ANALYTICAL EVALUATION OF A METHOD OF MIDCOURSE GUIDANCE FOR RENDEZVOUS WITH EARTH SATELLITES

Abstract

A digital-computer simulation was made of the midcourse (or ascent) phase of a rendezvous between a ferry vehicle and a space station. The simulation involved a closed-loop guidance system in which both the relative position and relative velocity between ferry and station are measured (by simulated radar) and the relative-velocity corrections required to null the miss distance computed and applied. The results are used to study the effectiveness of the guidance equations and the effects of errors in launch conditions and errors in the navigation (radar) data. Trajectories are presented for rendezvous with a space station in a circular orbit and in an elliptic orbit. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1961
Accession Number
AD0257801

Entities

People

  • John M. Eggleston
  • Robert S. Dunning

Organizations

  • National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Artificial Satellites
  • Circular Orbits
  • Computer Simulations
  • Computers
  • Digital Computers
  • Guidance
  • Midcourse Guidance
  • Miss Distance
  • Navigation
  • Orbits
  • Rendezvous
  • Simulations
  • Simulators
  • Space Stations
  • Trajectories
  • Vehicles

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Control Systems Engineering.
  • Polar and Arctic Studies
  • Robotics and Automation.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Orbital Debris
  • Space - Spacecraft Maneuvers