Musielak Publishes Book on Rocket Propulsion
A scientist at The University of Texas at Arlington has published a new book on the basic principles and technologies of the propulsion systems used to power space vehicles.
Dora Musielak, a research professor in the Department of Physics, is author of the book, titled Introduction to Rocket Propulsion for Astronautics. It was published by Springer Nature as part of the series Synthesis Lectures on Engineering, Science, and Technology.
“This is a great book for anyone interested in learning about the modern rockets that we use to launch space telescopes, robotic and crewed spacecraft to the Moon and Mars, and that propel space probes across the Solar System for missions of space exploration to enable humanity to discover more of our beautiful universe,” Musielak said.
The book provides an accessible entry point to understanding propulsion systems. It describes key physical mechanisms of propulsion and emphasizes the current state of technologies for different applications such as launch vehicles and space probes.
Topics covered in the book include rocket propulsion fundamentals, spaceflight maneuvering, liquid propellant rocket engines, solid propellant rocket propulsion, electric propulsion, and advanced propulsion beyond chemical rockets.
Musielak has written several other books, including Scramjet Propulsion: A Practical Introduction (2022), which provides a comprehensive discussion of hypersonic airbreathing propulsion and its applications.
Her research areas include advanced space propulsion and plasma rockets, high-speed airbreathing propulsion, chaos in complex systems, and fractal statistics. She has been awarded several NASA research fellowships for work on advanced rockets.
Musielak is an Associate Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). She is an enthusiastic promoter of women’s contributions to mathematics and physics and gives talks to inspire young students. She is currently writing a book about the history of quantum mechanics, focusing on the beauty of equations and their relation to the physical world.
“I am very grateful to Dr. Alex Weiss [chair of the department] for his encouragement and the opportunity to be part of the outstanding research group in the Physics Department,” she said.
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