这门课有三种类型的作业：
There are three kinds of assignments for the seminar:

• 阅读：大部分的每周都会有大量的指定阅读。准备好于课堂中讨论该周指定阅读。
  Reading: Most weeks there will be extensive reading assigned.
• 单页备忘录：几乎每周都要缴交相关主题的单页备忘录。这些单页备忘录限定长度在一页以内，基本上的内容是高阶决策人员向你询问背景资讯或是谘询你的建议时会想要听见的。
  1-pg Memos: A 1-page memo on a relevant topic will be due almost each week. These 1-page memos are meant to be no more than 1 page, and are typical of what a high-level decision maker would expect when they ask you for background information or your recommendation.
• 学期团体专题：包括议题研究，论文/模型写作，课堂报告，以及在准备报告时，为同学准备所需阅读资料。这个团体专题是发展一种新型可回收的发射载具以所面临相关的技术与架构，以及政策方案。
  Group Term Project: Includes researching the issue, writing a paper/model, making a presentation to the class, and preparing reading materials for the class in preparation for the presentation. The group project will be a study of the technological, architectural, and policy options associated with developing a new reusable launch vehicle.

作业单页备忘录的详细说明：
Detailed Description of 1-pg Memo Assignments

备忘录必须写得非常清晰，简洁，并且给决策者一个合理的论点。这些备忘录的评分标准包括了拼字和文法以及优美的外观。
Memos must be clearly written, succinct, and give make a reasoned case to a decision-maker. They will be graded for spelling and grammar as well as good aesthetic presentation.

参阅Stone著作为背景的备忘录
Memo based on Stone's reading
你是美国总统处理太空事务的特助，而且你才刚到任一天。总统刚刚才读过Stone写的书〈政策诡辩〉并且很喜欢那个蛋糕的譬喻。他要你给他一份单页备忘录，内容是比较各项蛋糕分配法，并举出基于该法的政府政策(过去或是现在的皆可)。他会希望你使用太空政策为例，但是如果你做不到他也能谅解。
You are a special assistant to the President of the United States for Space Matters and you have only been on the job for one day. The President has just read the first two chapters of the Stone book "Policy Paradox" and likes the cake story. He wants a one page memo from you that pairs each of the cake distribution methods cited with a government policy (past or present) that is based on that method. He would like you to use space policies but would understand if you cannot.

卫星飞越备忘录
Satellite Flyover Memo
现在是西元1956年。你是艾森豪总统的国家安全顾问，总统想要了解国外制造的卫星飞越美国统治下的领土所牵涉的事务。因为这是前所未有的事件，总统要你缴交一份单页备忘录来描述如果苏联成为第一个使用人造卫星飞越美国的国家，美国能什么采取什么行动 (反应) ，他希望一星期内报告交到总统办公室。
It is 1956. You are the National Security Advisor to President Eisenhower, and the President would like to understand the implications of over flight of US sovereign territory by satellites of foreign origin. Since this has never happened before, he has asked you for a 1 page memo describing the potential courses of action (responses) the US could take if the Soviet Union were the first to overfly the US with a satellite. He wants the memo on his desk in the Oval Office in one week.

登月任务架构备忘录
Moon mission architecture based memo
现在是西元1963年，你是总统的科学顾问。你所担任主席的总统科学顾问委员会(PSAC)建议为登月任务发展一种地球轨道工程，这可以供长期使用，但是会延迟登陆月球的时间。甘迺迪总统要你缴交一份单页备忘录，建议他如何回覆委员会的建议，究竟他该接受或是拒绝PSAC的建议呢？
It is 1963 and you are the Science Adviser to the President. The President's Science Advisory Committee (PSAC), which you chair, has recommended the development of an earth orbit infrastructure for the lunar missions. This will develop infrastructure for the long term but delay the moon landing. President Kennedy has asked you for a 1 page memo advising him on what to do about the PSAC recommendation- should he take it or reject it?

