Rocket Propulsion Elements, 7th Edition
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Aerospace Engineering/Mechanical Engineering
The definitive text on rocket propulsion-now completely revised to reflect rapid advancements in the field For more than fifty years, this seminal text has been regarded as the single most authoritative sourcebook on rocket propulsion technology. More comprehensive and coherently organized than any other book on the subject, Rocket Propulsion Elements guides readers evenhandedly through the complex factors that shape propulsion, with both theory and practical design considerations. With more than a third of the text and illustrations either completely new or extensively revised, this latest edition includes current information on engine structures, nozzle theory, gas properties, thrust chambers, launch vehicles, and more. With a detailed table of contents breaking down each chapter into subsections-as well as an expanded index of key words-the Seventh Edition efficiently steers readers quickly to the information they need. Other highlights include: * Separate chapters on liquid, solid, and hybrid propulsion systems and a new chapter on thrust chambers including the new aerospike nozzle * Comprehensive coverage of rocket propulsion technology, with applications to space flight, satellite flight, and guided and unguided missiles * Problem-solving examples and exercises relevant to actual design situations * More than 340 illustrations, including photographs, tables, and graphs * Coherent, up-to-date chapter on electrical propulsion balancing fundamentals with practical aspects and applications For professional engineers in the aerospace and defense industries as well as undergraduate and graduate students in mechanical and aerospace engineering, this time-honored resource is indispensable for its scope of coverage and utility. |
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| Reader Reviews 1 - 26 of 26 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Reader Reviews Below Sorted by Newest First | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 07-02-08 | 5 | (NA) |
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I picked up this book in a used bookstore on a lark, tossed it on my "in" pile of books, and there it languished for a year or so. When I finally picked it up as a cure for insomnia, I managed to make my way through 2/3 of the thing before finally falling asleep. This book is marvelous. I had no idea what was involved in real rocket science, but quite a bit. Vibration physics, thermodynamics, chemistry, injectors, turbopumps... The book would make a wonderful practical course for, say, a senior physics student, to test his knowledge of different fields. I was also struck by the elegant simplicity of the models which were actually used to design the rockets we use today. This is no cookbook of differential equations for finite element analysis and doing what the idiot box says; this hearkens back to when engineers used slide rules, and designed things they really understood. The elegant results for nozzle shape, driven by thermodynamics (I had no idea why rockets had big nozzles like they do), and flame length estimators of rocket thrust alone were worth the price of the book.
I had no idea it is still used as a textbook for rocketry (I have the second edition from 1956), but it doesn't surprise me terribly. The lucidity of the writing and derivations made this almost inevitable. I'm sure there are more practical books in Russian, but there aren't in English, so this one will remain a classic until Americans begin to do real rocket science again. (Review Data Last Updated: 2008-07-12 02:40:07 EST)
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| 01-14-08 | 1 | (NA) |
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I was fortunate enough to have a rocket propulsion internship at the Moscow Aviation Institute when I was an undergrad. As I hadn't taken a full-fledged rocket propulsion I bought this book for the trip. After arriving I proudly showed this great tome to my researchers to which they scanned it and replied, "This book is great if you would like to look at pictures and read vague stories about general rocketry, but it doesn't explain at all how to engineer or build anything, so it is worthless." I passed this off as hubris until they gave me a couple of the old Soviet books on rocket engineering full of detailed performance characteristics and equations which were horribly lacking in Sutton. Even with my nonexistent Russian they were more useful than "the tome." Unfortunately I wasn't able to bring their engineering books back with me, but trust me, I was ashamed I had brought Sutton. I ended up not even using it as a door stop. I can hope future versions will get technical but don't count on it. If it hasn't managed to do it in 50 years since it was first published, it probably won't happen.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-03-30 19:51:00 EST)
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| 01-13-08 | 1 | 1\3 |
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I was fortunate enough to have a rocket propulsion internship at the Moscow Aviation Institute when I was an undergrad. As I hadn't taken a full-fledged rocket propulsion I bought this book for the trip. After arriving I proudly showed this great tome to my researchers to which they scanned it and replied, "This book is great if you would like to look at pictures and read vague stories about general rocketry, but it doesn't explain at all how to engineer or build anything, so it is worthless." I passed this off as hubris until they gave me a couple of the old Soviet books on rocket engineering full of detailed performance characteristics and equations which were horribly lacking in Sutton. Even with my nonexistent Russian they were more useful than "the tome." Unfortunately I wasn't able to bring their engineering books back with me, but trust me, I was ashamed I had brought Sutton. I ended up not even using it as a door stop. I can hope future versions will get technical but don't count on it. If it hasn't managed to do it in 50 years since it was first published, it probably won't happen.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2008-06-27 22:00:47 EST)
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| 03-24-07 | 5 | 1\1 |
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When as a young physicist I started working on rocket nozzle design most of the material in this book had to be dug up from a paper here, a book there, or else it simply wasn't known. Now here's everything you need to know in a couple of chapters. And besides nozzle design, here in information on virtually every aspect of rockets from the design to the propellents, from concepts to testing. Most of the book is on conventional liquid or solid fuel chemical rockets, because that's where most of the action is today. There is a new chapter (from my older edition) on electrical propulsion.
