Space Flight Mechanics (FSI-OZ0-A)

Academic year 2023/2024
Supervisor: doc. Ing. Pavel Zikmund, Ph.D.  
Supervising institute: LÚ all courses guaranted by this institute
Teaching language: English
Aims of the course unit:
The goal is to familiarize students with the branch of the area of aeronautical and cosmic means of transport that develops in a progressive way and with main problems of space flights.
Learning outcomes and competences:
Learning basic principles of space flight mechanics. Acquiring knowledge of aerospace techniques (launchers, space vehicles and stations).
Prerequisites:
The basics of mathematics - differential and integral calculus, common differential equations. The basics of common mechanics - force effect on a body, kinematics, dynamics.
Course contents:
Historical introduction to astronautics. The problem of space flight and its technical solutions. Fundamentals of space flight. Passive motion of cosmic bodies. Artificial satellites. Active motion of space vehicles. Dynamics of space vehicles. Flight performance of rockets. Orbital maneuvers. Interplanetary trajectories. Re-entry problems. Reusable aerospace vehicles.
Teaching methods and criteria:
The course is taught through lectures explaining the basic principles and theory of the discipline.
Assesment methods and criteria linked to learning outcomes:
A graded credit of a compulsory subject is awarded for participation and elaboration of all tasks in exercises and a successful final test. Classification according to the Study and Examination Regulations of the FME.
Controlled participation in lessons:
Lectures are optional, exercises are mandatory. Replacement in the form of individually assigned and recommended literature for self-study.
Type of course unit:
    Lecture  13 × 2 hrs. compulsory                  
    Exercise  13 × 1 hrs. compulsory                  
Course curriculum:
    Lecture

1. Historical introduction to astronautics.
2. Basic problems of space flight and its technical solutions.
3. Definition and clasification of space vehicles. Coordinate systems in mechanics of space flight.
4. Passive motion in a central gravitational field. Kepler's laws.
5. Position and velocity of cosmic bodies in orbit. Integral energy.
6. Description orbit. Orbit elements.
7. Active motion of space vehicles. Dynamics of rocket motion.
8. Flight performance of space vehicles. Specific impulse.
9. Launch of artificial Earth satellite. Characteristic of space velocities.
10. Maneuvering in orbit. Active-controlled movement of space vehicles.
11. Meeting spacecraft in orbit.
12. Interplanetary space flight.
13. Re-entry problems.
    Exercise

1. Calculations of basic parameters of the orbit in the central gravitational field.
2. Time course of motion of a cosmic body - solution of Kepler's equation.
3. Calculation of position and velocity of a body in the perifocal coordinate system.
4. Calculation of position and speed using Lagrange coefficients.
5. Position and velocity of a cosmic body in orbit in space.
6. Transformation between geocentric and perifocal coordinate system.
7. Determination of orbit elements from the state vector.
8. Calculation of the position of a body in topocentric horizontal coordinates. system.
9. Flight performance of single-stage and multi-stage missiles during vertical takeoff.
10. Coplanar changes in orbit and change in inclination of the orbit.
11. Calculation of the general transition path between two circular paths.
12. Hohmann transition path.
13. Bieliptic transition path.
Literature - fundamental:
3. Carrou, J.- P.(editor). Spaceflight Dynamics, Part I,II, Toulouse: Cépadues-Éditions, 1995. 1966 s. ISBN 2-85428-378-3. (překlad z francouzštiny).
4. Curtis, H.D. Orbital mechanics for engineering students, Oxford: Elsevier, 2007, 673 str. ISBN 978-0-7506-6169-0.
5. Daněk, V. Mechanika kosmického letu. 2.vydání. Brno: Akademické nakladatelství CERM, s.r.o., 2020. 310 s. ISBN 978-80-7623-041-5.
6. Space Mission Design and Operations. EdX.org [online]. [cit. 2021-03-04]. Dostupné z: https://www.edx.org/course/space-mission-design-and-operations?index=product&queryID=88da87b7080f35344f04f26f5f4bf894&position=1
Literature - recommended:
1. Lála,P.- Vítek,A. Malá encyklopedie kosmonautiky, Praha: Mladá fronta, 1982. 392 s.
2. Kolář,J. Základy kosmonautiky (skripta). Praha: Vydavatelství ČVUT Praha, 1972. 147 s.
3. Levantovskij,V.I. Mechanika kosmičeskogo poleta v elementarnom izloženii, 2.vyd., opravené a doplněné. Moskva: Nauka, 1974. 487 s.
4. Curtis, H.D. Orbital mechanics for engineering students, Oxford: Elsevier, 2007, 673 str. ISBN 978-0-7506-6169-0.
5. Carrou, J.- P.(editor). Spaceflight Dynamics, Part I,II, Toulouse: Cépadues-Éditions, 1995. 1966 s. ISBN 2-85428-378-3. (překlad z francouzštiny).
6. Daněk, V. Mechanika kosmického letu. Brno: Akademické nakladatelství CERM, s.r.o., 2018. 306 s. ISBN 978-80-7204-984-4.
The study programmes with the given course:
Programme Study form Branch Spec. Final classification   Course-unit credits     Obligation     Level     Year     Semester  
MPA-SAP full-time study --- no specialisation -- GCr 3 Compulsory 2 1 W
N-AST-A full-time study --- no specialisation -- Cr 3 Compulsory 2 2 W
N-ENG-Z visiting student --- no specialisation -- Cr 3 Recommended course 2 1 W