阿波罗计划备忘录
Apollo Memo
现在是西元1970年。美国国会正在考虑终止阿波罗计划，并且在阿波罗十七号之后便停止一切任务。你是众议院科学小组委员会太空事务组的成员，而科学小组委员会的主席要求你写一份单页备忘录来详细说明继续进行阿波罗计划的重要原因。在备忘录里面你也必须提到终止阿波罗计划的论点，并加以反驳。主席急切地期望你在一周之内交出备忘录，以便届时他能和与他意见对立的小组委员会成员展开舌战。
It is 1970. The Congress is considering terminating the Apollo program, and discontinuing all missions after Apollo 17. You are a Committee Staffer for the House Science Subcommittee on Space, and have been asked by the Subcommittee Chair to write a 1-page memo detailing the important reasons to continue the Apollo Program. In the memo, you should also address the chief arguments for terminating the Program and rebut these. The Chair eagerly expects your memo in one week, at which time he goes to battle with opposing Subcommittee members.

挑战者号备忘录
Challenger Memo
现在是西元1986年一月28日的傍晚。那个早晨在挑战者号太空梭爆炸事件之后，美国太空总署署长指定以你为署内委员会之首，负责商讨因应对策来回应这次的悲剧事件。署长要求你缴交一份单页备忘录，内容是陈述美国太空总署应该如何重建美国人民对于太空计划的信心，并且在最短的时间内让太空梭再度安全地飞行。署长尤其关注太空总署应该对美国人民展现什么样的态度，以及应该要让人民对这个意外了解到什么程度。署长要求你一周之内缴交备忘录。
It is late afternoon on January 28, 1986. In wake of the Challenger explosion that morning, the NASA Administrator has appointed you head of a select NASA committee chartered to recommend a course of action for the Agency in response to the tragedy. The Administrator has asked you for a 1-page memo describing what NASA should do to reestablish the American people's faith in the space program and get the space shuttles flying safely again as soon as possible. He is particularly concerned with what attitude NASA should portray to the American people, and how much they should know about the accident. He wants your memo in one week.

国际太空站居住舱设计备忘录
ISS Hab Module Decision Memo
你是美国太空总署副署长的特别助理，处理太空站的事务。美国管理与预算局(OMB)建议柯林顿总统停止太空总署按目前计划资助国际太空站居住舱，相反地应建构商业居住舱模组。副署长要求你缴交一份单页备忘录详细说明太空总署应该采取什么因应对策并且解释原因。尤其副署长需要知道她应该赞成或是反对管理与预算局的建议。
You are the Special Assistant to the NASA Associate Administrator for Space Station. The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has recommended to President Clinton that NASA discontinue funding for the International Space Station Habitation Module as currently planned, and instead procure a habitation module commercially. The Associate Administrator has asked you for a 1 page memo detailing what course of action NASA should pursue and why. Specifically, she needs to know if she should concur with the OMB recommendation or go against it.

月球公约决策备忘录
Moon Treaty Decision Memo
你是参议院科技与太空小组委员会的成员。联合国月球公约已经通过并且递交到你的小组委员会进行审查与评估。小组委员会的主席，福瑞斯特参议员要求你缴交一份单页备忘录，说明参议院是否该批准这份协议。一如往常，他要求一个完善的理由来支持你的建议。他马上就要和所有小组委员会成员开会，所以希望你的备忘录能够及时完成以便他在会议中可以提出。
You are a Committee Staffer for the Senate Subcommittee on Science, Technology and Space. The UN Moon Treaty has been passed to your Subcommittee for review and comment. The Chairman of this Subcommittee, Senator Frist, has asked you for a 1 page memo on whether or not the Senate should ratify the Treaty. As always, he expects a sound justification to back up your recommendation. He is meeting with the full Subcommittee soon, and wants your recommendation at that time in order to present it to the subcommittee members.

美国下一阶段太空发展备忘录
Next US Space Endeavor Memo
你是白宫科技政策幕僚的太空专员，你的上司，也就是布希总统的科学顾问，最近被总统谘询美国下一步应该着手的太空计划。你的上司要求你缴交一份单页备忘录来说明几个太空计划的方案，并且建议白宫科技政策幕僚应该支持哪项方案。你的上司提醒你，你是为总统效力，因此你提出的计划都应该支持总统的国家施政方针。你的上司一周之内需要这个备忘录，因为一周之后他和总统会有个午后会议，他需要时间来检视你的建议。
You are the Assistant Director for Space at the Office of Science and Technology Policy. Your boss, the Science Advisor to President Bush, has been asked by the President for a recommendation on the next space project the US should undertake. Your boss has asked you for a 1 page memo describing several project options, and recommending which one the OSTP should back. He reminds you that you work for the President, and any projects should support his agenda for the country. He needs the memo in a week, as he has an afternoon meeting with the President a week from today and will need a some time to review your recommendations.