First-Year Opportunity: Exploring the Planets

1 unit

How do humans explore other worlds? This course will introduce how NASA and other space agencies explore our Solar System and beyond. The first part of the course will describe why we explore planets, and how decisions are made as to what missions to fly; the latter portion of the course then focuses on past, current, and planned missions to major Solar System bodies. Course content will include faculty- and guest lecturer-led presentations on spacecraft mission design and how missions are implemented. Students will give individual presentations on a planetary body of their choice, and will work in groups to study spacecraft missions currently in flight.