List of Symbols.

1 Rocket Fundamentals.

1.1 The Rocket Principle.

1.2 Rocket Thrust.

1.3 Rocket Performance.

1.4 Rocket Equation of Motion.

Problems.

2 Rocket Flight.

2.1 General Considerations.

2.2 Rocket in Free Space.

2.3 Impulsive Maneuvers.

2.4 Rocket in a Gravitational Field.

2.5 Delta-v Budget.

2.6 Fuel Demand – Star Trek Plugged.

2.7 Rocket Efficiency.

2.8 Payload Considerations.

2.9 Relativistic Rocket.

Problems.

3 Rocket Staging.

3.1 Serial Staging – General Considerations.

3.2 Stage Optimization.

3.3 Analytical Solutions.

3.4 Stage Number Determination.

3.5 Parallel Staging.

3.6 Other Types of Staging.

Problems.

4 Thermal Propulsion.

4.1 Engine Thermodynamics.

4.2 Thermal Engine Design.

Problems.

5 Electric Propulsion.

5.1 Overview.

5.2 Ion Engine.

5.3 Electric Propulsion Optimization.

Problems.

6 Ascent Flight.

6.1 Earth’s Atmosphere.

6.2 Equations of Motion.

6.3 Ascent Phases.

6.4 Optimum-Ascent Problem.

7 Orbits.

7.1 Equation of Motion.

7.2 Conservation Laws in a Gravitational Field.

7.3 Motion in a Gravitational Field.

7.4 Keplerian Orbits.

7.5 Life in Other Universes?

Problems.

8 Orbit Transitions.

8.1 Two-Impulse Transfer (Hohmann Transfer).

8.2 Continuous Thrust Transfer.

8.3 Three-Impulse Transfer.

8.4 One-Impulse Maneuvers.

Problems.

9 Interplanetary Flight.

9.1 Patched-Conics Method.

9.2 Departure Orbits.

9.3 Transit Orbits.

9.4 Arrival Orbit.

9.5 Flyby Maneuvers.

9.6 Earth–Moon Orbits.

9.7 Weak Stability Boundary Transfers.

Problems.

10 Reentry.

10.1 Introduction.

10.2 Equations of Motion.

10.3 Preliminary Considerations.

10.4 Second-Order Solutions.

10.5 Low-Lift Reentry (First-Order Solutions).

10.6 Reflection and Skip Reentry.

10.7 Lifting Reentry.

10.8 Space Shuttle Reentry.

Problems.

11 Three-Body Problem.

11.1 Overview.

11.2 Synchronous Orbits.

11.3 Restricted Three-Body Problem.

11.4 Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem.

Problems.

12 Orbit Perturbations.

12.1 Problem Setting.

12.2 Gravitational Perturbations.

12.3 Numerical Perturbation Calculation.

12.4 Analytical Perturbation Calculation.

12.5 Solar Radiation Pressure.

12.6 Drag.

Problems.

13 Coordinate Systems.

13.1 Space Coordinate Systems.

13.2 Time Coordinates.

14 Orbit Determination.

14.1 Orbit Measurements.

14.2 Method of Orbit Determination.

14.3 Orbit Estimation.

14.4 Conversion of Orbital Elements.

14.5 State Vector Propagation.

Problems.

15 Rigid Body Dynamics.

15.1 Fundamental Physics of Rotation.

15.2 Torque-free Motion.

15.3 Gyro under External Torque.

15.4 Gravity-Gradient Stabilization.

Appendix

A Astrodynamic Parameters.

A.1 Mean Orbit Radius.

A.2 Mean Orbital Velocity.

B Approximate Analytical Solution for Uneven Staging.

Color Plates.

References.

Index.