Mission Geometry; Orbit and Constellation Design and Management - Spacecraft Orbit and Attitude Systems

Space Technology Library #13

by James R. Wertz, Hans F. Meissinger (Contributor), Lauri Kraft Newman (Contributor)

Mission Geometry: Orbit and Constellation Design and Management (OCDM) is the most complete treatment available for many elements of space mission design and astronautics. OCDM discusses both the similarities and differences between orbit and altitude systems in terms of hardware, algorithms, design, and processing requirements. With the demand for reduced cost and the introduction of extensive on-board computing, what were once entirely separate disciplines have begun to merge. This volume will speed that process. In all areas, OCDM is meant to be practical, with recommendations, insights, formulas, and numerical recipes based on 40 years of spaceflight experience from organizations worldwide. It is meant to be both a text and reference work that can be used by those entering the field and by senior engineers engaged in the design, analysis, construction, or on-orbit operations of orbit and attitude systems and components.

Hardcover

First published January 31, 2002

Reviews

[Christian B]

I work as a Space Plans Officer, coordinating operations that rely on orbital capabilities, and this is certainly required reading depending on the depth your job requires. It covers everything from the fundamentals of orbital mechanics through ground tracks, Earth coverage, relative motion, orbit selection and constellation design. What I found most useful was how it ties the math and geometry back to what a satellite or constellation can actually see, access and support, which is where it becomes particularly useful for operational planning.

At nearly 1,000 pages, I definitely wouldn’t recommend reading every equation unless your job actually requires it, but it’s a great reference to have around. Not exactly something I’d bring to the beach, but it’s one I’ll keep pulling off the shelf for work.