Spacecraft Dynamics and Control

Introduces the concepts of spacecraft orbital mechanics and attitude dynamics. Orbital mechanics is the study of the positional motion, while attitude dynamics describes the orientation of the spacecraft. Topics include: review of rotational kinematics and dynamics, orbital mechanics, gravity turn and trajectory optimization, orbit lifetimes, three-body problem, orbit perturbations, orbit determination, spacecraft dynamics, spinning and three-axis stabilized spacecraft, and attitude determination.

Text: Schaub, H., and Junkins, J.L, "Analytical Mechanics of Space Systems" 2nd Edition, AIAA Educational Series, Reston, VA 2009

• Orbital Dynamics
  • Introduction and Vectors
  • Introduction to Orbital Dynamics
  • Ellipses, Kepler and Newton
  • Angular Momentum & Newton's Law
  • The Two-Body Problem
  • Kepler's Equation
  • Orbital Coordinate Systems
  • Lagrange/Gibbs F and G Solution
  • Spacecraft Formation Flying
  • Orbita Determination
  • Earth-Satellite Operations
• Attitude Dynamics
  • Transport Theorem
  • Newtonian Mechanics
  • Angular Momentum & Kinetic Energy
  • Attitude Matrix
  • Attitude Representations
  • Attitude Kinematics
  • Rotational Dynamics
  • Inertia and Kinetic Energy
  • Euler's Rotational Equations
  • Energy/Momentum Integrals and Attitude Control
  • Attitude Determination and Feedback Attitude Control
  • Spacecraft Missions

Years Taught: Spring '07, Spring '08, Spring'09, Spring '10, Spring '11, Spring '12, Spring '13, Spring '14, Spring '15