16.50 | Spring 2012 | Undergraduate

Introduction to Propulsion Systems

Course Description

This course presents aerospace propulsive devices as systems, with functional requirements and engineering and environmental limitations along with requirements and limitations that constrain design choices. Both air-breathing and rocket engines are covered, at a level which enables rational integration of the …
This course presents aerospace propulsive devices as systems, with functional requirements and engineering and environmental limitations along with requirements and limitations that constrain design choices. Both air-breathing and rocket engines are covered, at a level which enables rational integration of the propulsive system into an overall vehicle design. Mission analysis, fundamental performance relations, and exemplary design solutions are presented.
Learning Resource Types
Problem Sets with Solutions
Exams with Solutions
Lecture Notes
A white-hot flame surrounded by red hot exhaust shoots out from a J-2X engine gas generator.
A white-hot flame shoots out from a J-2X engine gas generator during a test at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. (Image courtesy of NASA/MSFC.)