Spacecraft Dynamics and Control: An Introduction [Bookshelf]

This book consists of 26 chapters and two appendices. The exposition is divided into roughly five parts: Basic kinematics and dynamics of particles and rigid bodies; Orbital mechanics of point mass objects; Spacecraft attitude dynamics; Feedback control theory; and Practical applications of the above four to spacecraft control. This book can be considered as a prequel to those wishing to study the more advanced graduate-level text of Hughes. Overall, I consider this book an excellent pedagogical exposition of spacecraft dynamics and control, valuable for a student or professional who has never before been exposed to this material and wants to come up to speed with the basics of orbital mechanics, attitude kinematics and dynamics, and feedback control theory. A very notable feature of this book lies in the successful unifying treatment of spacecraft orbital dynamics, attitude dynamics, and control using the vectrix calculus. For these reasons, I not only strongly recommend this book for students and practitioners, as well as academic and company libraries, but also have no doubt that this book will earn its place amongst the other excellent treatments of the subject mentioned above.