Fundamentals of Astrodynamics and Applications, 2nd. ed. (The Space Technology Library)

The second edition features several exciting changes to this exceptional book. 30 pages longer than the original, there are ground illumination calculations, Moon rise and set data, a listing of relevant Internet sites. Moreover there are improved and expanded discussions of coordinate systems, orbit determination and differential correction, along with FREE Software available in Fortran, Pascal and C!

Summary

The increased power of microcomputers has changed the study of perturbations perhaps more than any other subfield of astrodynamics, but students and practitioners still need a compendium of well-documented algorithms to use that power. Vallado's book is just such a compendium, integrating two-body dynamics with perturbation methods and real-world applications while consolidating recent literature about coordinates and fundamental concepts. It attempts to use new programming capabilities to exploit the keys for the future-- standardizing, documenting, modularity, efficiency, and maintainability.

Ample algorithms, numbered and handily summarized at the beginning of the book, and extensive derivations have been included to save time often spent recreating something that has already been proven. The author cites many references and alternative methods to expand understanding of the topics discussed