Ph.D. Program of Study for Spacecraft Dynamics and Control

“The area of dynamics includes the study of vehicle dynamics, stability, and trajectories in the space, atmosphere, and ocean environments. The area of control includes the study of modern control theory and applications to the guidance and control of vehicles.”

These guidelines are intended for PhD students preparing a program of study with research in the field of spacecraft dynamics and control.

Advisory Committee

  • Five members, at least three on the AOE faculty
  • Advisor (Chairman) must be a member of the resident Virginia Tech faculty, but is not required to be a member of the AOE Faculty

Plan of Study

  • Prepare early in 2nd semester
  • Approved by Advisor, Advisory Committee, Department Graduate Committee Chairman, Department Head, and Dean of the Graduate School

Course Requirements

  • 90 hours required with ≥30 and ≤60 thesis/dissertation credits (AOE 5994/7994)
  • ≥ 30 hours required coursework
  • 27 hours required >5000-level
  • 18 hours of 5974 and 5984 allowed
  •  4 hours of unstructured seminar courses (not including AOE seminar)
  • one full, normally continuous, academic year (24 credit hours) requiredin residence, earning 15 credit hours of course work (not research 7994)
  • 42 transfer credit hours,  10 for the Master’s thesis, all with B (3.0/4.0)
  • Required courses before taking Preliminary Written Examination (21 credits)
  • AOE 4404 Applied Numerical Methods (Spring)
  • AOE 5024 Vehicle Structures (Fall)
  • AOE 5104 Advanced Aero and Hydrodynamics (Fall)
  • AOE 5204 Vehicle Dynamics and Control (Fall)
  • AOE 5224 Linear Optimal Control Systems
  • AOE 5234 Orbital Mechanics
  • AOE 5244 Optimization Techniques
  • Required courses before taking Final Examination (21 credits)
  • AOE 6214 Topics in Mechanics and Control of Flight
  • AOE 6244 Advanced Optimization Techniques
  • Summary: 12 credits specified + 9 credits electives + 10 credits thesis = 31 > 30

Recommended Technical Electives for a Space-Flavored Degree

AOE 4140Spacecraft Attitude Dynamics and Control (Spring)

AOE 4174Spacecraft Propulsion (Spring)

AOE 5034Vehicle Structural Dynamics (Spring)

ECPE 4164Intro to GPS Theory/Design (Fall)

ECPE 4644Satellite Communications (Spring)

ESM 5754Intro to Perturbation Methods (Fall)

ESM 5314Intermediate Dynamics (Spring) [this can substitute for AOE 5234 Orbital Mechanics, a Ph.D. required course usually offered every other year]

ESM 5414Nonlinear Systems (Spring)

ESM 6314Advanced Dynamics (Fall)

Recommendations for 8 semesters

Only take 2 courses per semester, with Seminar (1 credit 5944) and Thesis (5 credits 5994)

Here I’m using BOLD to indicate REQUIRED.

Fall 1:AOE 5204Vehicle D&C includes some Spacecraft D&C topics

ECPE 4164GPS course with lab

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Spring 1:AOE 4404Numerical methods are always helpful

AOE 4140Attitude or Propulsion

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Fall 2:AOE 5104 Aero/hydro

AOE 5024Structures (maybe take this Fall 1 and then
AOE 5034 Structural Dynamics Spring 1 as Elective)

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Spring 2:AOE 5224Optimal control (maybe take this Fall 1)

AOE 4984Propulsion or Attitude

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