As they tumble through space, objects like spacecraft move in dynamical ways. Understanding and predicting the equations that represent that motion is critical to the safety and efficacy of spacecraft mission development. Kinetics: Modeling the Motions of Spacecraft trains your skills in topics like rigid body angular momentum and kinetic energy expression shown in a coordinate frame agnostic manner, single and dual rigid body systems tumbling without the forces of external torque, how differential gravity across a rigid body is approximated to the first order to study disturbances in both the attitude and orbital motion, and how these systems change when general momentum exchange devices are introduced.
This course is part of the Spacecraft Dynamics and Control Specialization
9,043 already enrolled
Offered By
Spacecraft Dynamics and Control SpecializationUniversity of Colorado BoulderAbout this Course
7,529 recent views
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Course 2 of 4 in the
Advanced Level
Approx. 21 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: French, Portuguese (European), Russian, English, Spanish
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Course 2 of 4 in the
Advanced Level
Approx. 21 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: French, Portuguese (European), Russian, English, Spanish
Offered by
University of Colorado Boulder
CU-Boulder is a dynamic community of scholars and learners on one of the most spectacular college campuses in the country. As one of 34 U.S. public institutions in the prestigious Association of American Universities (AAU), we have a proud tradition of academic excellence, with five Nobel laureates and more than 50 members of prestigious academic academies.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
6 hours to complete
Continuous Systems and Rigid Bodies
The dynamical equations of motion are developed using classical Eulerian and Newtonian mechanics. Emphasis is placed on rigid body angular momentum and kinetic energy expression that are shown in a coordinate frame agnostic manner. The development begins with deformable shapes (continuous systems) which are then frozen into rigid objects, and the associated equations are thus simplified.
6 hours to complete
19 videos (Total 158 min)
7 hours to complete
Torque Free Motion
The motion of a single or dual rigid body system is explored when no external torques are acting on it. Large scale tumbling motions are studied through polhode plots, while analytical rate solutions are explored for axi-symmetric and general spacecraft shapes. Finally, the dual-spinner dynamical system illustrates how the associated gyroscopics can be exploited to stabilize any principal axis spin.
7 hours to complete
17 videos (Total 166 min)
2 hours to complete
Gravity Gradients
The differential gravity across a rigid body is approximated to the first order to study how it disturbs both the attitude and orbital motion. The gravity gradient relative equilibria conditions are derived, whose stability is analyzed through linearization.
2 hours to complete
7 videos (Total 77 min)
6 hours to complete
Equations of Motion with Momentum Exchange Devices
The equations of motion of a rigid body are developed with general momentum exchange devices included. The development begins with looking at variable speed control moment gyros (VSCMG), which are then specialized to classical single-gimbal control moment devices (CMGs) and reaction wheels (RW).
6 hours to complete
7 videos (Total 95 min)
Reviews
- 5 stars83.62%
- 4 stars14.65%
- 3 stars1.72%
TOP REVIEWS FROM KINETICS: STUDYING SPACECRAFT MOTION
by NBFeb 25, 2019
excellent course content with knowledgeable professor. Challenging to learn and focused on both analytical theory and practical example.
by OMay 17, 2021
It's a well taught course that would otherwise have proved much more difficult.
by HJul 20, 2020
It's hard, but you learn a lot. Mr Schaub is great teacher.
by MKAug 28, 2020
great lectures highly recommended for space enthusiasts
About the Spacecraft Dynamics and Control Specialization
Spacecraft Dynamics and Control covers three core topic areas: the description of the motion and rates of motion of rigid bodies (Kinematics), developing the equations of motion that prediction the movement of rigid bodies taking into account mass, torque, and inertia (Kinetics), and finally non-linear controls to program specific orientations and achieve precise aiming goals in three-dimensional space (Control). The specialization invites learners to develop competency in these three areas through targeted content delivery, continuous concept reinforcement, and project applications.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?
Is financial aid available?
More questions? Visit the Learner Help Center.
