Introduction to Course (16.423): Aerospace Physiology and Life Support Systems Engineering

Grading (HW and participation 20%, Quizzes (2) 20% each, Electronic Portfolio/Lecture (Term Project) 40%)

Background in control theory and quantitative physiology are helpful. A heavy reading load in the beginning of the course to get you up to speed.

"What are you? From where did you come? I have never seen anything like you." The Creator Raven looked at the Human and was...surprised to find that this strange new being was so much like himself. - An Eskimo creation myth

Syllabus for 16.423: Aerospace Physiology and Life Support Engineering

	Part I: Aerospace Bioengineering	Important Dates
9/10/98	Aerospace History: From the Earth to the Moon	1) Guyton: Aero. Phys 2) Space environment
9/15/98	HTML tutorial	Life on Mars?
9/17/98	Space Environment: Artificial gravity
9/22/98	Physiological deconditioning	HW#1 handed out
9/24/98	Fundamental muscle mechanics
9/29/98	Reflexes and motor control Spindle and stretch reflex online	Recitation (9/28/98): Simulink HW#1 due
10/1/98	Posture control Control of Muscle Tone and Posture online	HW#2 handed out
10/6/98	Motor/Posture control (continued) Summary and Graphic Illustrations	Media Center (26-139) 2-4 pm
10/8/98	Musculoskeletal Modeling Spindle Model, Muscle Fibers Model Muscle Links	HW#2 due Simulink Muscle Atrophy Model
10/13/98	Monday Class schedule	Media Center (26-139) 2-4 pm
10/15/98	Skeletal consequences of Space Flight
10/20/98	Media Center (26-139),	2-4 pm
10/22/98	Spacesuits: The World's Smallest Spacecraft	Response to high and low gravity environments
10/27/98	Flight Experiments: Case studies	Media Center (26-139) 2-4 pm
10/29/98	Quiz 1	New! 3D Tension-Length-Velocity (Matlab courtesy of J. Saleh)
	Part II: Life Support Systems Engineering
11/3/98	No Lecture	Media Center (26-139), 2-4 pm
11/5/98	Environmental considerations: hyperbaric physiology
11/10/98	Term Projects: in-class activity	Media Center (26-139) 2-4 pm
11/12/98	Individual life support systems: Extravehicular Activity (EVA)	Project Status Report
11/17/98	Mir Life Support Systems	Media Center (26-139) 2-4 pm
11/19/98	Physical-Chemical life support subsystems	Hamilton Standard Industry Day, leave MIT at 7 am
11/24/98	More on Mir LSS Bioregenerative life support concepts	Media Center (26-139) 2-4 pm
11/26-27/98	Thanksgiving vacation
12/1/98	Mir Mishaps and Course Summary	Media Center (26-139) 2-4 pm
12/3/98	Student presentations - all term projects due
12/8/98	Student presentations
12/10/98	Oral Quiz 2

There is no basic text for the course due to the multidisciplinary nature of the topics covered. Course handouts cover most lecture topics. Mandatory background physiology reading will be provided the first week of class. Eckart's Spaceflight Life Support and Biospherics is the best reference for the second half of the course; the book is recommended and orders will be placed in September.

Reference texts for the course include:

Spaceflight Life Support and Biospherics, P. Eckart, Microcosm Press, Torrance, CA 1998.

Fundamentals of Aerospace Medicine, edited by R. L. Hart, Lee & Febiger, 1985.

Introduction to Space Life Sciences, S. Churchill, ed., 1998, Kleger Press, Orion Books.

Textbook of Medical Physiology, Guyton, ed., WB Saunders, 1991.

Designing for Human Presence in Space: An Introduction to Environmental Control and Life Support Systems, P. O. Wieland, NASA Reference Publication, 1993.

Muscles, Reflexes, and Locomotion. T. A. McMahon, Princeton Univ. Press, 1984.