Orbital Mechanics for Engineering Students
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 Third edition | |
| Author | Howard D. Curtis |
|---|---|
| Series | Elsevier Aerospace Engineering Series |
| Subject | Orbital mechanics |
| Published | 2010 (Butterworth-Heinemann) |
| Pages | 792 (4th ed.) |
| ISBN | 978-0-08-102133-0 (4th ed.) |
Orbital Mechanics for Engineering Students is an aerospace engineering textbook by Howard D. Curtis, in its fourth edition as of 2019[update].[1] The book provides an introduction to orbital mechanics, while assuming an undergraduate-level background in physics, rigid body dynamics, differential equations, and linear algebra.[2][3]
Topics covered by the text include a review of kinematics and Newtonian dynamics, the two-body problem, Kepler's laws of planetary motion, orbit determination, orbital maneuvers, relative motion and rendezvous, and interplanetary trajectories.[3] The text focuses primarily on orbital mechanics, but also includes material on rigid body dynamics, rocket vehicle dynamics, and attitude control.[2][3] Control theory and spacecraft control systems are less thoroughly covered.[3]
The textbook includes exercises at the end of each chapter, and supplemental material is available online, including MATLAB code for orbital mechanics projects.[2]
