Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics

Students should note that all prerequisite courses for the following courses must be completed on the letter-grade basis with a grade of at least C-.

The information in parentheses after a course number is the Texas Common Course Numbering (TCCN) designation. Only TCCN designations that are exact semester-hour equivalents of University courses are listed here. Additional TCCN information is given in Appendix A .

Aerospace Engineering: ASE

Lower-Division Courses

ASE 301. Introduction to Computer Programming.

Basic computer programming concepts for engineering computations. Programming in MATLAB or similar computing environments is emphasized, but more advanced languages may also be discussed. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.

ASE 102. Introduction to Aerospace Engineering.

Restricted to first year students. Introduction to aerospace engineering, including problem solving and study skills. Examines opportunities and responsibilities of careers in aerospace engineering. One lecture hour a week for one semester. May not be counted toward any engineering degree. Offered on the pass/fail basis only.

ASE 211K. Engineering Computation.

Fundamental numerical methods and software tools used in engineering computation. Topics include linear systems of equations, matrix computations, nonlinear equations, least squares approximations, interpolation, numerical integration and numerical solution of differential equations. Two lecture hours a week for one semester. Aerospace Engineering 311 and 211K may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 301 (or 201) and Mathematics 427K with a grade of at least C- in each.

ASE 118. Student Leadership Seminar.

Principles of human development, strategic learning, and teaching. Small-group seminar involving reading, discussion, and written reports. One lecture hour a week for one semester. Offered on the pass/fail basis only. Prerequisite: Consent of the engineering undergraduate adviser.

ASE 119K. Low-Speed Aerodynamics Laboratory.

Restricted to students in the aerospace engineering major sequence. Wind tunnel and water channel experiments at subsonic speeds; use of instrumentation and written reports. One lecture hour and three laboratory hours a week for one semester. Aerospace Engineering 119K and 120K may not both be counted.

ASE 119L. High-Speed Aerodynamics Laboratory.

Restricted to students in the aerospace engineering major sequence. Experiments using a variable-Mach number supersonic wind tunnel and ballistics range, and an investigation of aerodynamics of blunt bodies and simple airfoils in supersonic flow. One lecture hour and three laboratory hours a week for one semester. Aerospace Engineering 119L and 162M may not both be counted.

ASE 119M. Spacecraft Systems Laboratory.

Restricted to students in the aerospace engineering major sequence. Overview of spacecraft subsystems, mission design tools, numerical techniques, mission planning references, mission constraints, and mission design projects. Includes written reports. One lecture hour and one and one-half laboratory hours a week for one semester. Aerospace Engineering 119M and 166M may not both be counted.

ASE 119N. Flight Dynamics Laboratory.

Restricted to students in the aerospace engineering major sequence Introduction to flight testing; instrumentation and methodology; performance testing. Computer modeling and dynamic simulation of aircraft motion; aircraft sizing. Written reports. One lecture hour and three laboratory hours a week for one semester. Aerospace Engineering 119N and 167M may not be both counted.

ASE 119S, 219S, 319S, 419S, 519S, 619S, 719S, 819S, 919S. Topics in Aerospace Engineering.

Used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office or the school's International Engineering Education Programs. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Offered on the letter-grade basis only.

Upper-Division Courses

ASE 320. Low-Speed Aerodynamics.

Fundamental concepts, fluid statics; integral and differential analysis; detailed analysis of inviscid, incompressible flows; aerodynamics of airfoils and wings. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Mathematics 427L and Mechanical Engineering 320 with a grade of at least C- in each.

ASE 321K. Computational Methods for Structural Analysis.

Matrix structural analysis of systems that can be idealized as being comprised of axial bar elements, beam elements, and frame elements. Notion of element-by-element assembly of the governing system of algebraic equations. A systematic introduction to (and use of) the fundamental idea of a weak statement of a boundary value problem, particularly as concerns the numerical treatment/approximation of such problems. Interpretation of the weak-statement in terms of the principle of virtual work. Galerkin's method as applied to structural analysis. An introduction to the classical Galerkin finite element method with application to structures and plane elasticity. Energy principles and their utility in solving problems in solid mechanics, as well as their connection to the finite element method. Three lecture hours a week for one semester, with discussion hours to be arranged. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 211K (or 311) and Engineering Mechanics 319 with a grade of at least C- in each.

ASE 324L. Aerospace Materials Laboratory.

Study of the deformation and fracture behavior of materials used in aerospace vehicles. Structure-property relations, methods of characterizing material behavior, use of properties in the design process. Case histories. Written reports. Two lecture hours and three laboratory hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Engineering Mechanics 319 with a grade of at least C-.

ASE 325L. Cooperative Engineering.

This course covers the work period of aerospace engineering students in the Cooperative Engineering Program. Forty laboratory hours a week for three semesters. The student must complete Aerospace Engineering 325LX, 325LY, and 325LZ before a grade and degree credit are awarded. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: For 325LX, application to become a member of the Cooperative Engineering Program, approval of the dean, and appointment for a full-time cooperative work tour; for 325LY, Aerospace Engineering 325LX and appointment for a full-time cooperative work tour; for 325LZ, Aerospace Engineering 325LY and appointment for a full-time cooperative work tour.

ASE 225M. Cooperative Engineering.

This course covers the work period of aerospace engineering students in the Cooperative Engineering Program. Forty laboratory hours a week for two semesters. The student must complete Aerospace Engineering 225MA and 225MB before a grade and degree credit are awarded. Prerequisite: For 225MA, application to become a member of the Cooperative Engineering Program, approval of the dean, and appointment for a full-time cooperative work tour; for 225MB, Aerospace Engineering 225MA and appointment for a full-time cooperative work tour.

ASE 125N. Cooperative Engineering.

This course covers the work period of aerospace engineering students in the Cooperative Engineering Program. Forty laboratory hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 325LZ or 225MB, application to become a member of the Cooperative Engineering Program, approval of the dean, and appointment for a full-time cooperative work tour.

ASE 128. Aerospace Engineering Projects Laboratory.

Directed work on an organized student project in aerospace engineering or engineering mechanics. The equivalent of one lecture hour a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit. Offered on the pass/fail basis only. Prerequisite: At least fifteen semester hours of coursework, a University grade point average of at least 2.50, preparation of a laboratory participation log, and approval by both the faculty member directing the student project and the undergraduate adviser.

ASE 330M. Linear System Analysis.

Fundamentals of signals and systems; convolution; Laplace transforms; response of linear, time-invariant systems to standard inputs; frequency response methods; time-domain analysis; introduction to control systems. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Engineering Mechanics 311M and Mathematics 427K with a grade of at least C- in each.

ASE 333T. Engineering Communication.

Open only to aerospace engineering majors. Technical communication skills for engineers: written and oral reports; individual and collaborative composition; online and traditional research; editing techniques; document design for electronic and hard copy. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Rhetoric and Writing 306 or the equivalent with a grade of at least C-.

ASE 339. Advanced Strength of Materials.

Same as Engineering Mechanics 339. Curved beams, shear deformation, beam columns, beams on elastic foundations; inelastic behavior of members; elementary plate bending. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Engineering Mechanics 319 with a grade of at least C-.

ASE 346. Viscous Fluid Flow.

Navier-Stokes equations, laminar and turbulent boundary layers, transition, effects of pressure gradients and compressibility. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 320 with a grade of at least C-.

ASE 347. Introduction to Computational Fluid Dynamics.

Development and implementation of finite-difference schemes for numerical solution of subsonic, transonic, and supersonic flows. Emphasis on convection and diffusion equations of fluid dynamics. Evaluation of accuracy, stability, and efficiency. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Aerospace Engineering 347 and Mechanical Engineering 369L may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 211K (or 311) and 320 with a grade of at least C- in each.

ASE 355. Aeroelasticity.

Studies static aeroelastic phenomena; wing torsional divergence, control reversal, effect of wing sweep, flexibility effects on aircraft stability and control, and design implications; dynamic aeroelasticity; and galloping of transmission lines, flutter, and unsteady aerodynamics. Includes an introduction to experimental aeroelasticity. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 321K and 330M with a grade of at least C- in each.

ASE 357. Mechanics of Composite Materials.

Anisotropic constitutive relationships, lamination theory, failure theories, micromechanical behavior of laminates; laminated composite plates--bending, vibration, and buckling; composite fabrication, sandwich and other composite lightweight structures. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 321K with a grade of at least C-.

ASE 361K. Aircraft Design I.

Conceptual design of an aircraft to meet a mission specification. Includes estimation of weight, cost from payload, and range requirements; selection of configuration; preliminary sizing of wing, fuselage, and tail/canard; aerodynamic design of wing and tail; weight and balance; and performance estimation. Three lecture hours and four laboratory hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 320 with a grade of at least C-, and credit with a grade of at least C- or registration for Aerospace Engineering 367K.

ASE 361L. Aircraft Design II.

Preliminary design of an aircraft from a conceptual design to satisfy a given set of requirements. Includes preliminary structural design; detailed estimates of weight, balance, and performance; and satisfaction of stability, control, and handling quality requirements. Three lecture hours and four laboratory hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 119K (or 120K) and 361K with a grade of at least C- in each, and credit with a grade of at least C- or registration for Aerospace Engineering 364.

ASE 362K. Compressible Flow.

Shock and expansion waves, quasi-one-dimensional flow, converging-diverging nozzles, diffusers, wind tunnel operation, linearized flow, and compressibility effects on aerodynamics of airfoils and bodies. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 320 with a grade of at least C-.

ASE 363L. History of Space Flight.

History and principles of space flight from early Chinese rocket experiments to Apollo 17 and the Space Shuttle; technological benefits from the space program and future space projects, including commercial space activities and those related to national security. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May not be counted as an aerospace engineering course for the Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering; may not be counted as a technical elective, a technical area course, or an engineering elective for any engineering degree. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing or consent of instructor.

ASE 364. Applied Aerodynamics.

Detailed analysis of aerodynamics of compressible and incompressible flows about wings and airfoils; wing and airfoil parameters and force and moment coefficients; and thin-airfoil theory, lifting-line theory, panel methods, high-lift devices, delta wings, transonic flows, and supersonic flows over wings. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Aerospace Engineering 364 and 379L (Topic: Airfoil and Wing Design Theory) may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 362K with a grade of at least C-, and credit with a grade of at least C- or registration for Aerospace Engineering 162M.

ASE 365. Structural Dynamics.

Analysis of discrete and continuous vibrating systems; deriving equations of motion; determining response; and natural frequencies and modes of vibration. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 330M with a grade of at least C-.

ASE 366K. Spacecraft Dynamics.

Basic satellite and spacecraft motion, orbital elements, coordinate systems, and transformations; orbit/trajectory design principles; basic three-dimensional spacecraft attitude dynamics. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Engineering Mechanics 311M and Mathematics 427K with a grade of at least C- in each.

ASE 366L. Applied Orbital Mechanics.

Selected subjects in satellite motion and satellite applications, including communication and navigation satellites, orbit selection/design for satellite applications, orbital coordinate systems, time, major perturbing forces, rendezvous and intercept, and interplanetary trajectories. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 366K with a grade of at least C-.

ASE 367K. Flight Dynamics.

Equations of motion for rigid aircraft; aircraft performance, weight and balance, static stability and control, and dynamic stability; design implications. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 320 and 330M with a grade of at least C- in each.

ASE 370L. Flight Control Systems.

Fundamentals of linear control analysis and design for single-input, single-output systems; stability and performance measures; Routh Hurwitz analysis; root locus methods; frequency response (Bode and Nyquist); introduction to full-state feedback. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 330M with a grade of at least C-.

ASE 170P. Controls Laboratory.

Three laboratory hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 370L with a grade of at least C-.

ASE 372K. Attitude Dynamics.

Studies attitude representations, rotational kinematics, rigid-body dynamics, sensors and actuators, attitude determination, and passive and active attitude control systems. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 366K with a grade of at least C-.

ASE 372L. Satellite Applications.

Classical and modern orbit determination, remote sensors and their outputs, pattern recognition, image enhancement, satellite data analysis projects. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 366K with a grade of at least C-.

ASE 372N. Satellite-Based Navigation.

Satellite-based navigation systems, with focus on the Global Positioning System (GPS), ground and space segments, navigation receivers, satellite signal coordinate/time systems, denial of signal, differential techniques, GPS data analysis. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 366K with a grade of at least C-.

ASE 374K. Space Systems Engineering Design.

Introduction to systems engineering: the systems engineering process, requirements, design fundamentals, trade studies, cost and risk analyses, integration, technical reviews, case studies, and ethics. Includes written reports. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 366K with a grade of at least C-, and credit with a grade of at least C- or registration for Aerospace Engineering 366L and 166M.

ASE 374L. Spacecraft/Mission Design.

Spacecraft systems characteristics, mission requirements, sensors, and consumables analyses; and mission phases, request for proposal, problem definition, ideation, proposal preparation, conceptual design review, preliminary design development and review, and design report preparation. Includes written reports. Two lecture hours and three laboratory hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 166M and 374K with a grade of at least C- in each, and credit with a grade of at least C- or registration for Aerospace Engineering 376K.

ASE 375. Electromechanical Systems.

Restricted to aerospace engineering majors. Subjects include basic electronic circuits, operational amplifiers, concepts of impedance and feedback, sensors to measure displacement, strain and acceleration, actuators such as DC motors, stepper motors and servo hydraulics, data acquisition and sampling. These concepts will be implemented via experiments that illustrate interesting phenomena in solids and structures. Two lecture hours and three laboratory hours a week for one semester. Aerospace Engineering 375 and Mechanical Engineering 340 may not both be counted. Prerequisite: Engineering Mechanics 319 and Physics 303L with a grade of at least C- in each.

ASE 376K. Propulsion.

