Aerospace Engineering (Resident Program)

Program Officer

CDR Caleb MacDonald

Code 74, Watkins Hall, Room 107

[phone], DSN 756-2033

[e-mail]

Academic Associate

Christopher Adams

Watkins Hall, Room 333

[phone]

[e-mail] 

Brief Overview

The objective of this program is to provide graduate education, primarily in the field of Aerospace Engineering, in order to produce graduates with the technical competence to operate and maintain modern military aerospace systems.

The Aerospace Engineering program is designed to meet the specific needs of the U.S. Marine Corps, U.S. Army, and international partners with a broad-based graduate education in Aerospace Engineering with a focus on missile design, autonomous systems, and rotorcraft. The program is intended to be completed within 24 months.

This program gives the student a broad aerospace engineering education in the areas of aerodynamics, flight mechanics, propulsion, flight structures, and systems integration. Additionally, officers receive graduate level instruction in aircraft/missile design and aero-computer science.

An original research project resulting in a finished thesis is an integral part of the curriculum.

Requirements for Entry

A baccalaureate degree from a regionally accredited institution or its equivalent is required, preferably in an engineering discipline. A minimum academic profile code (APC) of 323 is required.

While an undergraduate degree in engineering is preferred, special preparatory programs can accommodate officers with other backgrounds.

The program is open to military officers in the rank equivalent grade officers of O3 through O5 (U.S. services), and qualified foreign military officers.  DoD employees are also eligible.   

Convenes

Aerospace Engineering is typically an eight-quarter program with preferred entry dates in January or June. Refresher quarters are offered in March and September and are recommended for non-engineering undergraduates and those out of school greater than 5 years. Time in residence may be reduced by course validations depending on the officer's specific academic background. If further information is needed, contact the Program Officer or the Academic Associate.

Degree Requirements

Requirements for the Master of Science in Aerospace Engineering – MSAE; or Master of Science in Engineering Science with a major in Aerospace Engineering – MSES(AE) are met as a milestone en route to satisfying the educational skill requirements of the program.

Aerospace Engineering Typical Course

Quarter 1

MA1115 (4-0) Multivariable Calculus

MA1116 (3-0) Vector Calculus

MS2201 (3-2) Materials Science

AE/EC2440 (3-2) Introduction to Digital Computation

ME2502 (4-1) Dynamics

 

Quarter 2

MA2043 (4-0) Matrix and Linear Algebra

MA2121 (4-0) Differential Equations

ME2101 (4-2) Engineering Thermodynamics

ME2201 (3-2) Introduction to Fluid Mechanics

 

Quarter 3

MA3132 (4-0) Partial Differential Equations

ME3201 (4-1) Applied Fluid Mechanics

ME3240 (4-2) Power and Propulsion

ME2801 (3-2) Introduction to Control Systems

 

Quarter 4

ME2601 (4-1) Solids I

ME3205 (4-1) Missile Aerodynamics

ME4702 (3-2) Engineering Sys Risk Benefit Analysis

ME3450 (3-2) Computational Methods in Engineering

MA3132 (4-0) Numerical Methods

 

Quarter 5

SE3100 (3-2) Fundamentals of Systems Engineering

ME3801 (3-2) Dynamics/Control of Auto Vehicles I

MS3202 (3-2) Properties, Performance and Failure of Engineering Materials

AE3840 (3-2) Analysis of Spacecraft Structures

ME4703 (4-1) Missile Flight and Control

 

Quarter 6

AE/ME4XXX Elective

ME0810 (0-8) Thesis Research

AE4452 (4-0) Advanced Missile Propulsion

ME4704 (3-2) Missile Design

 

Quarter 7

AE/ME4XXX Elective

ME0810 (0-8) Thesis Research

ME0810 (0-8) Thesis Research

AE4502 (4-0) Supersonic and Hypersonic Flows

 

Quarter 8

AE/ME4XXX Elective

ME4751 (4-1) Combat Aircraft Survivability

ME4700 (4-0) Weaponeering 

ME0810 (0-8) Thesis Research

 

Other Courses Available

ME3521 Mechanical Vibrations

ME3150 Heat Transfer

ME3611 Solids II

ME2711 Design of Machine Elements

ME3720 Introduction to Unmanned Systems

MS3304 Marine Corrosion 

MS3606 Welding

ME4101 Advanced Thermodynamics (4-0)  

