How to Learn Basic Orbital Mechanics

Resources to learn basic orbital physics and rocketry

Suppose you are a fan of shows like The Expanse, science fiction books set in space, space sims like Kerbal Space Program and SimpleRockets 2, or you enjoy watching SpaceX launches. In that case, you may want to broaden your knowledge of rocket science and orbital mechanics. Unfortunately, many books and courses on these topics require lots of physics and advanced math. But there are some resources aimed at beginners that I list here. If there's a helpful resource you are aware of that isn't listed, leave it in the comments.

Space Simulations

Space simulations like Kerbal Space Program, SimpleRockets 2, and Spaceflight Simulator provide an intuitive understanding of orbital mechanics that reading textbooks and watching videos can't always offer. However, while these games introduce players to many fundamentals of orbital mechanics and spaceflight, the physics involved is simplified in many ways. There are multiple variables involved in actual space missions that these games don't take into account.

Even though they aren't 100% scientifically accurate, these games can successfully teach the basics of orbital mechanics, Newtonian dynamics, and rocket science. Kerbal Space Program is available for Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. SimpleRockets is available for Android, iOS, Microsoft Windows, and macOS. Spaceflight Simulator is a free app and a PC game available on Steam. 

The Kerbal Player's Guide is a handy reference for Kerbal Space Program but it also has a section devoted to Rocket Science that teaches concepts like thrust-to-weight ratio, the rocket equation, atmospheric drag, the Karman Line, types of orbits, Hohmann Transfers, and more. 

It's ONLY Rocket Science: An Introduction in Plain English

It's ONLY Rocket Science is a book that promises plain English, and it delivers. It provides comprehensive coverage of topics like staging, types of orbits, LaGrange Points, Rendezvous and Intercept, Gravity Assists, Rocket Propulsion, navigation, communication, living in space, and without burdening the reader with lots of math. Part of the Astronomers' Universe series, it was originally published in 2008. Since it is part of a rapidly changing field, it is a little outdated. However, I haven't been able to find any book like it that provides comprehensive coverage of rocket science in a way that most beginners can understand.  

Basics of Space Flight - NASA
NASA's Basics of Space Flight is an online textbook "designed primarily as a quick training guide for mission operations people." This basic guide is basic enough for laypeople to understand the "concept of interplanetary spaceflight." The online guide has several sections, including Gravity & Mechanics, Trajectories, Planetary Orbits, Navigation, and Launch. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to find a downloadable PDF version of the book, so you have to read it on the website. 

Introduction to Aerospace Engineering: Astronautics and Human Spaceflight

This edX course offered by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) boasts that it "makes the basics of spaceflight accessible to everyone." Don't panic that this is an MIT course. It has some high school physics, basic calculus, and a few difficult-to-follow sections, but overall, the lessons are easy to understand. MIT Professor Jeffrey Hoffman, a former NASA astronaut, teaches the course.  

Spaceflight is exciting, and you don’t have to be a “Rocket Scientist” to share in the excitement! 

The course is free if you sign up for the Audit track. The free option provides about two months of access to the class. However, all of the videos are downloadable, so if you can't finish in time, you can save all the videos and go at your own pace. However, you won't have access to the quizzes. The course covers rocket science, orbital mechanics, environmental control, and life support.

Introduction to Orbital Mechanics by Dr. Lynnane George
Dr. Lynnane George is an instructor in Space Systems. She has a free online book called Introduction to Orbital Mechanics. These are a few of the topics this introduction to 'astrodynamics' covers: 

• orbital-mechanics and maneuvers
• why spacecraft launch from specific locations during specific time windows
• geosynchronous orbits 

This book may be an introduction, but it isn't basic. It has plenty of math but should be understandable to anyone with a good foundation in the concepts. If you have learned from some of the simpler resources listed above, you may be able to grasp many of the concepts covered in this book.

YouTube Videos

YouTube has some videos that cover the basics of orbital mechanics and rocketry that are accessible for beginners. I'll link just a few here.

Easy Orbital Mechanics I - Getting to the Moon

Easy Orbital Mechanics II - Hohmann Transfers

Easy Orbital Mechanics III - Interplanetary Travel

Easy Orbital Mechanics IV - The Oberth Effect

Space Flight: The Application of Orbital Mechanics

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