Chandra X-Ray Observatory Tour
Dr. Herman L. Marshall
Fri Jan 21, 02-03:00pm, Lobby of NE-80, 11 AM Tour Cancelled
Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 20-Jan-2005
Limited to 24 participants.
Single session event
Prereq: N/A
Chandra is one of NASA's four great observatories, along with the Gamma Ray Observatory, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the recently launched Spitzer Space Telescope. Since its launch in July 1999, Chandra has been re-writing the textbooks on X-ray astronomy. The daily science and mission operations for this great observatory are performed right here in Cambridge. Participants will meet in the lobby of NE-80 a few minutes before the hour, and will be escorted into a secure area by the tour leader. For other tours to Chandra, see the Center for Space Research IAP listings: http://space.mit.edu/IAP/2005/activities.html
Web: http://chandra.nasa.gov/
Contact: Marie Stuppard, 33-208, x3-2279, mas@mit.edu
Cosponsor: Center for Space Research
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Charles Stark Draper Laboratory Tour
Prof. W.E. Vander Velde, George T. Schmidt
Wed Jan 19, 02-04:00pm, 555 Tech Square
Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 14-Jan-2005
Limited to 35 participants.
Single session event
Prereq: Must be a U.S. citizen or Green Card Holder.
We will begin with an introduction to the Draper Laboratory, its history, and major projects. We will then visit several areas of the Laboratory and see some of its project activities. Restricted to U.S. citizens or Green Card holders who must bring their Green Card to be admitted to the tour. Will depart from the Draper Lab Reception Lobby, 555 Technology Square, Cambridge (next to NE43).
Contact: Peggy Edwards, 37-367, x8-7390, margaret@mit.edu
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Do-It-Yourself Mock Aviation Accident Investigation
Brian Nield, Boeing Commercial Airplanes
Tue Jan 18, Wed Jan 19, Thu Jan 20, 09am-05:00pm, Room 33-116
Enrollment limited: advance sign up required (see contact below)
Signup by: 07-Jan-2005
Limited to 24 participants.
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: spreadsheet skills (Excel); some familiarity with aviation
Bermuda Airlines Flight 16 has crashed shortly after takeoff on its way to the United States. Work with your peers on a small, self-directed, investigative team to solve a realistic (but fictional) aircraft accident mystery. Learn about the real-world technical detective work that keeps aviation safe. New information on the crash will be given out each session as you piece together the facts to determine what caused the accident and present recommendations for improving flying safety. Note: This is the same problem that was offered during IAP 2004.
Contact: Liz Zotos, 37-219, x3-7805, zotos@mit.edu
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Highlights of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Prof. Wesley Harris
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants welcome at individual sessions (series)
Prereq: N/A
A series of lectures on the activities of the Aero/Astro Department will cover areas of interest in research, with oral presentations, films and/or demos and examples.
Contact: Marie Stuppard, 33-208, x3-2279, mas@mit.edu
Recent Results in Ultrawide Bandwidth Communications
Prof. Moe Win
TBA
Mon Jan 3, 03-04:00pm, Room 33-206
Automation Bias in Intelligent Time Critical Decision Support Systems
Prof. Missy Cummings
There are measurable costs to human performance when higher levels of automation are used, i.e. loss of situational awareness, complacency, skill degradation, & automation bias. We will discuss the influence of automation bias in intelligent decision support systems, mainly those in aviation domains, and how this bias affects system effectiveness.
Wed Jan 5, 02-03:00pm, Room 33-206
Wall Street Perspectives on the Aerospace/Defense Industry
Dr. Myles Walton, CIBC World Markets
Have you wondered about the connection between financial markets and aerospace/defense companies? An aerospace/defense stock analyst (and MIT Course XVI alum) will provide an in-depth look at how politics, business strategy, engineering excellence and financial execution all play into the valuation of a company.
Mon Jan 10, 02-03:30pm, Room 33-206
High-Speed Gas Bearings and Rotordynamics for Micro-Turbomachinery
Prof. Zoltan Spakovszky
Discussion of the analytical modeling,design,fabrication and experimental testing of high-speed hydrostatic gas bearings for the MIT micro-engine. Brief introduction of the hydrostatic gas bearing theory and outline of instability mechanisms in such bearings together with engineering solutions critical for stable high-speed bearing operation.
Thu Jan 13, 02-03:00pm, Room 33-206, Initially scheduled on 1/14.
Two Case Studies at Launch Vehicle Mishaps
Col. Peter Young
A discussion of the circumstances leading to two launch vehicle mishaps: a Titan IV expendable launch vehicle and a Pegasus XL winged launch vehicle mishap. Videos and slides will provide insight into the mishaps' 'root causes', and attendees will be provided insight into the operational decisions that were primary contributors to these accidents.
