Orbital Mechanics II

Resources

• General
  • Basics of Space Flight: Orbital Mechanics. Robert A. Braeunig. Rocket and Space Technology.
  • Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment(GRACE). University of Texas Center for Space Research
  • Physics. Bob Jenkins. Lots of crazy orbits.
• Geostationary & geosynchronous satellites
  • Extra Terrestrial Relays: Can Rocket Stations Give World-Wide Radio Coverage? Arthur C. Clarke. Wireless World. (1945): 305–308.
  • List of Satellites in Geostationary Orbits. Eric Johnston. Satellite Signals.
• Lagrange and related orbits
  • What are Lagrange points? ESA Space Science. Has some nice animations, but could use one more.
  • Neil J. Cornish. NASA. WMAP Observatory.
    • Lagrange Points. HTML that's not too technical.
    • Lagrange Points. PDF with equations.
• Satellite tracking
  • Heavens-Above. Satellite visible passes.
  • Iridium Flares. Telecommunication satellites that brighten significantly for a few seconds.
• Video on demand
  • Brady Haran
    • Lagrange Points. Sixty Symbols. YouTube (2013). Discussing Lagrangian (Lagrange) points, orbits and gravity. Speaking is Professor Mike Merrifield. Animations by Pete McPartlan.
  • The Mechanical Universe and Beyond(1985)
    • Navigating in Space. Voyages to other planets use the same laws that guide planets around the solar system.
    • Harmony of the Spheres. A last lingering look back at mechanics to see new connections between old discoveries.