MAE 4560/5560: Bioastronautics and Human Performance

The goal of this course is to introduce students to human spaceflight, and current physiological and psychological aspects affecting human performance during space missions using a quantitative approach and engineering methods. Topics include engineering principles of human spaceflight technologies such as extra-vehicular activity (EVA) or life support systems (LSS), and quantitative modeling of several physiological systems and their changes in partial gravity environments, including bone loss, muscle atrophy, biomechanical changes, sensory-motor deconditioning, and cardiovascular adaptation. In addition, a number of aerospace human factors, including psychological issues, fatigue, lack of training, and overreliance on automation, are also addressed. MAE 4050 students (3 credits) engage in a 2-4 person final project. MAE 5050 students (4 credits) also conduct an in-depth study of a human spaceflight problem to be integrated with the final project.