Downloadable video clips (1) on history of space, spacecraft, and rocketry; (2) on space mission and spacecraft design; and (3) global climate change (ice ages).
It is recommended to download the files of video clips first and then play them from your computer.
Themes: Downloadable video clips. Space mission design. Spacecraft Design. Orbital mechanics. Space flight. Spaceflight. History. Space history. Military history. Space. Astronautics. Rockets. Missiles. Spacecraft. Technology. Space policy. Space technology. Space exploration. Space science. Engineering. Aerospace. Astronautical engineering. Aerospace engineering. Video clips.
Files of video clips are hosted by the USC Distance Education Network (DEN). Thank you DEN.
(1) Video clip
(downloadable)
– History of Rocketry and Space
The Road to Space. The First Thousand Years. (1 hr 10 min; 390MB)
Fifty years ago, the Soviet Union and the United States launched into space the first artificial satellites of the Earth. The lecture (recorded in January 2007) presents the fascinating story of the events that paved the way to space. It introduces the history of early rocketry and the subsequent developments which led into the space age.
It is recommended to download first the slides of the presentation (pdf file).
The lecture can also be watched as webcastalso non-rocket history
History of the United States in Two Minutes (2 min 20 sec; 6.6 MB)Sputnik 1 Explorer 1 Vanguard 1
Recommended books on history of astronautics, rocketry, spaceflight, and space technology
(2) Video clips
(downloadable) – Space Mission and Spacecraft Design
The following video clips illustrate effects of interest to space mission design and to spacecraft design
Regression of Nodes ( 4 min 20 sec; 59MB)
This video clip demonstrates regression of nodes caused by Earth oblateness.
Prograde, Retrograde, and Sun-Synchronous Orbits ( 5 min 30 sec; 78MB)
This video clip demonstrates prograde, retrograde, and sun-synchronous orbits.
Rotation of Apsides (5 min 40 sec; 69MB)
This video clip demonstrates rotation of apsides caused by Earth oblateness.
Molniya Orbit ( 5 min 10 sec; 54MB)
This video clip demonstrates space mission geometry for communications provided by satellites in 12-hour Molniya orbits.
Molniya Communications Relay (4 min 15 sec; 36MB)
This video clip demonstrates communications link between a satellite in sun-synchronous orbit and a ground station through a relay 12-hour Molniya satellite.
Orbit Circularization by Atmospheric Drag ( 3 min 50 sec; 38MB)
This video clip demonstrates orbit circularization by atmospheric drag.
GPS Constellation ( 5 min 15 sec; 72MB)
This video clip demonstrates satellite constellation for Global Positioning System (GPS).
More instructional video clips are coming
More instructional video clips are coming
Recommended Textbooks and Monographs on Astronautics and Space Technology
(3) Video clip – Ice Ages, Solar System Dynamics and Global Climate Change
Ice Ages, Solar System Dynamics and Global Climate Change ( 3 min 30 sec; 16.5 MB)
video on YouTube; video on Yahoo; (high-resolution video will be available for download in a couple weeks)
Galactic frontier of the Solar system
ASTE520 graduate course on space mission and spacecraft design (largest spacecraft design graduate class in the United States)
Publications
Blazing the Trail. The Early History of Spacecraft and Rocketry, AIAA, Reston, Va., 2004
The winner of the Luigi Napolitano Award (2006) from the International Academy of Astronautics