ME4160 Applications of Heat Transfer (4-0)  

ME4161 Conduction Heat Transfer (4-0)  

ME4162 Convection Heat Transfer (4-0)  

ME4163 Radiation Heat Transfer (4-0)

ME4202 Compressible and Hypersonic Flow (4-0)  

ME4211 Applied Hydrodynamics (4-0)

ME4220 Viscous Flow (4-0)

ME4225 Computational Fluid Dynamics and Heat Transfer (3-2)

ME4231 Advanced Turbomachinery (3-2)  

ME4240 Advanced Topics in Fluid Dynamics (4-0)

ME4251 Engine Design and Integration (3-2)

ME4420 Advanced Power and Propulsion (4-0)

ME4522 Structural Dynamics (4-0)  

ME4525 Naval Ship Shock Design and Analysis (4-0)

ME4550 Random Vibrations & Spectral Analysis (3-2)  

ME4612 Advanced Mechanics of Solids (4-0)  

ME4613 Finite Element Methods (4-0)

ME4731 Engineering Design Optimization (4-0)

ME4811 Multivariable Control of Systems (4-0)   

ME4821 Marine Navigation (4-0)

ME4822 Guidance, Navigation, and Control (3-2)  

ME4823 Cooperative Control of Multiple Marine Autonomous Vehicles (4-0)  

ME/AE4901 Advanced Topics in Mechanical (Aerospace) Engineering (V-V)  

ME/AE4902 Advanced Study in Mechanical (Aerospace) Engineering (V/V)

Educational Skills Requirements

The ESRs consist of a core of prescribed aerospace engineering skills, which all graduates must acquire; plus specialization options of advanced topics in missile design, autonomous systems, or rotorcraft, which the student may pursue as electives.

1.    AEROSPACE STRUCTURES AND MATERIALS: Be able to apply U.S. military standards and practices to analyze structural components of missiles systems & autonomous vehicles, using engineering analytic methods on idealized models and automated finite element methods on realistic models to determine stresses, strains, deformations and appropriate limiting conditions of yielding, fracture, buckling and fatigue.

2. FLIGHT MECHANICS: Be able to calculate all performance parameters for rotorcraft, military autonomous aircraft, and missile systems to determine their longitudinal and lateral-directional, static and dynamic stability characteristics. Be able to analyze and design aircraft and missile guidance and control systems, including feedback stabilization schemes and stochastic processes, using classical and modern control techniques.

3. AIRCRAFT AND MISSILE PROPULSION: Understand the principles and operating characteristics of fixed wing, rotorcraft and missile propulsion engines and be able to analyze the performance of rocket motor and turbines through knowledge of the behavior and design characteristics of the individual components. Be able to calculate performance parameters used in engine selection and know the state-of-the-art reasons for limitations on gas turbine engine performance, as well as the potential for future gains in the field. Be able to analyze the performance of rockets and ramjets through knowledge of the behavior of individual components, and be able to make steady-state, internal ballistic calculations for solid rocket motors.

4. AERODYNAMICS: Be able to use classical analytic, experimental and modern computational techniques of subsonic and supersonic aerodynamics, including laminar and turbulent boundary-layer viscous effects, without heat addition, to calculate internal flow properties through inlets, nozzles and engines and external air flow pressure distributions over wings, canards, tails, and other lifting surfaces to determine the resulting lift, drag and pitching moment.

5. INFORMATION PROCESSING: Be able to use current computer methods to solve aerospace engineering problems and possess knowledge of the application of dedicated avionic and systems computers on board military aircraft.

6. ENGINEERING MATHEMATICS: Demonstrate analytic ability to apply differential and integral calculus, ordinary and partial differential equations, vector calculus, matrix algebra, probability and statistics and numerical analysis in the development of engineering theory and its application to engineering problems.

7. ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING: Understand basic electrical circuits, systems and electronic devices as a foundation for interfacing mechanical and electronic systems in aerospace systems.

8. SYSTEMS DESIGN: Be able to integrate all of the disciplines of aerospace engineering into a design of a missile or autonomous system or rotorcraft in response to a realistic set of military requirements, specifications, constraints and cost limitations. The design must include considerations for safety, reliability, maintainability and survivability.

9. RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT, TEST, AND EVALUATION: Apply principles of project scoping, planning, design and execution to investigate a current research, development, test or evaluation problem of interest to the Department of Defense that culminates in the publication of a thesis.