🚀 Rocket Basics: Learn Space Engineering Through Code

A hands-on educational repository for learning aerospace engineering, orbital mechanics, and rocket science through executable Python simulations. Built from first principles with real physics.

Project site (notebooks + docs): svonstrauss.github.io/rocket-basics

Run dashboards in your browser (Binder): Dashboard Hub

Perfect for: Students, developers curious about aerospace, or anyone who's ever wondered "how does a rocket actually get to orbit?"

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🎓 What You'll Learn

Concept	Where It's Taught	Real-World Application
Orbital Mechanics	Module 1 & 2	How satellites stay in orbit
Rocket Equation	Module 3	Why rockets need so much fuel
Delta-V Budgets	Module 2 & 3	Planning missions to Mars
G-Forces & Safety	Module 4	Keeping astronauts safe
Numerical Integration	Module 1	Simulating trajectories accurately
Perturbation Theory	Module 2	Why satellite orbits drift

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📚 Course Modules

Module	Focus	Key Concepts
Module 1	Foundations	Newton's Laws, RK4 Integration, Kepler's Equations
Module 2	Orbital Mechanics	J2 Perturbations, Hohmann Transfers, Lambert's Problem
Module 3	Propulsion & Systems	Tsiolkovsky Equation, Mass Ratios, Staging
Module 4	Human Factors	G-Force Limits, Vibration Analysis, Space Policy
Module 5	Astrophysics & ML	Telemetry, Anomaly Detection, Forecasting
Module 6	Capstone Mission	Mission planning, trade studies, portfolio deliverables

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🔬 Featured Simulations

1. Rocket Ascent Simulator

Learn: How rockets fight gravity and drag to reach orbit

cd src/Module_01_Foundations/Projects/Rocket_Ascent_Simulator
pip install -r requirements.txt
python simulation.py

Physics Concepts:

• Newton's 2nd Law: F = ma for multi-body forces
• Atmospheric drag: D = ½ρv²CdA
• Runge-Kutta 4 integration for accurate trajectories
• Thrust-to-weight ratio and gravity turn maneuvers

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2. Conic Orbit Visualizer

Learn: The mathematics of orbital paths (circles, ellipses, parabolas, hyperbolas)

cd src/Module_01_Foundations/Projects/Conic_Orbit_Visualizer
pip install -r requirements.txt
python visualizer.py

Physics Concepts:

• Vis-viva equation: v² = μ(2/r - 1/a)
• Orbital period: T = 2π√(a³/μ)
• Eccentricity and orbit shape
• Real missions: ISS, GPS, Voyager, Artemis

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3. Satellite Constellation Propagator

Learn: How GPS, Starlink, and other constellations work

cd src/Module_02_Orbital_Mechanics/Projects/Starlink_Propagator
pip install -r requirements.txt
python propagator.py

Physics Concepts:

• J2 perturbation from Earth's oblate shape
• Nodal regression: why orbits precess
• Walker Delta constellation patterns
• Ground track coverage analysis

Real Systems Compared: GPS (USA), GLONASS (Russia), Galileo (EU), BeiDou (China), Starlink, OneWeb

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4. Interplanetary Trajectory Planner

Learn: How to plan a mission to Mars

cd src/Module_02_Orbital_Mechanics/Projects/Starship_Trajectory_Planner
pip install -r requirements.txt
python mission_planner.py        # Animated Hohmann transfer
python porkchop/plotter.py       # Launch window analysis

Physics Concepts:

• Hohmann transfer orbits
• Synodic period and phase angles
• Delta-V budgets for interplanetary missions
• Porkchop plots for launch window optimization

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5. Launch Vehicle Trade Simulator

Learn: Why rocket design involves difficult trade-offs

cd src/Module_03_Propulsion/Projects/Starship_Trade_Simulator
pip install -r requirements.txt
python trade_simulator.py

Physics Concepts:

• Tsiolkovsky rocket equation: Δv = Isp·g₀·ln(m₀/m_f)
• Mass ratio and staging
• Reusability vs. payload capacity trade-offs

Vehicles Compared: Starship (SpaceX), SLS (NASA), Ariane 6 (ESA), Long March 5 (CNSA), H3 (JAXA)

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6. Crew Safety Simulator

Learn: How engineers keep astronauts safe during launch and reentry

cd src/Module_04_Human_Factors/Projects/Crew_Safety_Simulator
pip install -r requirements.txt
python simulator.py

Physics Concepts:

• Damped harmonic oscillators (crew seat modeling)
• Human G-force tolerance limits (NASA standards)
• Vibration frequency analysis
• Comparative vehicle profiles

Vehicles Analyzed: Crew Dragon, Soyuz, Apollo, Space Shuttle, New Shepard, Shenzhou

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7. Propellant Explorer (Dashboard)

Learn: How rocket propellants change mission capability (Isp + density + Δv)

cd src/Module_03_Propulsion/Projects/Propellant_Explorer
pip install -r requirements.txt
streamlit run app.py

Run in browser (Binder): Launch Propellant Explorer

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8. Telemetry Lab (Dashboard)

Learn: How real spacecraft-style data analysis works (time series, missing data, anomaly detection, forecasting)

cd src/Module_05_Astrophysics_ML/Projects/Telemetry_Lab
pip install -r requirements.txt
streamlit run app.py

Run in browser (Binder): Launch Telemetry Lab

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🛠️ Tech Stack

• Python 3.10+ with NumPy, Matplotlib, SciPy
• Streamlit + Plotly for interactive dashboards
• Quarto for the GitHub Pages website
• C++/OpenGL for advanced 3D visualization (optional)

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📁 Repository Structure

rocket-basics/
├── src/
│   ├── Module_01_Foundations/      # Newton's laws, numerical methods
│   ├── Module_02_Orbital_Mechanics/ # Kepler, perturbations, transfers
│   ├── Module_03_Propulsion/       # Rocket equation, staging
│   ├── Module_04_Human_Factors/    # Safety, policy
│   ├── Module_05_Astrophysics_ML/  # Telemetry + anomaly detection + forecasting
│   ├── Module_06_Capstone/         # Capstone planning notebooks
│   ├── Dashboard_Hub/              # Streamlit hub linking dashboards + simulations
│   └── shared/                     # OpenGL Earth viewer (advanced)
└── README.md

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🚀 Quick Start

# Clone the repo
git clone https://github.com/svonstrauss/rocket-basics.git
cd rocket-basics

# Run your first simulation
cd src/Module_01_Foundations/Projects/Conic_Orbit_Visualizer
pip install -r requirements.txt
python visualizer.py

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📖 Educational Resources

Each project includes:

• README.md - Overview and usage instructions
• EXPLANATION.md - Detailed physics and math derivations
• Commented code - Learn by reading the implementation

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🤝 Contributing

Found a bug? Want to add a new simulation? PRs are welcome!

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📜 License

MIT License - Use freely for learning and teaching.

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"The rocket worked perfectly, except for landing on the wrong planet." — Wernher von Braun

Built with physics, math, and a passion for making space accessible to everyone.