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.
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.
Orbit injection – Corrections for injection errors – Hohmann & multi-burn transfers – Drag and oblateness perturbations – Cowell & Encke methods – Variation of parameters method.
2D & 3D interplanetary trajectories – Gravity assist – Sphere of influence – Lambert’s theorem – Low-thrust electric propulsion 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.
