Aerospace Engineering/Astronautics Track
Midshipmen select the Aerospace Engineering Major in their 4/C freshman) year, and further specify the Astronautics Track in their 3/C (sophomore) year. All aerospace engineering students will take the major's required core courses, their track specific courses, and a capstone design project. A typical course matrix for the four-year program is shown below:
Classroom Facilities
Midshipmen classes in the Astronautics Track of the Aerospace Engineering Department are conducted in the laboratory classroom section of the SSEL. Both classroom lectures and laboratories are conducted in the classroom during the academic year. Each desk contains a computer and monitor, with an astro-specific software package, including STK Viewer, GNU Radio, SATPC32, KiCad, Matlab, and Solid Works. Each lab table contains a complete set of test equipment for lab coursework, including a function generator, spectrum analyzer, nano-vector network analyzer, antenna analyzer, battery analyzer, soldering iron, multimeter, power supply, microcontroller board, software -defined radio, and electronic components. The lab classroom also contains a solar simulator, Helmholz coils and GPS repeater.
SSEL Classroom
SSEL Laboratory Activities
1/C YEAR
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| C&DH |
Comms |
Antennas/Transmission Lines |
ADCS |
2/C YEAR
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| Amateur Radio Exam |
Aero/ECE Antenna Design |
Power/Diode Lab |
Antenna Patterns |
3/C YEAR
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| EPS |
Communications |
Rocket Flight |
ADCS |
Satellite Ops |
INTER-SERVICE ACADEMY COLLABORATIONS
To provide midshipmen satellite operation training with networked ground stations in an educational environment, USNA partnered with USAFA in Fall 2023 for joint operations on the USAFA's FalconSAT program. In October 2023, USAFA cadets spent a week in Annapolis with midshipmen, training and qualifying them on operational procedures. Similar partnerships in both satellite development and operations are ongoing with USMA and USCGA, with inter-academy visits between midshipmen and cadets for project collaboration.
OUTREACH
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| Naval Academy Summer Seminar |
Naval Academy Summer STEM Camp |
