A THEORETICAL METHOD FOR PRECISION RENDEZVOUS STATION-KEEPING.
Abstract
A method is proposed for maintaining two or more space vehicles in relatively close proximity on orbit without attachment over long periods of time. The proposed system employs a guidance and control configuration normally expected to be present in piloted rendezvous space vehicles as well as a precision optical device. The system is based on the creation of an on-board analogue of the target-vehicle motion. This is possible because of the linearity of the equations of motion with respect to the initial conditions. The on-board analogue is related to the target-vehicle system by a scale factor. The optical device is similar in some respects to devices proposed by several investigators for 'purely gravitational orbit' guidance. This study describes the possible application of such a sensor in deriving accurate relative velocity information for stationkeeping. The characteristics of the device required for system feasibility are discussed and the operational sequence of the technique is described. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 15, 1964
- Accession Number
- AD0612048
Entities
People
- D. W. Eliason
Organizations
- Lockheed Martin Missiles and Space