Design
| Enviro |
Astro | Propulsion
| Power | Thermal
| Structures | AD&C
| CDHS |
Test
Astrodynamics
studies the motion of bodies in space
due to gravitational force. It includes the disciplines
of orbital mechanics, celestial mechanics and dynamical
astronomy.
Astrodynamics
Physical
laws determined
both experimentally and mathematically help describe
orbital motion.
Orbital
Elements mathematically
define an orbit's size, shape and orientation relative
to Earth.
Orbits
around Earth vary from low to geosynchronous, depending
on the spacecraft mission.
Perturbations
are small disturbing forces that distort two-body
orbits from their ideal shape.
Launch
windows define that time frame in which
a spacecraft is able to launch directly into its
nominal orbit from a given launch site.
Maneuvering
involves changing orbital altitudes or orbital planes.
These maneuvers consume lots of propellant, which
is a finite quantity in spacecraft.
Aeroassist
leverages atmospheric drag to modify spacecraft
orbits and save propellant.
Interplanetary
transfer models help space mission design
teams to plan the trajectory of a spacecraft from
Earth to another planet.
