Rendezvous Guidance Technology

Robert S Swanson

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NASA NTRS · 19620004476

Rendezvous Guidance Technology

Robert S Swanson

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Abstract

The literature on rendezvous guidance technology is reviewed and a bibliography of about 160 documents is presented. The importance of the proper selection of the ascent trajectory and of the orbit for a manned space station or an orbiting launch complex is emphasized. The way the launch delay problem affects the selection of the ascent trajectory and the target orbit is discussed. A specific ascent trajectory and an orbit for a manned space station or an orbiting launch complex is recommended on the premise that launch delay problems will continue to outweigh most of the other orbit selection criteria. A new method for determining the velocity corrections required for mid-course guidance is proposed . The proposed methods consist of an "exact-numerical" solution of the relative equations of motion in the "Shell-coordinate system." The proposed "exact-numerical" method extends the applicability of the mid- course equations to a much greater range than that of the currently available linear methods .

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BibTeX RIS

Robert S Swanson. 1962-01-01. Rendezvous Guidance Technology. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19620004476

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