Engrg Life Support Systems

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Contents 1 General Course Information 1.1 Instructors 1.2 TAs 1.3 Office Hours 1.4 Contact Information 2 Course Description 3 Learning Objectives 4 Required Materials 5 Course Rules 5.1 Class Participation 5.1.1 Reading Assignments 5.2 Examinations 5.3 Homework 5.4 Design Project 5.5 Academic Integrity 6 Proposed Schedule 7 Supplemental Files

General Course Information

Instructors

TAs

Office Hours

Contact Information

Course Description

Topics in the design of long-term life support systems focusing on their relevance to both spacecraft and terrestrial ecosystem design. Introduction to system modeling, analysis, and design techniques. The course will be taught in a problem oriented style where topics are introduced via readings in the scientific literature and the techniques utilized to analyze the system are considered within specific contexts. Students will be expected to contribute to class discussions and maintain a high standard for technical writing. Laboratory exercises allow students to gain hands-on experience with analysis techniques.

Learning Objectives

1. To be able to describe the key aspects of several ecosystems on varying scales spanning from the microbial, to the spacecraft, to the biospheric.
2. To be able to determine the key mathematical modeling and analysis tools utilized to study ecosystems.
3. To be able to analyze and debate the quality of the analysis and implementation of biological systems.
4. To be able to analyze novel ecological systems and write an analysis plan for their future development and implementation.

Required Materials

• Eckart, Peter, Spaceflight Life Support and Biospherics, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Boston, 1996.

Course Rules

All students will begin the semester with zero points. Points shall be accumulated throughout the semester based on the evaluations listed in Table 1. Both absolute and curved grades will be determined based on the graded evaluations and the proportions described in Table 1. The better of the two grades on the respective scales will constitute the final grade.

Table 1. Grade contributions

Evaluation	Proportion of Grade
Class Participation	10%
Exam I	20%
Final Exam	30%
Homework	10%
Design Project	30%

Class Participation

Examinations

Homework

Design Project

A design project will be assigned on the first day of class. A mid-term project review will be presented at the mid-term of the semester. A final project presentation will occur in the last week of classes. A formal report of design topic, analysis approaches, and recommendations shall be turned in with the final project presentation.

Academic Integrity

Proposed Schedule

Table 2. Proposed ABE 498 Schedule for Spring 2007

Dates	Topic	Reading Assignments	Analytical Tools
January 14, 16, 18	Introduction Design Projects Fundamentals of Ecology	tbd	n/a
23, 25	Fundamentals of Ecology	tbd	n/a
28, 30, February 1	The Terrestrial Environment The Extraterrestrial Environment	tbd	n/a
February 4, 6, 8	Fundamentals of Spacecraft Life Support	tbd	n/a
11, 13, 15	Fundamentals of Spacecraft Life Support Exam 1	tbd	n/a
18, 20, 22	Physico-chemical Life Support Air Revitalization	tbd	n/a
25, 27, 29	Physico-chemical Life Support Water Management	tbd	n/a
March 3, 5, 7	Physico-chemical Life Support Waste Management Mid-term Project Reports	tbd	n/a
10, 12, 14	Bioregenerative Life Support Microbial Technologies	tbd	n/a
17, 19, 21	Spring Break	tbd	n/a
24, 26, 28	Bioregenerative Life Support Higher Plant-based Technologies Exam 2	tbd	n/a
31, April 2, 4	Bioregenerative Life Support Food Processing Technologies	tbd	n/a
April 7, 9, 11	Earth Based Analogies Biosphere 2	tbd	n/a
14, 16, 18	Earth Based Analogies Designed Terrestrial Ecosystems	tbd	n/a
21, 23, 25	Earth Based Analogies Green Architecture	tbd	n/a
28, 30	Review Final Project Reports	tbd	n/a

FINAL EXAM: tbd

Supplemental Files