Fundamentals of Astrodynamics (Dover Books on Aeronautical Engineering) [Paperback]

Roger R. Bate (Author), Donald D. Mueller (Author), Jerry E. White (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0486600610 | ISBN-13: 978-0486600611 | Publication Date: June 1, 1971 | Edition: 1

Teaching text developed by U.S. Air Force Academy and designed as a first course emphasizes the universal variable formulation. Develops the basic two-body and n-body equations of motion; orbit determination; classical orbital elements, coordinate transformations; differential correction; more. Includes specialized applications to lunar and interplanetary flight, example problems, exercises. 1971 edition.

Product Details

• Paperback: 455 pages
• Publisher: Dover Publications; 1 edition (June 1, 1971)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0486600610
• ISBN-13: 978-0486600611
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #32,808 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #20 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Astronomy & Space Science > Aeronautics & Astronautics
  • #29 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Astronomy & Space Science > Astrophysics & Space Science
  • #76 in Books > Professional & Technical > Professional Science > Astronomy & Space Science > Astronomy

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Good Reference Source for Students, Engineers and Educators, March 7, 2003

By 

L. S. Fischer (Monrovia, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Fundamentals of Astrodynamics (Dover Books on Aeronautical Engineering) (Paperback)

While working for NASA/JPL back in the 1970's and 80's, I first used this book as a reference source while doing engineering support for radio astronomy experiments. I recall at the time wishing I'd know of the book a few years earlier while still at the Univ. of Arizona; while a student I would have found plenty of use for it.
Recently I have returned to academia, and find myself making use some of its material for by my lower-division astronomy students. I've come to depend on it for its clearly-written explanations of the various coordinate systems, reference frames and obital dynamics. And I especially like the way it introduces n-body problems and the how they are affected by perturbations. For myself I even make some use of it when doing calindrical calculations.
It is among a handful of reference sources that I find almost continuously useful in so many applications.

28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Some topics omitted, but still a good book, November 23, 2002

By 

Dr. Lee D. Carlson (Baltimore, Maryland USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Fundamentals of Astrodynamics (Dover Books on Aeronautical Engineering) (Paperback)

This book is a fairly complete overview of planetary mechanics, at least from the standpoint of the Newtonian formulation of the problem, for the authors do not use Lagrangian or Hamiltonian methods. The use of Hamiltonian formulation, via phase space constructions, sheds considerable light on the two-body and the N-body problems, but the reader interested in Hamiltonian mechanics will have to look elsewhere. Also, the authors do not discuss the presence of chaotic dynamics in orbital mechanics, nor are integrability issues discussed. In addition, the current debate over modifications of Newtonian mechanics is not included in the book, due to its time of publication.

But if one wants a practical introduction to Newtonian orbital mechanics that also addresses numerical issues, this would be a good book to begin with. I would recommend the use of a symbolic programming language, such as Mathematica or Maple, to assist in the visualization of the orbits and in the routine computations if one were to use this book as an aid to teaching orbital mechanics. Another good feature of the book is the interjection of historical background and anecdotes at various places in the book. For example, one learns that it was Edmund Halley who was primarily responsible for bringing Newton's discoveries to the world. Newton's work remained idle for twenty years until Halley encouraged Newton to publish his explanation of planetary motion.

The mechanics as outlined in this book is timeless and will continue to be learned by future generations of students as they take up the reigns of human exploration beyond the Moon to the entire solar system.

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Considered a GNC handbook by Air Force space types, July 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Fundamentals of Astrodynamics (Dover Books on Aeronautical Engineering) (Paperback)

Ran into this one in grad school; has an excellent treatment of vector calculus in the appendix. Get this one if you are into orbital mechanics, guidance and nav. It's a short paperback type of book, easy to cart around in a briefcase. All steely-eyed missile men have this one.