| Course Name | Space exploration and society: Past, Present, and Future |
| Code | Semester | Theory (hour/week) | Application/Lab (hour/week) | Local Credits | ECTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GENS 211 | Fall/Spring | 3 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
| Prerequisites | None | |||||
| Course Language | ||||||
| Course Type | Second Foreign Language | |||||
| Course Level | - | |||||
| Mode of Delivery | - | |||||
| Teaching Methods and Techniques of the Course | ||||||
| Course Coordinator | ||||||
| Course Lecturer(s) | ||||||
| Assistant(s) | - | |||||
| Course Objectives | This course will examine the history of space exploration in a way accessible to motivated students of all majors and levels - not just engineers and scientists but also economists, fine artists, accountants, political scientists, musicians, philosophers, lawyers, movie makers and medical doctors. Analysis of the impact of space exploration will include industrial benefits, the novel phenomenon of commercial space and societal change from the artistic, literary, and philosophical standpoints including also the growing representation of women in the air and in space. Finally we shall consider the colonization of Mars and interdisciplinary issues such as nanotechnology and the dream of interstellar exploration. . This course will examine the history of space exploration in a way accessible to motivated students of all majors and levels - not just engineers and scientists but also economists, fine artists, accountants, political scientists, musicians, philosophers, lawyers, movie makers and medical doctors. Analysis of the impact of space exploration will include industrial benefits, the novel phenomenon of commercial space and societal change from the artistic, literary, and philosophical standpoints including also the growing representation of women in the air and in space. Finally we shall consider the colonization of Mars and interdisciplinary issues such as nanotechnology and the dream of interstellar exploration. . This course will examine the history of space exploration in a way accessible to motivated students of all majors and levels - not just engineers and scientists but also economists, fine artists, accountants, political scientists, musicians, philosophers, lawyers, movie makers and medical doctors. Analysis of the impact of space exploration will include industrial benefits, the novel phenomenon of commercial space and societal change from the artistic, literary, and philosophical standpoints including also the growing representation of women in the air and in space. Finally we shall consider the colonization of Mars and interdisciplinary issues such as nanotechnology and the dream of interstellar exploration. |
| Learning Outcomes | The students who succeeded in this course;
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| Course Description | The course provides a general introduction to the elements that make a space mission possible so that informed students can draw their own conclusions. It covers fundamental knowledge at the simplest mathematical level possible to allow students to judge technical claims independently. Case histories about several programs, both human and robotic, are analyzed to expose scientific, technological, and societal interactions. The students are exposed to the tools needed to develop personal critical thinking regarding space exploration, its benefits and its challenges. |
| Related Sustainable Development Goals |  |
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| Core Courses | |
| Major Area Courses | ||
| Supportive Courses | ||
| Media and Managment Skills Courses | ||
| Transferable Skill Courses |
| Week | Subjects | Required Materials |
| 1 | Introduction and general overview of the course and of the fundamental concepts. | Check the class syllabus |
| 2 | The dream of human flight: ancient sources in prose, poetry, and the figurative arts. | Lecture Notes |
| 3 | The Scientific Revolution: Dynamics (almost) without math and the reason things moves as they do | Lecture Notes |
| 4 | How to plan, prepare, and submit your projects without stress: Software, sources, and intellectual ethics | Lecture Notes |
| 5 | Space flight made easy and attractive 1: Your instruction manual to go from the ground to low earth orbit and back. | Lecture Notes |
| 6 | Connection between flight, rocketry and society in the early 20th century: Different countries, different stories. | Lecture Notes |
| 7 | Review | Lecture Notes |
| 8 | Space flight made easy and attractive 2: Your instruction manual to go from low earth orbit to the moon and back. | Lecture Notes |
| 9 | Spaceflight in modern art: music, film, and literature | Lecture Notes |
| 10 | Women in the space program. The success story. | Lecture Notes |
| 11 | Spaceflight made easy and attractive 3: Your instruction manual to go from low earth orbit to Mars and back. | Lecture Notes |
| 12 | Spaceflight meets entrepreneurship: Space tourism and commercial space | Lecture Notes |
| 13 | The open frontier: Interstellar travel and the amazing technologies to make it possible. | Lecture Notes |
| 14 | Review | Lecture Notes |
| 15 | Review | Lecture Notes |
| 16 | Final | Lecture Notes |
| Course Notes/Textbooks | Lecture Notes, Fabrizio Pinto |
| Suggested Readings/Materials |
| Semester Activities | Number | Weigthing |
| Participation | ||
| Laboratory / Application | ||
| Field Work | ||
| Quizzes / Studio Critiques | ||
| Portfolio | ||
| Homework / Assignments | ||
| Presentation / Jury | ||
| Project | 3 | 60 |
| Seminar / Workshop | ||
| Oral Exam | ||
| Midterm | ||
| Final Exam | 1 | 40 |
| Total |
| Weighting of Semester Activities on the Final Grade | 3 | 60 |
| Weighting of End-of-Semester Activities on the Final Grade | 1 | 40 |
| Total |
| Semester Activities | Number | Duration (Hours) | Workload |
|---|---|---|---|
| Course Hours (Including exam week: 16 x total hours) | 16 | 3 | 48 |
| Laboratory / Application Hours (Including exam week: 16 x total hours) | 16 | ||
| Study Hours Out of Class | 16 | 5 | 80 |
| Field Work | |||
| Quizzes / Studio Critiques | |||
| Portfolio | |||
| Homework / Assignments | |||
| Presentation / Jury | |||
| Project | 3 | 6 | |
| Seminar / Workshop | |||
| Oral Exam | |||
| Midterms | |||
| Final Exams | 1 | 4 | |
| Total | 150 |
| # | Program Competencies/Outcomes | * Contribution Level | ||||
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 1 | To be able to have a grasp of basic mathematics, applied mathematics or theories and applications of statistics. | |||||
| 2 | To be able to use advanced theoretical and applied knowledge, interpret and evaluate data, define and analyze problems, develop solutions based on research and proofs by using acquired advanced knowledge and skills within the fields of mathematics or statistics. | |||||
| 3 | To be able to apply mathematics or statistics in real life phenomena with interdisciplinary approach and discover their potentials. | |||||
| 4 | To be able to evaluate the knowledge and skills acquired at an advanced level in the field with a critical approach and develop positive attitude towards lifelong learning. | |||||
| 5 | To be able to share the ideas and solution proposals to problems on issues in the field with professionals, non-professionals. | |||||
| 6 | To be able to take responsibility both as a team member or individual in order to solve unexpected complex problems faced within the implementations in the field, planning and managing activities towards the development of subordinates in the framework of a project. | |||||
| 7 | To be able to use informatics and communication technologies with at least a minimum level of European Computer Driving License Advanced Level software knowledge. | |||||
| 8 | To be able to act in accordance with social, scientific, cultural and ethical values on the stages of gathering, implementation and release of the results of data related to the field. | |||||
| 9 | To be able to possess sufficient consciousness about the issues of universality of social rights, social justice, quality, cultural values and also environmental protection, worker's health and security. | |||||
| 10 | To be able to connect concrete events and transfer solutions, collect data, analyze and interpret results using scientific methods and having a way of abstract thinking. | |||||
| 11 | To be able to collect data in the areas of Mathematics or Statistics and communicate with colleagues in a foreign language. | |||||
| 12 | To be able to speak a second foreign language at a medium level of fluency efficiently. | |||||
| 13 | To be able to relate the knowledge accumulated throughout the human history to their field of expertise. | |||||
*1 Lowest, 2 Low, 3 Average, 4 High, 5 Highest
