1. AUM
American University of Madaba
Faculty of Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering
Course Syllabus (Introductory Satellite Geodesy and Orbital Mechanics)
Spring Semester 2015-2016
1 | www.aum.edu.jo
1. Course Specifics
Course Title
Course Number
Special Topics in Transportation Engineering (Introductory Satellite
Geodesy and Orbital Mechanics)
102574
Course Prerequisite(s) 102321 Transportation Engineering
Course Co-requisite(s) None
Credit Hours 3
Lecture Days & Time Mondays, Wednesdays 08:30 - 09:45
Class Location SB-G20
Course Instructor Dr. Mosab Hawarey
2. Academic Staff Specifics
Name Academic Rank Office Number Office Hours E-mail Address
Mosab Hawarey
Associate
Professor
SB-F14
10:00-11:00
(everyday)
m.hawarey@aum.edu.jo
3. Course Components
Resources
Students are expected to bring the slides with them and take notes on them during the lectures, in
addition to making use of the resources mentioned below.
Textbook
Satellite Geodesy, 2nd. Edition / By: Günter Seeber / de Gruyter / ISBN-13: 978-3110175493.
Additional Resources
On the website of the library (i.e. http://library.aum.edu.jo/). You will find a link of which
you can follow to search for a lot of online material relevant to the course.
Also, we shall use the software of STK’s scenarios, whether readily available ones or
developed ones, as an important resource for this course. The books of (Linear Algebra,
Geodesy, and GPS) by (Strang and Borre), and (Fundamentals of Astrodynamics and Applications) by
(Vallado and McClain) are important additional references.
Course Description
The course will serve as an introduction to Satellite Geodesy and Orbital Mechanics, including an idea
about Map Projections, Coordinate Systems and Transformations, Types of Orbits, Keplerian Orbital
Elements, Orbital Maneuvering, and Global Navigation Satellite Systems. This description is flexible
and subject to continuous improvements.
Course Objective
The objective of this course is to introduce students to Satellite Geodesy and Orbital Mechanics. By the
end of this course, students should understand the very basics of Map Projections, Coordinate Systems
and Transformations, Types of Orbits, Keplerian Orbital Elements, Orbital Maneuvering, Global
Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS), and Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI) in order to make a
fully-educated decision regarding their intentions of pursing such disciplines in their Masters and
Doctorate studies. In other words: the core purpose of this course is to raise the interest of the students
regarding whole different wide range of topics and open new horizons for them. Best of Luck.

2. AUM
American University of Madaba
Faculty of Engineering
Department of Civil Engineering
Course Syllabus (Introductory Satellite Geodesy and Orbital Mechanics)
Spring Semester 2015-2016
2 | www.aum.edu.jo
Course Outcomes
 Obtain an understanding of the fundamentals of Map Projections;
 Obtain an understanding of the fundamentals of Coordinate Systems & Transformations;
 Obtain an understanding of the fundamentals of Types of Orbits;
 Obtain an understanding of the fundamentals of Keplerian Orbital Elements;
 Obtain an understanding of the fundamentals of Orbital Maneuvering;
 Obtain an understanding of the fundamentals of GNSS; and
 Obtain an understanding of the fundamentals of VLBI.
Instruction Methods
The methods of instruction may include, but are not limited to:
 Lectures using laptop & projector;
 Lectures using board & markers;
 Discussion and problem solving;
 Demanding term paper; and
 Pop-Quizzes.
Project
Students are requested to develop a project that is composed of a term paper about an appropriate subject
relevant to Satellite Geodesy and Orbital Mechanics. Students shall work on this as 1-, 2- or 3-person
teams. Reports are due May 3rd
, 2016, and each team will present their project to class during the period
03-24 May 2016. Identical projects will be rejected.
Assessment Instruments
Grade
30% (11-18 April 2016)Midterm Exam
10%Participation
20%Project
40% (26 May – 07 June 2016)Final Exam
100%Total
Course Policies
University regulations apply to this course regarding class attendance, punctuality, exams, late
submissions, absence with permission, penalties for cheating, and policies for assignments and
projects, if any. Students should be aware of all those in addition to other rules and regulations
stated and described in the student handbook.
If the door of the lecture room is not closed, you can come in calmly and quietly. Once the door
of the lecture room has been closed, no student will be allowed in; do not disturb by knocking
on the door. Attendance is deemed valid at the moment it is taken; if you are not present at that
moment, you are considered absent and you must not talk with the professor about the issue.
Hence, make sure to come to the lecture room 5 minutes in advance, always, and to be
present all through the lecture.
Mobile phones must be switched off during the 75-minute period of lecture. Any mobile phone
that rings or is noticed to be switched on is a sufficient reason to expel its owner from the
lecture room.