EPS 106, Freshman Seminar in
Earth and Planetary Sciences,
Exploring Planets: Current Missions
Course Description: Presentation & discussion of currently active space exploration missions investigating planets in our Solar System and beyond. Each week, a different mission (or two) will be discussed, including science context and objectives, and new discoveries. We will discuss as a class why and how we explore other planets and Solar System objects. Each student will be responsible for collecting background information and leading discussion for one (or two) mission(s). Several class periods will include presentations by EPSc faculty or researchers who are active participants in a planetary mission (for example, MER, MSL, MRO, LRO, New Horizons).
Professors: Brad
Jolliff and Bill McKinnon (Spring 2018)
Credits: 1. Meet once per week for one hour
Class times: Mondays, 3:10-4:00 (Room 184)
(Spring Semester 2018)
Text: selected readings from the National Academy of ScienceÕs Vision and Voyages, Solar System Exploration Decadal Survey, and Pathways to Exploration: Rationales and Approaches for a U.S. Program of Human Space Exploration, as well as recent popular articles and various mission-descriptive internet sources (NASA, ESA, JPL, APL)
Vision and
Voyages for
Planetary Science in the Decade 2013-2022
solarsystem.nasa.gov/docs/Vision_and_Voyages-FINAL.pdf
Grading:
Mission Presentation(s)
Ð Preparation (15%)
Ð Presentation (15%)
Attendance (20%)
Class Participation
(30%)
Project (20%)
Course Outline: EPSc 106, Exploring Planets |
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week |
date |
schedule (topics and order to be set at beginning of
semester) |
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1 |
1/17 |
Introductions, Recent and Current Missions |
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2 |
1/24 |
Decadal Survey & Pathways to Exploration: |
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3 |
1/31 |
MER: Exploring Mars with the Twin Rovers |
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4 |
2/7 |
*Cassini Ð Farewell to SaturnÕs Flagship mission |
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5 |
2/14 |
New Horizons Ð the Pluto System and Beyond |
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6 |
2/21 |
*Dawn: exploring Vesta and Ceres |
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7 |
2/28 |
MSL Curiosity roving in Gale Crater, Mars |
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8 |
3/7 |
*Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), Odyssey, MAVEN and MOM at Mars |
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9 |
3/14 |
Spring Break |
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10 |
3/21 |
Lunar & Planetary Sci. Conf., no class; work on Essay |
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11 |
3/28 |
*Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter |
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12 |
4/4 |
*OSIRIS-REx and other asteroid exploration missions |
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13 |
4/11 |
*Looking forward: Plans for Europa and Ocean Worlds |
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14 |
4/18 |
Student Group Project Presentations |
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15 |
4/25 |
Student Group Project Presentations |
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Project: Design a mission to explore a planet or moon (student groups) |
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Essay: What should be the exploration priorities for the Solar System and why? Robotic exploration, human explorationÉ |
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Planetarium / Observatory visit, schedule permitting |
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- will
schedule for an evening, around the middle of the semester |
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*Presentation
of missions and discussion of science and technology objectives.
Short presentations given by students & instructors, followed by class
discussion.
See below for currently active missions
Currently active
missions:
From the Planetary Society:
http://www.planetary.org/multimedia/space-images/charts/whats-up-in-the-solar-system-frohn.html