Rocket Science for Normies

A beginner-friendly but technically honest tour of how rockets work, how orbit works, and why space missions are full of brutal tradeoffs.

4 sections ยท 16 lessons

Course outline

Rocket Basics

  1. Thrust Pushes Back
  2. Rockets Carry Their Air
  3. Atmosphere Steals Performance
  4. Fuel Grows Exponentially
  5. Design a Tiny Launcher

Engines and Stages

  1. Pick the Propellant
  2. Nozzles Make Speed
  3. Cycles Are Plumbing Choices
  4. Stages Drop Dead Weight
  5. Choose an Engine Architecture

Orbit Mechanics

  1. Turn Sideways Early
  2. Orbit Is Missing Earth
  3. Spend Delta-V Wisely
  4. Docking Feels Backward
  5. Plan an Orbit Change

Missions and Futures

  1. Escape Uses the Solar System
  2. Reentry Converts Speed to Heat
  3. Reuse Changes the Bill
  4. Future Propulsion Has Niches
  5. Compare Three Launchers

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