Program Overview

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University of Chinese Academy of Sciences

The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences offers a comprehensive program in Introduction to Aerospace Flight.

Introduction to Aerospace Flight

Course Title

Introduction to Aerospace Flight

Course Attribute

Specialized Elective Course

Hours/Credits

40 hours/2 credits

Pre-courses

• Advanced Mathematics
• Fluid Mechanics

Purpose and Requirements

Through lectures, perceptual practice, and model touching, students establish a preliminary understanding of the aerospace flight knowledge hierarchy. The course aims to develop students' interest in aerospace flight.

Course Summary

The course is divided into six chapters:

Chapter 1: Overview of Aerospace Flight Development (5 hours)

1. Introduction: Course description, early developments (1 hour)
2. Basic concepts of aerospace flight: aviation, aerospace, near space, types of aircraft (1 hour)
3. Brief history of aviation development: worldwide and in China (1.5 hours)
4. Brief history of astronautics development: worldwide and in China (1.5 hours)

Chapter 2: Principles of Aerospace Vehicles Flight (10 hours)

1. Geospace environment and solar/interplanetary space environment (0.5 hours)
2. Basic concepts of gas flow: aerodynamics, compressibility, viscosity (2.5 hours)
3. Principle of aircraft flight: lift, wing theory, high lift devices (2 hours)
4. Principles of high-speed and supersonic flight: wave drag, hypersonic flight (1 hour)
5. Principle of space flight: Kepler's law, cosmic velocity, two-body problem (2 hours)
6. Principle of rocket propulsion: thrust formula, Tsiolkovsky formula (1 hour)
7. Principles of Stability and Control: flight vehicle performance, stability (1 hour)

Chapter 3: Flight Propulsion Devices and Propulsion Principle (7 hours)

1. Classification and characteristics of engines (0.5 hours)
2. Rocket engines: liquid, solid, hybrid rocket motors (1.5 hours)
3. Airbreathing engines: piston, turbojet, turbofan, ramjet engines (2 hours)
4. New advanced engines: scramjet, detonation engines, hybrid propulsion (2 hours)
5. Propulsion devices for deep space exploration: electric, nuclear, solar propulsion (1 hour)

Chapter 4: Composition of Aircraft and its Function (7 hours)

1. Main components of an aircraft and their functions: fuselage, wing, tail wing (1 hour)
2. Main components of rockets and their functions: launch vehicles, missiles (1 hour)
3. Spacecraft structure: manned spacecraft, space shuttle, space probe, satellite (2 hours)
4. Flight vehicle navigation and flight control system: navigation systems, control systems (2 hours)
5. Ground facilities and safeguard systems: spaceflight launch sites, mobile launchers (1 hour)

Chapter 5: Aerospace Systems Engineering and Design (5 hours)

1. Introduction to Engineering: history, definition, category of aerospace engineering (0.5 hours)
2. Brief introduction to aerospace vehicle system engineering and design (0.5 hours)
3. Test Facility and Technology: wind tunnels (2 hours)
4. Development trend of aerospace flight: high velocity, integration, stealth technology (1 hour)

Chapter 6: Manned Space Flight and Deep Space Exploration (1 hour)

Utilizing space, industrial, political, economic, and international laws.

Extra Class

• Review class: 2 hours
• Perceptual practice class: 2 hours, China Aviation Museum or Beijing Air and Space Museum

Assessment Methods

Assignments (50%) + final examination (50%) (closed-book)

Course Text

John D. Anderson Jr., Introduction to Flight (Seventh Edition), McGraw-Hill Education, 2012

Relevant Texts

• Tsien Hsueh-Sen, Introduction to Interstellar Navigation, China Astronautic Publishing House, 2008
• Yuhong Jia, Introduction to Aerospace (Fourth Edition), Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics Press, 2017
• Qizheng Hu, An Introduction to Astronautics (First Edition), China Science and Technology Press, 2010

Teacher's Profile

Yue Lianjie, Professor, Ph.D. supervisor, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Vita

• 2003.1-present: Professor, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
• 2006: Visiting scholar, The University of Queensland
• 2003.1: Postdoctoral, Institute of Mechanics, Chinese Academy of Sciences
• 2000.7: Ph.D., Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics

Research Interest

Hypersonic Airbreathing Propulsion

Research Projects

National Natural Science Foundation projects

Main Official Duties

• Member: Fifteenth Editorial Committee of "Journal of Propulsion Technology"
• Committee of "Chinese Aerodynamics Research Society"
• Vice-Chairman: Committee of Engine Aerodynamic Technology

Awards

The second "Xing Zhou" award, 2015