A Brief History of Orbital Mechanics

Aristotle (384-322 Aristotle (384-322 BC) BC) Ptolemy (87-150 Ptolemy (87-150 AD) AD) Nicolaus Nicolaus Copernicus Copernicus(1473-1543) (1473-1543) Tycho (1546-1601) Tycho Brahe Brahe (1546-1601) Johannes (1571-1630) Johannes Kepler Kepler (1571-1630) Galileo (1564-1642) Galileo Galilei Galilei (1564-1642) Sir (1643-1727) Sir Isaac Isaac Newton Newton (1643-1727)

Aristotle and Ptolemy ~300 BC ~100 AD

Earth Earth at at center center of of universe universe Observations Observations dont dont agree, agree, hence hence Ptolemaic Ptolemaic view view

Aristotelian to Copernican
Geocentric Geocentric to to Heliocentric Heliocentric 300 300 BC BC to to 1500 1500 AD AD

Tycho Brahes Island Hven in the Sont near Copenhagen (1546-1601)

Kepler (1571-1630)
Worked Worked as as assistant assistant to to Brahe Brahe in in Prague Prague Inherited Inherited Brahes Brahes observations observations Used Used curve curve fits fits to to establish establish three three laws laws of of orbital orbital motion motion

I. I. The The orbit orbit of of each each planet planet is is an an ellipse ellipse with with the the Sun Sun at at one one focus. focus. II. II. The The line line joining joining the the planet planet to to the the Sun Sun sweeps sweeps out out equal equal areas areas in in equal equal times. times. III. III. The The square square of of the the period period of of a a planets planets orbit orbit is is proportional proportional to to the the cube cube of of its its mean mean distance distance to to the the sun. sun.

Galileo (1564-1642)
Perhaps Perhaps the the first first experimental experimental physicist physicist First First telescope: telescope: Galilean Galilean moons moons Mathematics Mathematics professor professor at at University University of of Pisa Pisa Determined Determined the the pendulum pendulum principle principle while while observing observing chandelier chandelier motion motion in in church church Sentenced Sentenced to to house house arrest arrest for for advocating advocating the the Copernican Copernican view view of of the the universe universe

Newton (1643-1727)
Keplers Laws were based on observation data: curve fits Newton established the theory
Universal Gravitational Law

GMm Fg = 2 r

m r M

Second Law

r r & & F = mr

Universal Gravitational Constant

G = 6.672 10

11

m kg s

1 2

A Brief History of Aeronautics

Daedulus )) Daedulus & & Icarus Icarus ((Greek Greek Mythology Mythology Leonardo Leonardo da da Vinci Vinci (1452-1519) (1452-1519) Montgolfier Montgolfier Bros. Bros. (~1740-1810) (~1740-1810) George (1773-1857) George Cayley Cayley (1773-1857) Otto (1848-1896) Otto Lilienthal Lilienthal (1848-1896) Samuel Samuel Pierpont Pierpont Langley Langley (1834 (1834 1906) 1906) Wilbur (1867 Wilbur Wright Wright (1867 1912) 1912) Orville (1871-1948) Orville Wright Wright (1871-1948)

Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519)

The The original original Renaissance Renaissance Man: Man: painter, painter, inventor, inventor, writer writer Sketched Sketched several several aerospace aerospace vehicle vehicle concepts concepts

Note: Note: the the King King Crimson Crimson song song Night Night Watch Watch tells tells the the story story of of a a scandal scandal that that occurred occurred in in LdVs LdVs life life

Montgolfier Brothers Joseph-Michael (1740-1810) Jacques-tienne (1745-1799)

Inventors Inventors of of the the first first practical practical balloon balloon 1782: 1782: discovered discovered that that heated heated air air in in a a paper paper or or fabric fabric bag bag made made the the bag bag rise rise 1783: 1783: flew flew a a sheep, sheep, a a duck, duck, and and a a rooster rooster for for 8 8 minutes; minutes; Louis Louis XIV XIV and and Marie Marie Antoinette Antoinette were were witnesses witnesses November November 1783: 1783: first first human human flight flight

Sir George Cayley (1773-1857)

Father Father of of aviation aviation Built Built his his first first aerial aerial device device in in 1796: 1796: a a model model helicopter helicopter with with contra-rotating contra-rotating propellers propellers In In 1804 1804 designed designed and and built built a a model model monoplane monoplane glider glider In In 1849 1849 built built a a large large gliding gliding machine machine

The Cayley Medallion, depicting (left) a Monoplane Glider and (right) Lift and Drag - 1799

A Science Fiction Flight

This illustration from Jules Vernes Round the Moon (1873) shows the effects of weightlessness on the passengers of The Gun Clubs bullet capsule that was fired from a large gun in Florida. The passengers only experienced this at the halfway point between the Earth and the Moon. Physically accurate?

Otto von Lilienthal (1848-1896)

Collected Collected aerodynamic aerodynamic data, data, and and emphasized emphasized that that curvature curvature of of a a birds birds wings wings is is key key to to flight flight Made Made >2000 >2000 glider glider flights flights between between 1891 1891 and and 1896 1896

Died Died in in a a glider glider accident accident in in 1896 1896

Samuel Pierpont Langley (1834 1906)

Astronomer Astronomer and and Director Director of of the the Smithsonian, Smithsonian, became became interested interested in in flight flight in in his his 50s 50s 1903: 1903: attempted attempted catapult-launch catapult-launch of of gasolinegasolineengine, engine, piloted piloted aerodrome aerodrome from from a a houseboat houseboat in in the the Potomac. Potomac. Failed Failed Spent Spent more more than than $50,000 $50,000 of of federal federal funds; funds; was was ridiculed ridiculed by by the the press press and and Congress Congress

Wright Brothers Wilbur (1867 1912) Orville (1871 1948)

Wilbur Wilbur was was born born in in Indiana Indiana and and Orville Orville was was born born in in Ohio; Ohio; they they grew grew up up in in Dayton, Dayton, Ohio Ohio Designed Designed the the Wright Wright Flyer Flyer in in their their bicycle bicycle shop shop December December 17, 17, 1903: 1903: first first manned manned flight, flight, Kitty Kitty Hawk, Hawk, North North Carolina Carolina

Mystery Vehicle #1

Mystery Vehicle #2

Messerschmitt Me 262
First First operational operational jet-powered jet-powered aircraft aircraft Saw Saw action action from from late late 1944 1944 in in both both bomber/reconnaissance bomber/reconnaissance and and fighter/interceptor fighter/interceptor roles roles

Blue Blue Oyster Oyster Cults Cults Me Me 262 262 is is about about this this airplane airplane

Bell X-1
First First supersonic supersonic flight flight 14 14 October October 1947 1947 by by Capt. Capt. Charles Charles Yeager Yeager Designed Designed for for conventional conventional takeoff, takeoff, but but most most flights flights were were taken taken to to 20,000 20,000 ft ft on on a a B-29 B-29 or or B-50 B-50 bomber bomber

Length Length 31.00 31.00 ft ft (9.45 (9.45 m) m) Wingspan Wingspan 28.00 28.00 ft ft (8.53 (8.53 m) m) Height Height 10.85 10.85 ft ft (3.31 (3.31 m) m) 2 2) Wing Wing Area Area 130.0 130.0 ft ft2 (12.01 (12.01 m m2 ) Max Max Takeoff Takeoff 13,400 13,400 lb lb (6,080 (6,080 kg) kg)