<SUBMISSION>
<ACCESSION-NUMBER>0001181431-05-044040
<TYPE>4
<PUBLIC-DOCUMENT-COUNT>1
<PERIOD>20050802
<FILING-DATE>20050803
<DATE-OF-FILING-DATE-CHANGE>20050803
<ISSUER>
<COMPANY-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>AMERICAN SUPERCONDUCTOR CORP /DE/
<CIK>0000880807
<ASSIGNED-SIC>3621
<IRS-NUMBER>042959321
<STATE-OF-INCORPORATION>DE
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>0331
</COMPANY-DATA>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>TWO TECHNOLOGY DR
<CITY>WESTBOROUGH
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>01581
<PHONE>5088364200
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<MAIL-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>TWO TECHNOLOGY DR
<CITY>WESTBOROUGH
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>01581
</MAIL-ADDRESS>
</ISSUER>
<REPORTING-OWNER>
<OWNER-DATA>
<CONFORMED-NAME>SANDE JOHN VANDER
<CIK>0001207456
</OWNER-DATA>
<FILING-VALUES>
<FORM-TYPE>4
<ACT>34
<FILE-NUMBER>000-19672
<FILM-NUMBER>05994900
</FILING-VALUES>
<BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
<STREET1>HALE & DORR
<STREET2>60 STATE STREET
<CITY>BOSTON
<STATE>MA
<ZIP>02109
</BUSINESS-ADDRESS>
</REPORTING-OWNER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd87609.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 - JOHN VANDER SANDE
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-08-02</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000880807</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERICAN SUPERCONDUCTOR CORP /DE/</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AMSC</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001207456</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SANDE JOHN VANDER</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O AMERICAN SUPERCONDUCTOR CORPORATION</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>TWO TECHNOLOGY DRIVE</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>WESTBOROUGH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>MA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>01581</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Options to Purchase</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>11.59</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-08-02</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2005-08-02</value>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-08-02</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10000</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">Pursuant to the Company's 1997 Director Plan as amended, each outside director is granted an option to purchase 10,000 shares of Common Stock of the Company three days following each Annual Meeting of Stockholders of the Company, provided that such outside director has served as a director of the Company for at least one year.  Such options granted to continuing outside directors following Annual Meetings of Stockholders are immediately exercisable in full.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Kevin M. Bisson, Attorney-In-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-08-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SUBMISSION>
