Evolution of MIT’S “Introduction to Aerospace Engineering and Design" Course

Since the 1990’s, MIT’s Aeronautics and Astronautics Department has offered a freshman-level project-based learning class. The projects have included, parachutes, model rockets, LEGO Mindstorms, and radio-controlled lighter-than air vehicles. There was a major upgrade of the projects, based on ideas developed in the early days of the CDIO initiative, and the projects have continued to evolve since that time. This paper describes the evolution of the design projects, and, in particular, how CDIO principles have influenced that evolution. Increasing attention was paid to specifying design parameters that could be varied, allowing students to predict the behavior of their design projects, compare predicted with observed behavior, and try to explain the differences. The parachute project was modified so as to introduce the students to the importance of design drawings as a method of communication in engineering. Model rockets were eventually dropped from the curriculum because of an insufficient number of design parameters over which students had control. LEGO Mindstorms was introduced to emphasize to students the importance of software in aerospace systems. New scoring elements such as cost and robustness were added to the lighter-than-air vehicles in order to more closely emulate realworld design considerations. The talk will be illustrated by slides and videos, and design project specifications will be available.

Proceedings of the 9th International CDIO Conference, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Harvard University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Cambridge, Massachusetts, June 9 – 13, 2013.