Adventures in Celestial Mechanics / Edition 2

by Victor G. Szebehely, Hans Mark

Overview

A fascinating introduction to the basic principles of orbital mechanics

It has been three hundred years since Isaac Newton first formulated laws to explain the orbits of the Moon and the planets of our solar system. In so doing he laid the groundwork for modern science's understanding of the workings of the cosmos and helped pave the way to the age of space exploration.

Adventures in Celestial Mechanics offers students an enjoyable way to become acquainted with the basic principles involved in the motions of natural and human-made bodies in space. Packed with examples in which these principles are applied to everything from a falling stone to the Sun, from space probes to galaxies, this updated and revised Second Edition is an ideal introduction to celestial mechanics for students of astronomy, physics, and aerospace engineering. Other features that helped make the first edition of this book the text of choice in colleges and universities across North America include:
* Lively historical accounts of important discoveries in celestial mechanics and the men and women who made them
* Superb illustrations, photographs, charts, and tables
* Helpful chapter-end examples and problem sets

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780471133179
Publisher:	Wiley
Publication date:	03/06/1998
Edition description:	REV
Pages:	320
Product dimensions:	6.25(w) x 9.25(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

VICTOR G. SZEBEHELY, DEng, PhD(1921-1997), was Professor and former chairman of the Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Department of the University of Texas at Austin. He served as a consultant to the U.S. Air Force Space Command. HANS MARK, PhD, is Professor in the Aerospace Engineering and Engineering Mechanics Department of the University of Texas at Austin. His other books include The Space Station: A Personal Journey. He serves as a consultant to NASA.

Table of Contents

On the Shoulders of Giants: An Historial Review.

Circular Orbits.

The General Problem of Two Bodies.

Elliptic Orbits.

Rockets.

Energy Relationships: Hyperbolic and Parabolic Orbits.

Kepler's Equation and Lambert's Theorem.

Orbital Maneuvering of Spacecraft.

Elements of Spacecraft Dynamics.

Planetary Exploration.

General Perturbation Theory and a Specific Application to the Motion of the Planet Mercury.

The Motion of Earth-Orbiting Satellites.

The Problem of Three Bodies and the Stability of the Solar System.

Appendices.

Index.

Editorial Reviews

Updates the 1989 edition of Szebehely's (1921-97) textbook for a first course in orbital mechanics and spacecraft dynamics, emphasizing fundamental ideas without the myriad of details that are necessary in more advanced study. Strengthens the treatment of artificial bodies with chapters on rocket propulsion, elementary spacecraft dynamics, and the exploration of the solar system in which natural and artificial bodies are considered together. Also expands the discussion of the three-body problem to include chaotic motion in nonlinear systems. Annotation c. by Book News, Inc., Portland, Or.

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