HSCI-219: Intro to Space Exploration

Space travel has become an essential technology area for humanity and is inextricably linked to our shared future. Human technology now extends across the whole of the Solar System and beyond. We are now, more than ever, a spacefaring species - teaching, learning, and sharing our joined efforts and interests in this arena has never been more vital. The essential dialogue of space travel spans a vast encyclopedia of terms and topics, not limited to: technological, demographic, sociological, emotional, financial, historical, political. The scope of our understanding, therefore, must encompass a true interplanetary perspective, including a grasp of how we come to terms with our own personal roles in the human expansion into space. This course provides an up-to-the-minute survey of the current state of humanity's technological steps into space, broadly presented from a conceptual and experiential point of view. It is intended for students who anticipate a role in the rapidly expanding industry of space exploration as well as for those who seek a basic understanding of the history, technology, and future of space travel. The course material will cover elements of history, science, mathematics, engineering, art, and literature, and invite discussion of current developments and controversies that face our future in space.