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Browse materialsMIT 16.50 · Spring 2012

Introduction to Propulsion Systems

Art: 1783 balloonj, 1786 · Public domain

Instructor: Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez
Term: Spring 2012
Level: Undergraduate
What's inside: 3 exams · 13 solutions · 1 lecture note · 49 other files · 3 web pages
Materials open: MIT OCW

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About this course

Source: MIT OpenCourseWare 16.50 Introduction to Propulsion Systems, Spring 2012, Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez — original course page on ocw.mit.edu ↗. License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0. Study order: MIT's own listing order, section by section. Taken from MIT's published course files, downloaded from ocw.mit.edu on September 23, 2026. How RedLectern is built.

Materials are grouped the way MIT organized them. A verified, course-wide order has not been established here.

Has MIT solutions 13 files in this course are named by MIT as solutions.

Before you start

Prerequisites are not listed here. Check MIT's own syllabus for this course.

How this course was organized

What's here, and what isn't

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MIT's page format for this item wasn't recognized clearly enough to place it safely. (3 items)
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Materials by section

Grouped by section, as MIT organized them. Not sequenced or ordered.

Lecture Notes

38 files

Assignments

21 files

Exams

MIT OpenCourseWare, Prof. Manuel Martinez-Sanchez, 16.50 Introduction to Propulsion Systems, Spring 2012.

License: CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 · Edition: Spring 2012 · Open the original course on OCW ↗

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Introduction to Propulsion Systems

Before you start

What's here, and what isn't

Not included here

Materials by section

Lecture Notes

Assignments

Exams

Lecture 1: Rocket equation; gravity loss; optimum acceleration

Lecture 2: Rocket staging; range of aircraft; climb & acceleration

Lecture 3: Orbital mechanics; single force center

Lecture 4: Hyperbolic orbits; interplanetary transfer

Lecture 5: Non-chemical rockets; optimum exhaust velocity

Lecture 6: Modeling of thermal rocket engines; nozzle flow; control of mass flow

Lecture 7: Modeling of rocket nozzles; effects of nozzle area ratio

Lecture 8: Types of nozzles; connection of flow to nozzle shape

Lecture 9: Solid propellant gas generators; stability; grain designs

Lecture 10: Models for rocket engines; flow of reacting gases

Lecture 11: Reacting gases (cont.); temperature dependence of specific heats

Lecture 12: Nozzle flow of reacting gases

Lecture 13: Rocket casing design; structural modeling

Lecture 14: Heat transfer and cooling

Lecture 15: Ablative cooling

Lecture 16: Thrust vectoring; engine cycles; mass estimates

Lecture 17: Aircraft propulsion, configuration and components

Lecture 18: Aircraft engine modeling; turbojet engine

Lecture 19: Turbojet engines (cont.); design parameters; effect of mass flow on thrust.

Lecture 20: Introduction to component matching and off-design operation

Lecture 21: Turbofan engines

Lecture 22: Inlets or diffusers

Lecture 23: Exhaust nozzles

Lecture 24: Compressors and fans

Lecture 25: Velocity triangles; compressor performance maps

Lecture 26: Compressor blading; design; multi-staging

Lecture 27: Turbines; stage characteristics; degree of reaction

Lecture 28: Turbine solidity; mass flow limits; blade temperature

Lecture 29: Turbine cooling; general trends and systems; internal cooling

Lecture 30: Film cooling; thermal stresses; impingement cooling; how to do cooling design

Lecture 31: Compressor-turbine matching; gas generators

Lecture 32: Engine structures; centrifugal stresses; engine arrangements

Lecture 33: Critical speeds and vibration

Lecture 34: Combustors; afterburners

Lecture 35: Pollutant; motivations for control; formation; strategies for reduction

Lecture 36: Aircraft engine noise: principles; regulations

Lecture 37: Jet noise, turbomachinery noise

Lecture 38: Rotordynamics of the jet engine