Advanced Astrodynamics

Catalog description

A graduate level course in astrodynamics and trajectory design. Course topics include a brief review of the two body problem, impulsive transfers, and perturbations; orbit determination and one-way ranging; algebraic and symplectic mappings and surfaces of section; the circular and elliptical 3-body problem, invariant manifolds and 3-body orbit design; secular and resonant perturbations; finite and continuous thrust modeling and transfer design. The course will emphasize numerical methods and building deep understanding of modern approaches to orbital design problems. Familiarity with basic orbital mechanics (at the level of MAE 4060 or equivalent) and numerical integration of dynamical systems will be assumed.