What This Document Is
This document is the fourth homework assignment (AAE 251) for an Introduction to Aerospace Design course at California Western School of Law, completed by student Thomas Nickel as part of Team R209. It focuses on orbit transfer calculations and the application of wind tunnel data, due September 27, 2022. The assignment is submitted via Gradescope.
Why This Document Matters
This assignment is intended for students enrolled in AAE 251. It serves as a practical application of concepts learned in class regarding orbital mechanics and launch site advantages. Successful completion demonstrates understanding of calculating delta-v (AV) for orbital maneuvers and analyzing the impact of launch location on mission efficiency.
Common Limitations or Challenges
This assignment represents a student’s work and does not provide a comprehensive explanation of aerospace design principles. It assumes prior knowledge of orbital mechanics, MATLAB programming, and the use of Gradescope. It is a problem set, not a tutorial.
What This Document Provides
The full document includes: detailed instructions for completing the assignment, two main questions involving calculating delta-v for launching a payload into Low Earth Orbit (LEO) from Boca Chica (Starbase) and Cape Canaveral (KSC), specific launch azimuths to consider, required constants (Earth’s rotation speed, radius, gravitational parameter), and partially completed MATLAB code with initial results for AV calculations and plots. The preview only shows a snippet of the MATLAB code and some initial results.
