ASTR 4800 – Space Science:
Practice & Policy
Fall 2007
Duane E-126
MWF 1:00 – 1:50 pm
Professor
Department of Astrophysical & Planetary Sciences
Office: Duane D311
Office Hours: MW 2:00-3:00 pm or by appointment
Phone: 303-735-0963
E-mail: jack.burns@cu.edu
Web page: http://solo.colorado.edu/~jaburns
Required Text: The Heaven and the Earth: A Political History
of the Space Age, 1997 by Walter A. McDougall, Johns
Course Description: Students will be exposed
to current controversies in science that illustrate the scientific method and
the interplay of observation, theory, and science policy. Students will
research and debate both sides of the issues, which include strategies and
spin-offs of space exploration, funding of science, big vs. small science, and
scientific heresy and fraud. Approved for the arts and sciences core
curriculum: critical thinking.
Course Prerequisites: ASTR 1110 and 1120, or
equivalent, or PHYS 1110 and 1120, or PHYS 2010 and 2020.
Course Objectives:
- How does NASA’s history give us perspective on the Agency’s present programs and its Vision for Space Exploration?
- What is the rationale for federal support of scientific research in space, in particular, astronomy? What fraction of the federal budget goes to basic science? To astronomy? What federal agencies support astronomy and what are their missions?
- How do scientists interact with policymakers in Congress and the White House? How are scientific priorities established? How is the budget allocated? How/when do scientists bring issues to the attention of policy makers? How/when do policy makers seek information from scientists?
- What
are the scientific objectives, costs, and scientific impact of current
space astronomy instruments such as the Hubble Space Telescope and
Cassini, and such future missions such as the New Horizons Pluto probe and
lunar-based telescopes?
Strategies for Reaching the Objectives:
· Text
chapters and other web materials should be read and thoughtfully analyzed
before class so that you are prepared to discuss issues, articulate insights,
evaluate others’ ideas, and defend your own ideas. Participate in discussions
of topics by asking original questions, bringing in outside research articles
to share with the class, and relating your own experiences or observations.
· Find
time to read updates and articles on NASA and the space program at least
weekly. You will be asked to discuss one or more such articles in class
and how these articles relate to the learning objectives. Some potential
resources include Space News (published weekly and in the library) as
well as on-line sites such www.space.com, www.spacedaily.com, www.thespacereview.com, and http://science.nasa.gov.
· Make
PowerPoint presentation to the class at least once during the semester showing
your in-depth research on one of the themes, topics, missions, policies, or
science issues in the class schedule (see last section of this syllabus).
· Begin
research early on your mid-term and final papers.
· Late
assignments will not be accepted unless arrangements were made in
advance.
Class Web page: http://solo.colorado.edu/jaburns/Astr4800Fall07
Exams:
Short essay examinations will be given three times during the semester.
These exams will ask you to discuss, analyze, and interpret issues presented in
class.
Class Presentations: Every student will make at least one PowerPoint presentation to the class on one of a topics described below under Planned Class Schedule or will participate as part of a team in one of the debate topics. Careful preparation, including at least one meeting with the Professor, good presentation materials, practice, and reading materials for the class will all contribute to this portion of the grade.
Archive of “Space in the News” articles
Papers: Two papers will be written during the semester. The first midterm paper is a 5 page essay on your choice of topics relating broadly to Space Science and/or Space Policy; topics must be approved in advance. The final paper, in lieu of a Final Exam, will be a 10 page essay that will describe your vision of NASA if you were selected as the next NASA Administrator in 2009 (including vision, goals, programs, budget, Congressional strategy).
Daily class attendance is expected and is an individual
responsibility. An occasional interview or illness may cause you to miss class,
but excessive absences will be penalized in the point distribution system. If
you need to miss class, please let me know before class via E-mail or a written
note.
Religious Observances:
Campus policy
regarding religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to
reasonably and fairly deal with all students who, because of religious
obligations, have conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required
attendance. In this class, please contact me in advance of the religious
observation to make arrangements. See details at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html.
Sexual Harassment:
The
Classroom Behavior:
Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Students who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Faculty have the professional responsibility to treat all students with understanding, dignity and respect, to guide classroom discussion and to set reasonable limits on the manner in which they and their students express opinions. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender variance, and nationalities. See policies at http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html and at http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student_code.
Academic Integrity:
All students of the
When in doubt about plagiarism, paraphrasing, quoting,
or collaboration, consult with me.
Disability Services:
If you qualify for accommodations because of a disability,
please submit to me a letter from Disability Services in a timely manner so
that your needs may be addressed. Disability Services determines
accommodations based on documented disabilities. Contact:
303-492-8671, Willard 322, and www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices.
Disability Services’ letters for students with disabilities indicate legally
mandated reasonable accommodations. The syllabus statements and answers
to Frequently Asked Questions can be found at www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices.
