Kinematics Describing the Motions of Spacecraft

The movement of bodies in space (like spacecraft, satellites, and space stations) must be predicted and controlled with precision in order to ensure safety and efficacy. Kinematics is a field that develops descriptions and predictions of the motion of these bodies in 3D space. This course in Kinematics covers four major topic areas: an introduction to particle kinematics, a deep dive into rigid body kinematics in two parts (starting with classic descriptions of motion using the directional cosine matrix and Euler angles, and concluding with a review of modern descriptors like quaternions and Classical and Modified Rodrigues parameters). The course ends with a look at static attitude determination, using modern algorithms to predict and execute relative orientations of bodies in space.After this course, you will be able to…

• Differentiate a vector as seen by another rotating frame and derive frame dependent velocity and acceleration vectors
• Apply the Transport Theorem to solve kinematic particle problems and translate between various sets of attitude descriptions
• Add and subtract relative attitude descriptions and integrate those descriptions numerically to predict orientations over time
• Derive the fundamental attitude coordinate properties of rigid bodies and determine attitude from a series of heading measurements

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Syllabus

Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
Week 1
Introduction to Kinematics
Week 2
Rigid Body Kinematics I
Week 3
Rigid Body Kinematics II
Week 4
Static Attitude Determination

FAQ

When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?

Access to lectures and assignments depends on your type of enrollment. If you take a course in audit mode, you will be able to see most course materials for free. To access graded assignments and to earn a Certificate, you will need to purchase the Certificate experience, during or after your audit. If you don't see the audit option:

What will I get if I subscribe to this Specialization?

When you enroll in the course, you get access to all of the courses in the Specialization, and you earn a certificate when you complete the work. Your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.

Is financial aid available?

Yes. In select learning programs, you can apply for financial aid or a scholarship if you can’t afford the enrollment fee. If fin aid or scholarship is available for your learning program selection, you’ll find a link to apply on the description page.

Reviews

if you want to learn about spacecraft attitude and would like to get experience in describing the motion of spacecraft as well as dynamics of satellites.This course will be first step.

A good course for those interested aerospace, as well as those just looking to further their mathematical skills.

Gives a good introduction to common attitude representations, along with how attitude can be determined from sensor measurements.

A wonderful course on Spacecraft Kinematics, by a top quality instructor.

Thank you Professor! It was a pleasure to take another course from you!