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Astra University
Coming Soon: Orbital Mechanics Masterclass
Dear aspiring cosmonauts, backyard rocketeers, and anyone who’s ever looked at the sky and thought, “I could do better”,
After years of being the guy who actually went up there (and came back down, mostly on purpose), I’m finally bringing the full experience to your screen. My new online course, From Rocks to Rockets, launches this spring at Astra University.
We’ll cover everything: Hohmann transfers that won’t make your wallet cry, gravity assists that feel like cheating physics, and why the Moon is still mad at us for that whole Apollo thing. Expect clear explanations, real mission examples from my own flights, a few classified anecdotes I can neither confirm nor deny, and exactly zero tolerance for “but in space there’s no gravity” excuses.
You’ll leave knowing how to:
Plot a trajectory that doesn’t end in fiery regret
Calculate delta-v like you were born doing it
Understand why space is hard (and why that’s the best part)
No prerequisites except curiosity and a willingness to laugh at your own math mistakes. (I’ve made plenty; I’ll show you mine so you feel better about yours.)
See you in orbit.
MEET YOUR PROFESSOR: Conrad ASTRA
Greetings, future spacefarers and curious earthlings!
I am Professor Conrad Astra, PhD (in "Things That Go Boom in a Vacuum"), former astronaut, current full-time orbital enthusiast, and self-appointed Dean of Cosmic Shenanigans at Astra University (unaccredited, but the view is spectacular).
Once upon a time I was strapped to several million pounds of controlled explosion and hurled into the sky for a living. These days I prefer to hurl knowledge at your brain from the relative safety of my home office, which happens to look suspiciously like the inside of a decommissioned Apollo capsule (don’t ask where I got it; the paperwork is classified... mostly because it doesn’t exist).
In my online courses and video series, you’ll learn everything you ever wanted to know about rocketry, orbital mechanics, propulsion systems, and why space smells faintly of burnt metal and regret. Expect rigorous mathematics delivered with the gravity of a black hole and the levity of someone who once accidentally mooned the entire Eastern Seaboard during a live broadcast (long story, involves a faulty suit zipper and poor timing).
When I’m not lecturing, simulating rocket failures for educational purposes, or trying to convince my cat that zero gravity is not an invitation to nap on the ceiling, I enjoy collecting vintage space patches, arguing with flat-earthers on the internet (they never learn), and perfecting the art of drinking coffee while upside-down (purely scientific, of course).
Join me, won’t you? Together we’ll turn the laws of physics into playground rules, and maybe—just maybe—launch your dreams beyond the atmosphere.
Clear skies and full tanks, Conrad Astra (Yes, that’s really my name. No, my parents weren’t cruel—they were optimistic.) Professor of Practical Cosmology & Professional Explosions, Astra University (motto: "We accept gravity on a case-by-case basis")