The book is suitable for use as a textbook for either a one or two term course, or as an introductory book to an engineer now moving into the field, or as a reference book for the experienced. It is especially good to use when you need to come up to speed on some area of the business where you don't normally work. The one weakness of the book is the lack of discussion on computers either in terms of engine control systems or of the design software that is avaiable. Next revision I guess. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-09-07 02:29:11 EST)
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| 03-24-07 | 5 | 0\1 |
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When as a young physicist I started working on rocket nozzle design most of the material in this book had to be dug up from a paper here, a book there, or else it simply wasn't known. Now here's everything you need to know in a couple of chapters. And besides nozzle design, here in information on virtually every aspect of rockets from the design to the propellents, from concepts to testing. Most of the book is on conventional liquid or solid fuel chemical rockets, because that's where most of the action is today. There is a new chapter (from my older edition) on electrical propulsion.
The book is suitable for use as a textbook for either a one or two term course, or as an introductory book to an engineer now moving into the field, or as a reference book for the experienced. It is especially good to use when you need to come up to speed on some area of the business where you don't normally work. The one weakness of the book is the lack of discussion on computers either in terms of engine control systems or of the design software that is avaiable. Next revision I guess. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-04-12 02:53:15 EST)
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| 03-23-07 | 5 | 0\1 |
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When as a young physicist I started working on rocket nozzle design most of the material in this book had to be dug up from a paper here, a book there, or else it simply wasn't known. Now here's everything you need to know in a couple of chapters. And besides nozzle design, here in information on virtually every aspect of rockets from the design to the propellents, from concepts to testing. Most of the book is on conventional liquid or solid fuel chemical rockets, because that's where most of the action is today. There is a new chapter (from my older edition) on electrical propulsion.
The book is suitable for use as a textbook for either a one or two term course, or as an introductory book to an engineer now moving into the field, or as a reference book for the experienced. It is especially good to use when you need to come up to speed on some area of the business where you don't normally work. The one weakness of the book is the lack of discussion on computers either in terms of engine control systems or of the design software that is avaiable. Next revision I guess. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-04-11 02:53:29 EST)
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| 01-19-07 | 5 | 1\1 |
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I have loved rocket propulsion in all its forms (real and imagined) since I was following the Apollo 11 mission on television. This book will help you with every aspect of rocketry whether for direct professional relevance, hobbyist development or whether you dream with many of us of solving the problems that will allow us (as so eloquently put by the late Carl Sagan) to "dip our toes in the cosmic ocean". I believe we must swim between the stars and the nuts and bolts foundations for doing it are in this book. Go get it. Lets do it.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-15 04:52:40 EST)
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| 11-17-06 | 5 | 7\7 |
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I started work with a rocket design group fresh out of a MS in mechanical engineering. One of the first things everybody told me was to pick up a copy of Sutton. It's a good thing I did, because I immediately started referring to it for just about every project I worked. After just a few months it became a dog eared, marked, and well used reference.
It's a few years later now, and I don't work with rockets full time any more. I've forgotten enough of the details that today when I was explaining a bit of rocketry to a coworker, out came Sutton again. It's still a great book. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-15 04:52:40 EST)
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| 11-16-06 | 5 | 2\2 |
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I started work with a rocket design group fresh out of a MS in mechanical engineering. One of the first things everybody told me was to pick up a copy of Sutton. It's a good thing I did, because I immediately started referring to it for just about every project I worked. After just a few months it became a dog eared, marked, and well used reference.