Tue Jan 18, 02-03:30pm, Room 33-206
Beyond GPS - Relative Navigation Systems
Prof. Eric Feron
Brief discussion of existing approaches & products for relative navigation systems & outline of drawbacks. Intro of a new product invented at MIT & developed by Nascent Tech Corp, aimed at measuring relative position & attitude between 2 systems using simple optical measurement systems & interferometry principles.
Wed Jan 19, 02-03:00pm, Room 33-206
Biosphere 2 - Lessons for Space Travel
Dr. Bruno Marino, Biosphere 2, Science Director
Biosphere 2, a closed ecological city constructed in the Arizona desert, provided the habitat for two separate crews to live and work in a sealed environment in the early 1990s. The outcome of these projects will be reviewed with emphasis on the lessons learned with applications to humans' long-duration space travel.
Thu Jan 20, 02-03:30pm, Room 33-206
From MIT to the Moon
Dr. Richard Battin
In 1961 President Kennedy announced that America would put a man on the moon and return him safely to earth before the end of the decade. Exactly 11 weeks later the MIT Instrumentation Lab was chosen by NASA to provide the guidance and navigation system for the Apollo spacecraft. Dr. Battin was there and will tell the story from the MIT viewpoint.
Mon Jan 24, 02-03:30pm, Room 33-206
Aluminum Alloy Products for the Aerospace Industry: Past, Present and Future
Dr. Hasso Weiland, Material Science, Alcoa Research Laboratory
The aluminum industry currently faces significant threads from increased application of composite materials in airframe design. New engineering and material solutions are needed. This presentation will briefly review the history of aluminum alloys in the aerospace industry, and discuss critical technology and R&D needs.
Wed Jan 26, 03-04:00pm, Room 33-206
What's Wrong with US Airlines?
Dr. Peter P. Belobaba, Program Manager, MIT Global Airline
The US airline industry is in the midst of a dramatic re-structuring, as legacy airlines struggle to survive while newer low-cost carriers continue to grow and operate profitably. We look at recent trends and the major shifts in passenger demand, airline pricing, and operating costs that have brought fundamental changes to this industry.
Thu Jan 27, 02-03:30pm, Room 33-206
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MIT Rocket Team Design Contest
Anna Mracek, Carl Dietrich
Mon Jan 3, 06:30-08:30pm, 41-116, Other meeting times TBA.
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Participants requested to attend all sessions (non-series)
Prereq: Machining skills are a plus.
The MIT Rocket Team - a student group , is holding a contest to see who can design and build the best liquid fuel rocket engine over IAP. There will be a few classes in basic rocket design and basic machine shop training and lots of support along the way. We will test all engines at the end of IAP and prizes will be awarded. Interested students MUST attend the first meeting on Monday, January 3, 2005, at 6:30pm.
Web: http://web.mit.edu/cats/www/
Contact: Anna Mracek, amracek@mit.edu
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Moon/Mars Exploration Mission Design: Discussion of Human Factors Issues
Dr. Charles Oman, Prof. Jeffrey Hoffman
Mon Jan 24, 09-11:00am, 33-206
No enrollment limit, no advance sign up
Single session event
NASA's Exploration Systems Mission Directorate is working with industry and universities to define "system of systems" architectures for missions to the Moon and Mars. Although it's recognized that humans are a critical element, as a simplifying assumption, preliminary conceptual studies have so far not deeply considered how the physiological, psychological and human-systems integration problems of spaceflight could impact mission design. We will discuss problems and potential solutions in areas such as bone and muscle degeneration and the pros and cons of artificial gravity, closed loop life support systems and atmospheres, EVA and self-sufficient surface operations using rovers and robots, medical support and training, etc.
Contact: Anton Aboukhalil, anton1@mit.edu
Cosponsor: Human Factors & Ergonomics Society
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Tours of Aero/Astro Research Labs and Wind Tunnel
Mr. Richard Perdichizzi
Thu Jan 13, 03-04:00pm, Leave from Rm 33-206, Initially scheduled at 2.
Fri Jan 14, 02-03:00pm, Leave from Rm 33-206
Enrollment limited: first come, first served
Limited to 20 participants.
Repeating event. Participants welcome at any session
Each tour will take us through the Gelb and Seamans Labs, both recently designed to enhance undergraduates' engineering education by providing facilities, equipment, and space for students to study, design, construct, test and operate aerospace engineering projects. We will also visit Aero/Astro research labs, including the Wright Brothers Wind Tunnel, a subsonic (200 mph maximum) with a pressurized 7 by 10 foot elliptical cross-section. The wind tunnel and its modern data processing equipment are used for airfoil and wing research, development testing, simulation of wind loads on ground structures and other classes of environmental testing.
Contact: Marie Stuppard, 33-208, x3-2279, mas@mit.edu
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