Syllabus – SNS Courseware

23AST304-SPACE MECHANICS

UNIT-1. SPACE ENVIRONMENT

Peculiarities of space environment ᎓ Radiation, plasma, micrometeoroids ᎓ Effects on spacecraft materials and astronauts ᎓ Atmospheric drag and satellite lifetime ᎓ Manned space missions ᎓ Gaganyaan Human Spaceflight ᎓ Crew Module & Service Module ᎓ Reusable Launch Vehicle developments.

UNIT-2. TWO-BODY, N-BODY PROBLEM & CELESTIAL MECHANICS

Reference frames ᎓ Coordinate systems ᎓ Celestial sphere ᎓ Kepler᎙s laws with proofs ᎓ Newton᎙s gravitation ᎓ Two-body problem ᎓ Orbital elements ᎓ Many-body problem ᎓ Circular Restricted Three-Body Problem ᎓ Lagrange points ᎓ Stability of liberation points.

UNIT-3. SATELLITE INJECTION, ORBIT TRANSFER & PERTURBATIONS

Orbit injection ᎓ Corrections for injection errors ᎓ Hohmann & multi-burn transfers ᎓ Drag and oblateness perturbations ᎓ Cowell & Encke methods ᎓ Variation of parameters method.

UNIT-4. INTERPLANETARY TRAJECTORIES

2D & 3D interplanetary trajectories ᎓ Gravity assist ᎓ Sphere of influence ᎓ Lambert᎙s theorem ᎓ Low-thrust electric propulsion trajectories.

UNIT-5. MISSILE & RE-ENTRY TRAJECTORIES

Ballistic trajectories ᎓ Boost, ballistic & re-entry phases ᎓ Gravity turn ᎓ Heating, deceleration, plasma blackout ᎓Indian BMD system.

Reference Book:

1. Roger R. Bate, Donald D. Mueller & Jerry E. White, ᎜Fundamentals of Astrodynamics᎝, Dover Publications, 1972.

2. Vladimir A. Chobotov (Ed.), ᎜Orbital Mechanics᎝, AIAA Education Series, 3rd Edition, 2002.

3. Gerald R. Hintz, ᎜Orbital Mechanics and Astrodynamics: Techniques and Tools for Space Missions᎝, Springer, 2022.

4. Tom Logsdon, ᎜Orbital Mechanics: Theory and Applications᎝, Wiley-Interscience, 1997.

5. David A. Vallado, ᎜Fundamentals of Astrodynamics and Applications᎝, Microcosm Press, 4th Edition, 2013.

6. Piers Bizony, ᎜The Space Environment: Implications for Spacecraft Design᎝, Springer-Praxis, 2016.

Text Book:

1. Howard D. Curtis, ᎜Orbital Mechanics for Engineering Students᎝, Elsevier, 3rd Edition, 2012.

2. William E. Wiesel, ᎜Spaceflight Dynamics᎝, CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform, 3rd Edition, 2010.