It's a few years later now, and I don't work with rockets full time any more. I've forgotten enough of the details that today when I was explaining a bit of rocketry to a coworker, out came Sutton again. It's still a great book. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-01-20 03:03:36 EST)
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| 02-20-06 | 5 | 3\3 |
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This was a required test for a rocket propulsion class, but it has become an invaluable resource for many classes. Purchased for at least 20% less than other outlets.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-15 04:52:40 EST)
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| 03-27-04 | 5 | 11\11 |
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This is the single best book on rocket propulsion systems, covering both liquid and solid rocket engines, hybrid rocket systems, and a dedicated chapter on electric propulsion. The authors include excellent illustrations and graphs to enhance the text, and practical examples which help the reader to grasp the theory. After loaning a copy of this book for over two years from my library, i finally bought it! Definitely recommended to all engineers and scientists who want to expand into the area of rocket propulsion.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-15 04:52:40 EST)
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| 03-26-04 | 5 | 8\8 |
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This is the single best book on rocket propulsion systems, covering both liquid and solid rocket engines, hybrid rocket systems, and a dedicated chapter on electric propulsion. The authors include excellent illustrations and graphs to enhance the text, and practical examples which help the reader to grasp the theory. After loaning a copy of this book for over two years from my library, i finally bought it! Definitely recommended to all engineers and scientists who want to expand into the area of rocket propulsion.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-06-24 13:27:22 EST)
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| 04-06-03 | 5 | 10\11 |
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The readability of this book makes it a good investment for aspiring rocket engineers.
Just be aware that this edition has a lot of typographical errors. Out of the few chapters for which I've checked the math (2, 3, and 11), I found typos/errors in examples 2-2, 2-3, and 11-3, typos in equations 3-16, 3-26, and two incorrect references to past equations on page 49. Perhaps this is average for three chapters in a technical book, but with all the positive reviews of the 7th edition I thought I'd point out a reason to find an earlier (or wait for a later) edition. (Review Data Last Updated: 2007-12-15 04:52:40 EST)
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| 04-05-03 | 5 | 8\9 |
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The readability of this book makes it a good investment for aspiring rocket engineers.
Just be aware that this edition has a lot of typographical errors. Out of the few chapters for which I've checked the math (2, 3, and 11), I found typos/errors in examples 2-2, 2-3, and 11-3, typos in equations 3-16, 3-26, and two incorrect references to past equations on page 49. Perhaps this is average for three chapters in a technical book, but with all the positive reviews of the 7th edition I thought I'd point out a reason to find an earlier (or wait for a later) edition. (Review Data Last Updated: 2006-06-24 13:27:22 EST)
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| 07-23-01 | 4 | 16\18 |
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This is the definitive "text book" for the subject of rocket propulsion. Its coverage of the subject is both broad and detailed. Probably a third of the book can be understood with no more than high school level physics and mathematics. The remainder requires some exposure to undergraduate level mechanical engineering, mathematics and physics, e.g. integral calculus, thermodynamics, etc. This book is in its 7th edition and it shows. The authors have a clean, precise, almost mechanical writing style that you would expect in a highly evolved technical work of this type. I do have one minor bone to pick with this book. The authors have clearly spent their lives doing rocketry in the mega million dollar world of NASA, General Dynamics, etc. Most of the graphs and diagrams emphasis big, big, rockets, e.g. graphs focusing on thrust chambers that operate at 5000 p.s.i. I suspect that most readers are either university students or individuals involved in experimental rocketry. Those that fall into the later category might benefit from better coverage of rocketry done with less exotic materials, fuels, and operating parameters. That minor weakness aside, this book covers in its 700 or so pages, everything that has been learned in the field of rocketry in the last 70 years and it presents this material at a fairly detailed technical level. It is therefore the book against which all others in the field will be judged.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-06-24 13:27:22 EST)
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| 06-26-01 | 5 | 12\13 |
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The seventh edition of this book is absolutely amazing!!! It presents the material in a clear and concise manner without losing the reader. This book provides up to date information about every type of rocket propulsion system from solids and liquids, to hybrids and exotics. It also includes sections on design and trade studies for different systems. Of particular interest to me were the sections on hybrid propulsion and liquid engine injector design. This book is highly recommended to anyone interested in rocket propulsion design and analysis! 5 stars indeed!!!!!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-06-24 13:27:22 EST)
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| 05-01-01 | 5 | 7\8 |
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This is the best book on rocket propulsion that I have seen. The reading is smooth and the jargon is kept to a simple amount to understand with out being a rocket scientist. Diagrams and charts are excellent in explaining what the author is talking about. Author keeps it simple for all!!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-06-24 13:27:21 EST)
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| 03-17-01 | 5 | 3\5 |
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This book is wonderful for non-specialists, you can study it at home and learn a lot. Try this to start in the field of amateur rocketry. Highly recommended!!!
