Spacecraft Mission Design

by Charles D. Brown, Asselin, Wren Software C. Brown

This text focuses on the most general and most practical tools needed for the early spacecraft design studies, including the principles of two-body motion, definition of orbits, orbital maneuvers, and central body observation. The use of elementary mathematics makes this concise book ideal for upperclass college students, graduates, and practicing engineers or managers. There are enough worked examples that one can be self taught. The second edition includes astronomical reference material, sections on constellations, lunar trajectories, and cycler orbits. ORBWIN allows you to proceed directly from understanding into professional work. It defines all orbital elements for any orbit, provides the parameters at any orbital point, calculates spacecraft horizon, instrument field of view, orbit perturbations, ground track, planetary ephemeris, conversion of Julian days, oblique triangle solutions, and propellant weight projections. Any major body in the solar system may be used as the central body.

Genres: Engineering

183 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

Reviews

[Nathaniel]

The Orbital Mechanics chapter of Elements Of Spacecraft Design is basically a slightly compressed version of this book (the propulsion chapter is a somewhat more compressed version of Spacecraft Propulsion). Brown doesn't try to obscure this, but it could have been done a bit better; in some cases, the wording should have been updated to reflect sections instead of chapters.

The virtues and vices of Spacecraft Mission Design are basically the same as Elements of Spacecraft Design. For the most part, this is a good introduction to astrodynamics for mission planning, but in a few places still leaves a bit to be desired. A handful of section are more in-depth than in Elements of Spacecraft Design, but there are plenty of concepts which need more extensive explanation, simpler and more intuitive diagrams, or examples which don't skim over important steps. Brown's efforts to write a book "which fits in your briefcase" may have gone too far in the direction of simplification.

If you're making a purchasing decision to maximize value, it's probably best to buy Elements of Spacecraft Design. The biggest advantage of Spacecraft Mission Design is a greater number of exercises, all of which can be worked with the ORBWIN software that this book was probably a vehicle to sell. I kind of doubt it's been updated to work on post-1990s machines, and honestly? An engineer could write functions to solve the questions themselves given the number of free editors available today.

I would recommend this as a reference text for most spacecraft engineers and astrodynamicists. Despite its flaws, Brown is a relatively clear and straightforward writer, and compiles a tremendous number of useful equations and relevant data in a small space. It's strange to think the knowledge to plan missions across the Solar System can fit in such a tiny book.