Aerospace Cyber-Physical Systems Education

Modern Aerospace systems are cyber-physical, comprised of physical components but commanded and controlled by “cyber” (computing and communication) elements. It is widely acknowledged that codesign across cyber and physical elements will provide a better-performing holistic system, but few of today’s engineers have adequate preparation to model, optimize, and simulate both. Even working in teams, “language barriers” are problematic – most Aerospace engineers are not comfortable with object-oriented abstractions and model-based real-time system design principles from computer science. Conversely, computer scientists have little expertise in the linear and nonlinear calculus-based models describing the motion of complex air and space vehicles, not to mention associated algorithms ensuring stable envelope-wide guidance and control. This paper describes the cyber-physical system (CPS) from both perspectives, and then describes grand challenges in research and applications associated with the CPS. Focus is then turned to education. A review of the traditional Aerospace and computer science curricula is provided first, along with a summary of feedback received from the Aerospace industry regarding knowledge and skill needs for new-hires. A review of CPS courses introduced in other programs is provided, comparing and contrasting the different course perspectives on what is “fundamental” to the CPS. Strategies to migrate content of such courses to the undergraduate Aerospace curriculum are discussed.