PtyS
Office: 417 Space Sciences
Office hours: by appointment
Telephone: 621-6942
Email: follow this link to
the LPL directory
Objectives: Why do we have a space program? Humans have been exploring our solar system with manned and unmanned spacecraft for 50 years. In fiscal year 2013, US taxpayers will spend about $18 billion, or about 1/2 % of the federal budget, to support NASA. In this colloquium we will do some of our own exploring -- why are we doing this, and how does the US government decide what to do in space? We will look at the history of the space enterprise and the role of scientists. We will critically examine the basic human drives and the assumptions, some perhaps mistaken, that lie behind space exploration.
Requirements: Your grade will
be based on attendance (10%) and on the quality and originality
of your term paper (90%). Your term
paper is to be prepared as both a written (digital) and oral
presentation. Your oral
presentation will be scheduled for about 15-20 minutes during
one of the class periods. You
should turn in a digital file of your paper before you present
it. Your
attendance grade will be based on participation in class
discussion as well as just being present. You
may be excused from a class meeting by getting permission in
advance from the instructor, or by providing a statement from
the Dean of Students. There will be no tests or other
assignments.
Students with
Disabilities:
If you anticipate barriers related
to the format or requirements of this course, please meet with
me so that we can discuss ways to ensure your full
participation in the course. If you determine that
disability-related accommodations are necessary, please
register with Disability Resources (621-3268; drc.arizona.edu)
and notify me of your eligibility for reasonable
accommodations. We can then plan how best to coordinate your
accommodations.
Classroom Decorum: Be courteous to the instructor and to your fellow students by arriving on time and remaining attentive throughout the class period. Turn off cell phones and other electronic devices.
Schedule: (subject to change)
Jan. 9 Ð Introduction
Jan. 16 Ð How the laws of
physics govern space travel
Jan. 23 Ð Science
fiction and its effect on the space program
Jan. 30 Ð Political
considerations Ð early history
Feb. 6 Ð More space history
Feb. 13 Ð Scientific and political
considerations
Feb. 15: news about the
Chelyabinsk explosion
Feb. 20 Ð Discussion of 2012 DA14 and Chelyabinsk
Feb. 27 Ð Current space politics
Mar. 6 Ð Threats from space Ð real and imagined
Mar. 13 Ð Spring Break - no class
Mar. 20 Ð
Anand Patel, Jesus Rivera, Samuel Seeger
Mar. 27 Ð Josh Ritter, Nicole Fafard, Sochil
Enriquez
Apr. 3 Ð Katarina Saiza, Mateo Rivera-currier, Ryan
Toomey
Apr. 10 Ð
David Tabata, Miles Rehwoldt,
Bella Gomez
Apr. 17 Ð No class (Juno team meeting)