Aerospace Foundations — Prerequisites
What to Know Before Starting This Guide
This is the on-ramp for the entire Aerospace academy — the prerequisites here are genuinely just high-school-to-early-college math, not prior aerospace knowledge of any kind.
Required (Must Have)
1. Algebra and Basic Trigonometry
•Rearranging equations, solving for an unknown variable
•sin/cos/tan and how they relate to a right triangle — Overview's climb-angle example (resolving weight into components using cos(γ) and sin(γ)) assumes this is already comfortable, not being learned for the first time
2. Basic Physics — Forces and Newton's Laws (Even at a High-School Level)
•F = ma in its simplest form
•The idea that a force has both a size and a direction (this is what Overview formalizes into vectors) — prior exposure at any level (high-school physics, a first-year mechanics course) is enough; this guide re-derives the aerospace-specific applications from there
3. Comfort With Basic Calculus Vocabulary (Not Necessarily Fluency)
•Knowing that velocity is "how fast position changes" and acceleration is "how fast velocity changes" — Overview introduces calculus at exactly this conceptual level; full derivative/integral computation fluency is not required to follow the material, though it helps
Nice to Have (Speeds Up Learning)
Prior Exposure to Vectors in Any Context
Physics, math, or even video-game/graphics programming exposure to 2D/3D vectors (adding components, magnitude/direction) makes Overview's vector-resolution examples faster to absorb, though the guide introduces the concept from scratch.
Any Programming/Scripting Experience
Installation sets up a small Python-based workflow for checking vector and force calculations — prior scripting experience in any language speeds this up, though it isn't required.
What You Do NOT Need
•Prior exposure to aircraft, rockets, or aerospace engineering specifically — this guide assumes none
•Advanced calculus (differential equations, multivariable calculus) — later technologies introduce exactly as much additional math as they need, when they need it, not all at once here
•Any software or tools beyond a basic calculator — Installation's Python setup is a convenience for checking your own work, not a requirement to follow the material
Time Estimate
If you have the prerequisites above:
•Overview + Fundamentals: 1 day
•Ready to move into Aerodynamics (this academy's next technology): same day, if the vector/Newton's-laws material feels solid
Start Here
Go to the Installation section to set up a small Python environment for checking vector and force-balance calculations, then work through Overview's climb-angle example yourself rather than only reading it.
