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Science and Nature

Astrodynamics and Spaceflight for Engineers

An Illustrated Workbook on Satellite Motion, Orbit Determination, and Mission PlanningBy Tomás Ferreira

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Length12h 9m

About this audiobook

Astrodynamics is not hard because the ideas are strange; it is hard because one skipped substitution wrecks the answer. This workbook shows every step. You set up frames and time systems properly, derive the two-body result, convert state vectors to elements and back, solve Kepler's equation by iteration, and build a delta-v budget from Hohmann transfers and plane changes. Then you take on rendezvous with Clohessy-Wiltshire, Lambert targeting with porkchop plots, gravity assists by patched conics, J2 drift used deliberately to design a sun-synchronous orbit, and orbit determination from real observation types. Four full mission case studies close the book. Written for aerospace students, self-taught mission analysts and engineers preparing for spaceflight design work, this illustrated workbook treats every derivation as a sequence of checkable steps. Each chapter pairs the governing equations with worked numerical examples, so you can follow the algebra from first principles to a final answer and see exactly where a sign error or a unit slip would change the result. The mission case studies tie the individual techniques together into end-to-end design exercises. What you will learn: • Set up reference frames and time systems correctly before any orbit calculation • Derive the two-body problem and convert between state vectors and orbital elements • Solve Kepler's equation by iteration and compute time of flight for elliptic, parabolic and hyperbolic orbits • Build delta-v budgets from impulsive manoeuvres, Hohmann transfers and plane changes • Analyse rendezvous and relative motion using the Clohessy-Wiltshire equations • Solve Lambert's problem and read porkchop plots for interplanetary transfer • Apply patched conics and gravity assists to design planetary flybys • Use J2 drift deliberately to design sun-synchronous and other special orbits • Perform orbit determination from real observation types and close the loop with four full mission case studies This book is for aerospace engineering students taking a first or second course in orbital mechanics, for self-taught mission analysts who need the missing steps, and for practising engineers moving into spaceflight design work who want a single illustrated reference that connects theory to mission planning.

Space Travel Futuristic Exploration Journey

Audiobook details

GenreTechnology, Science and Nature

Length12 hrs 9 mins

Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices

FormateBook with Audio

Publish dateSep 27, 2026

LanguageEnglish

1Astrodynamics and Spaceflight for Engineers

2Foreword

3Preface

4About This Book

5Chapter 1: Reference Frames and Time Systems

Show all chapters

61.1 Why Frames and Clocks Come First

71.2 Rotation Matrices and Frame Transformations

81.3 Julian Dates and the Calendar

91.4 Sidereal Time and Earth Rotation Angle

101.5 Epochs, State Vectors and the Standard Frame Convention

11Chapter 2: The Two-Body Problem

122.1 Newtonian Gravitation and the Equation of Motion

132.2 Angular Momentum and the Orbital Plane

142.3 The Orbit Equation and Conic Sections

152.4 Energy and the Vis-Viva Equation

162.5 Kepler’s Laws and the Period

17Chapter 3: Orbital Elements and Geometry

183.1 The Classical Orbital Elements

193.2 State Vector to Elements

203.3 Elements to State Vector

213.4 Orbit Geometry and Ground Tracks

223.5 Special Geometry: Circular, Equatorial and Sun-Synchronous Orbits

23Chapter 4: Kepler’s Problem and Time of Flight

244.1 Eccentric Anomaly and the Ellipse

254.2 Kepler’s Equation and Mean Anomaly

264.3 Solving Kepler’s Equation by Newton Iteration

274.4 Hyperbolic Motion and Hyperbolic Anomaly

284.5 Parabolic Motion and the Barker Equation

29Chapter 5: Impulsive Manoeuvres

305.1 The Impulsive Burn Model and Delta-v

315.2 Hohmann Transfer

325.3 Bi-Elliptic Transfer and When It Wins

335.4 Plane Changes and Combined Burns

345.5 Building a Delta-v Budget

35Chapter 6: Rendezvous and Relative Motion

366.1 The Clohessy-Wiltshire Equations

376.2 Closed-Form Relative Motion and Safety Ellipses

386.3 Phasing Orbits and Ground-Track Control

396.4 Approach Corridors and Hold Points

40Chapter 7: Lambert’s Problem and Interplanetary Transfer

417.1 Statement of Lambert’s Problem

427.2 Solving Lambert by the Universal Variable Method

437.3 Porkchop Plots and Launch Windows

447.4 Sphere of Influence and Patched Conic Departure

45Chapter 8: Patched Conics and Gravity Assists

468.1 Spheres of Influence and the Patched Conic Method

478.2 Hyperbolic Excess Velocity and Turning Angle

488.3 Gravity Assist Energy Change and Design

498.4 Capture, Arrival and Orbit Insertion

50Chapter 9: Orbit Perturbations

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