E-Mail:
I will be communicating weekly with you via E-mail on class
assignments, reading articles, paper preparation, etc. It is essential that you log onto your official CU E-mail
account at least twice weekly to read these communications!
Grading:
15% Class participation
30% Exams
20% Class Presentations
35% Mid-term and final papers
Archive of “Space in the News” articles
Schedule of “Space in the News” articles
Schedule of Class PowerPoint Presentations and
Debates
Planned Class Schedule
- Week 1: Overview and Before Sputnik
- August 27 Introductions and Course Overview, Syllabus
- August 29 Introduction
to Outer Space
- August 31 Beginnings
of the Space Race: The
- Reading: Chapters 2 of McDougall: “The Cold War
and Sputnik”
- Week 2: Establishing
- September 3 Labor Day –
No class
- September 5 Beginnings
of the Space Race: The
- Web links: Inflation
calculator and AAAS Federal
Budget Analysis for FY07/08
- September 7 Eisenhower
and The Endless Frontier
- Week 3:
- September 10 The Birth of
NASA
- September 12 Khrushchev
and U.S.S.R. Space Policies
- September 14 Kennedy’s Vision for the U.S. Space Program
- Week 4: The Apollo Program
- September 17 The Apollo
Program
- September 19 Exam 1—Solution set here
- September 21 Legacies of
Apollo
- Week 5: Space Shuttle, Gathering Storm
Report, NASA Budget
- September 24 The Space
Shuttle – Guest Lecture by Admiral Richard Truly, former NASA
Administrator
- Reading: Brief biography
of Richard Truly and History
of the Space Shuttle (web links here)
- Pictures
from Admiral Truly’s visit to class here.
- September
26 Rising Above the Gathering Storm – Report by the
- September 28 NASA’s
Budget
- Reading: Summary of NASA’s Budget Request
for FY08 (web link here)
- Week 6: Space Entrepreneurship and
- October 1 Public-Private Spaceports
- October 3 Space Tourism
- October 5 ESA Space
Program
- Week 7: Vision for Space Exploration
and A Return to the Moon
- October 8 Evolution of NASA Strategy toward
Human Spaceflight – Guest Lecture by Dr.
Wendell Mendell, NASA/JSC
- Dr. Mendell’s PowerPoint slides from his public
lecture here on the Constellation
Program.
- Picture
of Dr. Mendell preparing for his public lecture.
- October 10 Back to the Moon, Back to the Future – Fiske
Planetarium Lecture by J. Burns
- October 12 HST SM-4 Reservicing
- Week 8: Mock House Subcommittee on
Space & Aeronautics Hearing
- October 15, 17, 19 Overview of how NASA’s budget bill is passed through
Congress & Mock Hearing
- Pictures
of students in action on the mock hearing.
- Week 9: Mars
- October
22 What have we
learned so far about Mars?
- October 24 Exam 2 – Solution set here.
- October 26 Robotic Exploration of Mars – Guest Lecture by Professor Brian Hynek, LASP/Geology
- Week 10: Robotic Exploration of the
Solar System
- October 29 Cassini at
Saturn – Guest Lecture by Professor Larry Esposito
- October 31 New Horizons
at Pluto – Dr. John Spencer, Southwest Research Institute
- Midterm paper due
- November 2 Q&A
Session via telephone with NASA Administrator Michael Griffin
- Week 11: Hubble Space Telescope and
the James Webb Space Telescope
- November 5 Science with the Hubble Space Telescope
- November
7 Building the
Hubble Space Telescope – Guest Lecture by Dr. Dennis Ebbets, Ball
Aerospace
- November 9 The James
Webb Space Telescope
- Week 12: Search for Extrasolar
Planets, Astrobiology, & Life in the Universe Debate
- November 12 NASA Science
Flagship
- November 14 Astrobiology
- November 16 Life in the
Universe Debate
- Week 13: Thanksgiving Fall Break
- Week 14: Science with Flagship
Telescopes
- November 26 NASA’s
Science Missions – Q&A with Dr.
- November 28 Flagship Science
- November 30 In Search of
Extrasolar Planets: The New Worlds Observer – Guest Lecture by Professor
Webster Cash, APS/CASA
- Week 15: The Sun and Space Weather
- December 3 Space
Radiation Hazards – Guest Lecture by Professor
- December 5 Exam 3 – solution set here.
- December 7 The Sun and Space Weather
- Week 16: Global Warming & Debate on Climate Change
- December 10 Global Warming – Guest Lecture by Professor Lisa Dilling, CU Environmental Studies
- December 12 Debate on Global Climate Change
- December 14 The Space Scientist as an Honest Broker in Space Policy
- December 17, 1:30 pm to 4:00 pm
- Final Paper due
- Student Presentations on the following: