTD from 2004–2007.) The challenges in space engineering education. The largest Division was formally renamed the Department of component of the Department of Astronautical Engineering has been and continues to be its flagship Master of Science in Astronautical Engineering (M.S. ASTE) program, specifi- n Tel.: þ1 213 7405536. cally focused on meeting needs of the American space E-mail address: [email protected] industry and government space research and development http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.actaastro.2014.06.016 0094-5765/& 2014 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd. on behalf of IAA. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/). M. Gruntman / Acta Astronautica 103 (2014) 92–105 93 centers. This program successfully grew from a specializa- generic “aerospace engineering” which combines aero- tion in astronautics developed in mid-1990s and expanded nautical, astronautical, and aerospace degrees. A quick into a large nationally-visible program [1]. look at job advertising in academe in Aerospace America, The tenth anniversary of the establishment of the a monthly journal published by the American Institute of independent Department is a propitious time to review Astronautics and Aeronautics (AIAA), does not suggest the program status; to summarize its accomplishments, forthcoming changes in emphasis or transformation of impact, and challenges; and to look into the future. We aerospace programs. specifically focus here on the Department's industry- At major American research universities, the faculty oriented M.S. ASTE program, with other degree programs members largely determine the fields of their concentration being outside the scope of this article. First, the rational for and change in the areas of faculty interests does not come creating independent astronautical engineering depart- easily. It takes decades for dead branches of the evolutionary ments is discussed followed by specifics of program tree to fall off and for new directions to replace them in the development at USC. Then, we describe the M.S. ASTE existing academic structures. Outside the universities, the structure, coursework, program students, and the role of space technology world is highly dynamic, does not enjoy distance education. The article concludes by putting the the luxury of undergoing slow evolution, and continues to program into a broader perspective of trends in the global expand. Teller once noted [8] “that the substance with the space enterprise. greatest inertia known to man is the human brain, and that the only substance more inert is the collection of human 2. Rational for independent astronautics departments brainsfoundinalargeorganizationsuchasmilitaryservice or the faculty of a university.” Gruntman [1] discussed in detail the rational for estab- The realities of academe force faculty to vigorously lishing an independent department in astronautical engi- defend their turf and to favor hiring new faculty in the areas neering. Briefly, following the beginning of the space age in of their own research interests. A change in department late 1950s, space engineering education found a home in directions requires determined effort by visionary and existing aeronautical engineering departments [2],which powerful administrators. Many aerospace programs actually changed their names to “Aerospace” or some variant of broadened their scope during the last 10–15 years by hiring “Aeronautics and Astronautics.” However, the curriculum new faculty in emerging and cross-disciplinary areas, such remained concentrated in fluid sciences and engineering as, for example, mechatronics and nanotechnology, rather and aeronautical applications, with some coursework added than in traditional space fields as spacecraft attitude in space-related topics, primarily in orbital mechanics and dynamics or satellite thermal control and power systems. rocket propulsion [3–5]. At the same time, the American The vision of equal status of “astronautics” and “aeronautics” space effort greatly expanded in space exploration and in aerospace departments has not materialized. The space national security. curriculum in many universities is limited, and the old In1970sandearly1980s,advocatesofspaceeducation question “Is there any space in aerospace?” [9] remains. had been arguing for establishing of a curriculum in “pure” Consequently, the establishment – in some universities – astronautics leading to a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) and higher of separate academic space departments offering degrees in degrees in astronautical engineering [3,4].Theyhopedthat astronautical engineering to better meet the needs of the such development would give “astronautics” equal status space industry and government centers was called for in [1]. with “aeronautics” in aerospace engineering departments It was argued that such a step would logically advance the and thus advance space education. earlier efforts of 1970s and 1980s to recognize astronautical Many important changes have occurred in the ensuing engineering as a separate degree. Importantly, separate years. The Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technol- astronautical engineering departments could shift the exist- ogy (ABET) recognizes astronautical engineering as a sepa- ing competition (which is rarely fair) from among groups of rate from aerospace degree. (ABET awards accreditation to faculty within aerospace departments to a (much more qualified Bachelor of Science engineering degrees. Master of even-leveled) competition among aerospace, astronautical, Science degrees do not require accreditation with the excep- and aeronautical departments of various universities. tion, for historical reasons, of those offered by two military It was specifically emphasized [1] that creation of astro- institutions [1,6].) Many aerospace departments and aero- nautical engineering departments was a practical approach space programs in combined (such as aerospace and to achieve desired flexibility within constraints of realities of mechanical engineering) departments in American universi- the glacially-changing academe. The resulting competition ties offer space-related courses to undergraduate and grad- among the departments and universities would force a uate students. balanced mix of the offered programs, determined by One could argue that astronautical engineering
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