Launch Vehicle Analysis & Design Course | Prof. Ashok Joshi IIT Bombay
Course Details
| Exam Registration | 315 |
|---|---|
| Course Status | Ongoing |
| Course Type | Elective |
| Language | English |
| Duration | 8 weeks |
| Categories | Aerospace Engineering, Flight Mechanics |
| Credit Points | 2 |
| Level | Undergraduate/Postgraduate |
| Start Date | 16 Feb 2026 |
| End Date | 10 Apr 2026 |
| Enrollment Ends | 16 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Registration Ends | 27 Feb 2026 |
| Exam Date | 18 Apr 2026 IST |
| NCrF Level | 4.5 — 8.0 |
Master the Fundamentals of Launch Vehicle Engineering
Space has always captivated humanity, holding clues to our planet's origins and future. At the heart of every space mission is the launch vehicle—the powerful machine that delivers satellites, probes, and crew to their celestial destinations. If you've ever wondered about the science and engineering behind these marvels, the course Introduction to Launch Vehicle Analysis and Design offers a perfect gateway.
This comprehensive 8-week program, led by renowned expert Prof. Ashok Joshi of IIT Bombay, distills over thirty-five years of teaching and research into a structured curriculum. It is designed to equip you with the core principles needed to understand and design the trajectories and configurations of launch vehicles and missiles.
Course Overview: What You Will Learn
The course systematically builds your knowledge from foundational concepts to advanced design techniques. It is tailored for undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as professionals from industry, space agencies, and defence establishments involved in aerospace and missile systems.
Detailed 8-Week Course Layout
| Week | Topics Covered |
|---|---|
| Week 1 | Introduction, Course Plan, Ascent Mission Basics, Force and Geometry Models |
| Week 2 | Idealized Performance, Trajectory Under Gravity, Impact of Gravity and Drag |
| Week 3 | Curvilinear Motion, Constant Pitch Rate, Constant Velocity, and Constant (T/m) Solutions |
| Week 4 | Ascent Mission Design, Multi-stage Rocket Concept, Formulation & Basics |
| Week 5 | Optimal Staging Concept, Lagrange’s Solution, Approximate Staging, Rocket Variant Concept |
| Week 6 | Variant Design Solution, Parallel Staging, Relativistic & SSTO Rockets, Air-breathing Rockets & Ballistic Missiles |
| Week 7 | Jet Damping & Spin, Basics of Rocket Launching, Fundamentals & Techniques of Re-entry |
| Week 8 | Revision of Material and Interactive Doubt-Clearing Session |
Meet Your Instructor: Prof. Ashok Joshi
Learning from an expert with deep academic and research experience is invaluable. Prof. Ashok Joshi brings a wealth of knowledge to this course:
- Position: Professor of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Bombay.
- Expertise: Dynamics and Control of Flexible Flight Vehicles.
- Experience: 35+ years in teaching and research.
- Research Interests: Flight Vehicle Navigation & Guidance, Structure-Control Interaction, Unmanned Aerial Systems, Swarming Algorithms.
- Teaching: Has taught spaceflight mechanics for over 15 years.
- Publications: 41 journal papers and 74 conference proceedings.
Who Should Enroll?
This course is meticulously designed for a broad audience seeking to solidify their understanding of launch vehicle systems:
- Undergraduate and Postgraduate students in Aerospace, Mechanical, or related engineering fields.
- Engineers and professionals in industries supporting space agencies (ISRO, NASA, ESA, etc.).
- Personnel from defence establishments working on missile system configuration and design.
- Faculty members from engineering colleges looking to enhance their curriculum.
Prerequisites & Recommended Knowledge
The course is structured to be accessible. No specific prerequisites are mandatory. However, a basic understanding of the following core engineering subjects will help you grasp the concepts more smoothly:
- Rigid Body Mechanics
- Fluid Mechanics
- Thermodynamics
Essential Reference Books
To supplement your learning, the course references several foundational texts in astronautics and flight dynamics:
- Cornelisse et al., ‘Rocket Propulsion and Spaceflight Dynamics’ (1979)
- Thompson, ‘Introduction to Space Dynamics’ (1986)
- Hale, ‘Introduction to Space Flight’ (1994)
- Wiesel, ‘Spaceflight Dynamics’ (1997)
- Walter, ‘Astronautics: The Physics of Space Flight’ (2012)
Why Take This Course?
Whether you aspire to join the space sector, advance in the defence industry, or simply quench a deep curiosity about rocket science, this course provides a rigorous yet clear pathway. You will move from understanding basic forces on a rocket to designing optimal multi-stage configurations and analyzing re-entry mechanics—all under the guidance of an IIT Bombay professor. Enroll today to begin your journey into the engineering of launch vehicles.
Enroll Now →