"Curtis, a professor with many years of technical teaching experience (Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univ., FL), presents the foundations of orbital mechanics. The book has 11 chapters, four of which are optional, that concentrate on basic orbital mechanics, orbital maneuvers, and satellite mechanics. The reader should know calculus and be able to use computers with software packages in mathematics. A background in physics, dynamics, differential equations, vector notation, and linear algebra is presumed. The book contains worked-out problems and derivations in which each step is provided so that the reader does not have to puzzle over missing steps--an attractive feature. The reader can download copies of needed programs and obtain a solutions manual separately. Use of the five appendixes is often needed to address the information in the chapters.

Figure quality is excellent and there is a 15-page index. This work is suitable for readers adequately prepared in mathematics and physics. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through professionals." --W. E. Howard III, formerly, Universities Space Research Association - July 2005, CHOICE. ".

this textbook must be praised for its clear derivations of all equations, presentation of even the most difficult aspects of orbital mechanics based on first principles and a very large amount of well-chosen solved examples. This book will be exceedingly attractive and useful not only to students but also to other researchers or practiced engineers attempting to understand the very exciting and useful field of orbital mechanics." --Alexander M. Jablonski, 'Orbital Mechanics for Engineering Students', June 2005.