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-06-24 13:27:21 EST)
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| 02-12-01 | 5 | 12\12 |
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It is hard to believe that a technical book could keep me up until 2 in the morning, but this one sure did. The basic principles of rocket science are not at all confusing, nor are they incomprehensible, when presented in this manner. The authors really want to teach, not just show off their knowledge, and this book has reached that goal. I actually understand what the rocket scientist is doing, what they are up against, and why it takes multitudes of experiments, trials, and special materials to take a payload to space. The math is basic, yet encompassing, and anyone with a high school education can understand "THE" esoteric subject of our times. Authors Biblarz and Sutton are brilliant educators.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-06-24 13:27:21 EST)
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| 11-13-00 | 5 | 1\4 |
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It is always a pleasure to find a comprehensive overview of a field that can be understood by a non-specialist. I cannot testify as to how useful Rocket Propulsion Elements would be to an aerospace engineer, but for a technically inclined amateur like me it is a wonderful book. One of the things I like best about it is that it mixes theory with practical examples. It give a clear idea not only of the principles of rocket propulsion ,but also of the current state of the art. I was expecting this for the field of chemical rocketry, but I was delighted to find explanations of more obscure technologies, such as electric rocket of various types. I only wish that there were books this good in every field.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-06-24 13:27:21 EST)
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| 11-12-00 | 5 | 20\22 |
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It is always a pleasure to find a comprehensive overview of a field that can be understood by a non-specialist. I cannot testify as to how useful Rocket Propulsion Elements would be to an aerospace engineer, but for a technically inclined amateur like me it is a wonderful book. One of the things I like best about it is that it mixes theory with practical examples. It give a clear idea not only of the principles of rocket propulsion ,but also of the current state of the art. I was expecting this for the field of chemical rocketry, but I was delighted to find explanations of more obscure technologies, such as electric rocket of various types. I only wish that there were books this good in every field.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-06-24 13:27:21 EST)
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| 08-14-00 | 5 | 5\6 |
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This is one of the best engineering books I have read. I'm looking foreward to the next edition. This is a must for any Aerospace Engineer.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-06-24 13:27:22 EST)
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| 12-17-99 | 5 | 11\13 |
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a great book on the engineering of rocket systems. not only is it beneficial to those on a novice level, but has a great deal of advanced theories and applications for the more learned reader. if you are wanting to learn more about propulsion fundamentals or needing a respected reference book, then this book will prove to be an invaluable addition to your technical library. to all my aerospace friends, in thrust we trust.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-06-24 13:27:22 EST)
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| 11-04-99 | 4 | 3\6 |
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Sutton rolls out a much improved version of his venerable classic, Rocket Propulsion Elements. When I was going to school, we had the 5th edition, which left quite a bit to be desired. While collaberating with a recently graduated engineer, he kept coming up with good information that he assured me was, "In Sutton." Knowing the 5th edition frontwards and backwards, I assured him it was not. We compared copies, my 5th Ed to his 6th, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the work of the 5th ed was vastly expanded in the new 6th Ed. I just wish the 6th Ed had come out a couple years earlier.... it's more usuful than the earlier version.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-06-24 13:27:22 EST)
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| 10-05-99 | 5 | 1\35 |
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i think it's goo... i got through one page but, that page was good. I can say that. thank you, olga, for reading my review. yes you olga.
(Review Data Last Updated: 2006-06-24 13:27:22 EST)
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| 12-01-98 | 5 | 26\27 |
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For more than 30 years this superb book has been the basic text for tens of thousands of rocket scientists, astronauts, engineers, and amateur scientists alike. It is universally recognized as the "Bible" of rocket propulsion theory and practice, and remains the fundamental and basic text for everyone seriously engaged in this complex field of research and development.
Sutton's book should be the very first purchased for anyone who wants to learn and understand the ins and outs of both solid and liquid-fuel rocket propulsion. No other book even comes close. (Review Data Last Updated: 2006-06-24 13:27:22 EST)
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