Space Vehicle Design (AIAA Education Series)

This authoritative text provides both suitable materials for senior-level courses in aerospace engineering and a useful reference for the practicing aerospace engineer. The text starts with an overall description of the basic mission considerations for spacecraft design, including space environment, astrodynamics, and atmospheric reentry. Then the various subsystems are discussed, and in each case, both the theoretical background and the current engineering practice are fully explained. The book provides the space systems engineer the tools to evaluate the overall impact of candidate design concepts on the various component subsystems and the integrated system leading to the final design selection.