About This Space Online Course
Understanding how objects move in space is fundamental to modern satellite operations and national security missions.
From communications and navigation to intelligence collection and missile warning, satellites must maintain precise orbits—making the physics that governs orbital motion essential knowledge for anyone interested in space.
This short, online course introduces the 2-body equation of motion, a foundational concept used to describe how a satellite moves under the influence of Earth’s gravity. You will learn how Sir Isaac Newton’s laws of motion and gravitational principles combine to explain orbital motion, and how this mathematical relationship allows analysts and engineers to predict and describe the paths satellites follow in orbit.
You will also review the simplifying assumptions used in the 2-body model, including treating Earth as a uniformly dense sphere and focusing primarily on the gravitational interaction between Earth and the satellite. You will gain insight into how additional influences, such as atmospheric drag and gravitational forces from the Moon and Sun, can affect orbital motion, and why these effects are often treated as secondary forces in basic orbital modeling. The course also introduces the concept of classical orbital elements and explains how initial conditions are used to solve the equation and accurately describe satellite trajectories in Earth orbit.
By connecting Newton’s laws, gravitational theory and Kepler’s laws of planetary motion, this course will help you to understand the mathematical framework that underpins modern orbital mechanics.
What You Will Learn
- Understand and explain the 2-body equation of motion and its application in orbital mechanics
- Apply mathematical principles to solve problems related to the motion of celestial bodies
Who Should Take This Online Course
This online training course is designed for defense or intelligence professionals working for the Federal government or a government contractor companies interested in learning more about space.
More seasoned professionals will also benefit from this online training experience to obtain a refresher on the critical subject matter.
Prerequisites
None
Course Certificate
To achieve a course certificate of completion, you must score 80 percent or higher on a graded final exam.
Course Format
Self-paced, online training course
Course Pricing
Individual courses are $9.99 (per person).
Seat licenses to access the entire FedLearn AI and data science catalog are also available. Click here to learn more and purchase
If you are interested in learning about special team rates for Federal government and government contractor organizations, email [email protected]
Continuing Education Unit Credits
This course provides .5 CEU.
