Orbit and Constellation Design and Management (Space Technology Library, Vol. 13) - Renewed Edition by James R Wertz (2001) Paperback

Space Technology Library #13

by James R. Wertz

Orbit and Constellation Design and Management (OCDM) provides greatly expanded detail on many topics first introduced in the 2 of the earlier Wertz works - Spacecraft Attitude Determination and Control (SADC) and Space Mission Analysis and Design (SMAD). If these two books got you started in mission engineering and you need more detail on the key area of Spacecraft Orbit and Attitude Systems (SOAS), then this book provides more detail in SOAS requirements definition, mission geometry, orbit and constellation design, relative motion of satellites, observation and measurement systems engineering, orbit control and management, and similar topics.

Paperback

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.