Review of control volume analysis and quasi-one-dimensional compressible flow. Analysis and design of rocket nozzles and air-breathing engines, including performance and cycle analysis; the flow in nozzles, diffusers, compressors, and turbines; and combustion chamber processes and propellants. Includes an introduction to chemical and electric rocket propulsion. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Aerospace Engineering 362K with a grade of at least C-.

ASE 679H. Undergraduate Honors Thesis.

Research performed during two consecutive semesters under the supervision of an engineering faculty member; topics are selected jointly by the student and the faculty member with approval by the director of the Engineering Honors Program. The student makes an oral presentation and writes a thesis. Individual instruction for two semesters. Students pursuing both the Bachelor of Arts, Plan II, and a Bachelor of Science in Engineering may use this course to fulfill the thesis requirement for the Bachelor of Arts, Plan II. Prerequisite: For 679HA, enrollment in the Engineering Honors Program; for 679HB, Aerospace Engineering 679HA and enrollment in the Engineering Honors Program.

ASE 179K, 279K, 379K. Research in Aerospace Engineering.

Directed study or research in a selected area of aerospace engineering. One, two, or three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing, a University grade point average of at least 3.00, selection of project, and consent of the faculty member directing project and the undergraduate adviser.

ASE 379L. Studies in Aerospace Engineering.

Courses on current topics in aerospace engineering. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Varies with the topic and is given in the Course Schedule.

Topic 1: Selected Topics in Fluid Mechanics. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.
Topic 2: Selected Topics in Structural Mechanics. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.
Topic 3: Selected Topics in Flight Mechanics. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.
Topic 4: Selected Topics in Orbital Mechanics. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.
Topic 9: Selected Topics in Controls. Three lecture hours a week for one semester.

ASE 179R. Research Seminar.

Designed for students who plan to pursue a substantial research project or undergraduate honors thesis in aerospace engineering. Department faculty present information and lead discussions about their current research projects so that students can learn about available research opportunities. One lecture hour a week for one semester. May not be repeated for credit. Offered on the pass/fail basis only. Prerequisite: Completion of at least twenty-four semester hours of coursework and a University grade point average of at least 3.50.

ASE 179S, 279S, 379S, 479S, 579S, 679S, 779S, 879S, 979S. Topics in Aerospace Engineering.

Used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office or the school's International Engineering Education Programs. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Offered on the letter-grade basis only.

Engineering Mechanics: E M

Lower-Division Courses

E M 306 (TCCN: ENGR 2301). Statics.

Vector algebra, force systems, free-body diagrams; engineering applications of equilibrium, including frames, friction, distributed loads; centroids, moments of inertia. Three lecture hours and two discussion hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Mathematics 408D or 408L, and Physics 303K with a grade of at least C- in each.

E M 311M (TCCN: ENGR 2302). Dynamics.

Two- and three-dimensional kinematics and dynamics, applied to a broad class of engineering problems. Three lecture hours and two discussion hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Engineering Mechanics 306, Mathematics 408D or 408M, and Physics 303K with a grade of at least C- in each.

E M 319 (TCCN: ENGR 2332). Mechanics of Solids.

Internal forces and deformations in solids; stress and strain in elastic and plastic solids; application to simple engineering problems. Three lecture hours a week for one semester, with discussion hours if necessary. Prerequisite: Engineering Mechanics 306, Mathematics 408D or 408M, and Physics 303K with a grade of at least C- in each.

E M 119S, 219S, 319S, 419S, 519S, 619S, 719S, 819S, 919S. Topics in Engineering Mechanics.

Used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office or the school's International Engineering Education programs. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Offered on the letter-grade basis only.

Upper-Division Courses

E M 339. Advanced Strength of Materials.

Same as Aerospace Engineering 339. Curved beams, shear deformation, beam columns, beams on elastic foundations; inelastic behavior of members; elementary plate bending. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. Prerequisite: Engineering Mechanics 319 with a grade of at least C-.

E M 360. Studies in Engineering Mechanics.

Advanced work in the various areas of engineering mechanics, based on recent developments. Three lecture hours a week for one semester. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Prerequisite: Upper-division standing in engineering and consent of instructor.

Topic 4: Theory of Material Science.
Topic 13: Applications of Finite Element Methods.

E M 179S, 279S, 379S, 479S, 579S, 679S, 779S, 879S, 979S. Topics in Engineering Mechanics.

Used to record credit the student earns while enrolled at another institution in a program administered by the University's Study Abroad Office or the school's International Engineering Education Programs. Credit is recorded as assigned by the study abroad adviser in the Department of Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics. University credit is awarded for work in an exchange program; it may be counted as coursework taken in residence. May be repeated for credit when the topics vary. Offered on the letter-grade basis only.