525.445 - Modern Navigation Systems Course Homepage
Instructor Information
Daniel Jablonski
Email: Dan.Jablonski@jhuapl.eduWork Phone: (443) 778-6907
Dr. Jablonski is a member of the Principle Professional Staff at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory.
Course Information
Course Description
This course explores the use of satellite, terrestrial, celestial, radio, magnetic, and inertial systems for the real-time determination of position, velocity, acceleration, and attitude. Particular emphasis is on the historical importance of navigation systems; avionics navigation systems for high performance aircraft; the Global Positioning System; the relationships between navigation, cartography, surveying, and astronomy; and emerging trends for integrating various navigation techniques into single, tightly coupled systems.
Course Goal
To understand how navigation systems work, how they evolved, and how they affect the design and operation of the world's communication, transportation, economic, and research and development infrastructure.
Course Objectives
To understand the historical evolution of navigation systems, and their importance to our history, culture, and economy.
- To understand the fundamental principles of astronomy, surveying, and navigation.
- To understand how specific systems and techniques, including GPS, Loran, VOR, Tacan, inertial measurement systems, radar, Cospas-SARSAT, Kalman filters, etc. are designed and used for aviation, maritime, communication, and public safety.
- To understand how GPS works, and what it can and cannot do.
When This Course is Typically Offered
The course is typically offered in the summer at the Applied Physics Laboratory, and in the spring at the Montgomery County Center.
Syllabus
Topics Covered
- Historical perspectives
- Vectors and coordinate systems
- Surveying: great and simple circles
- Mathematics of surveying and cartography
- Least squares and Kalman filters
- Astonomy and intro to Celestial navigation
- Orbits and orbitology
- Special and general relativity; inertial nav
- Radio Navigation
- GPS, Transit, and Cospas-Sarsat
- Sextants and celestial fixes
- Nautical navigation
- Spacecraft navigation
- Aircraft navigation
Student Assessment Criteria
| Homework | 30% |
| Research project/trip report | 30% |
| Book report | 20% |
| Sextant exercise | 20% |
Schedule and due dates are flexible to accommodate student travel and personal needs. The project will involve visiting a facility related to navigation, and/or conducting personal research, and/or conducting interviews with technical experts in a particular field of interest.
Computer and Technical Requirements
There are no computer requirements.
Participation Expectations
Active participation, in-class discussion, and imaginative approaches to defining and solving problems are encouraged.
Textbooks
Textbook information for this course is available online through the MBS Direct Virtual Bookstore.
Course Notes
There are no notes for this course.
(Last Modified: 10-30-2008 at 9:55:10 PM)