AAS 97-649
TERMINAL MANEUVER FOR AN OPTIMAL COOPERATIVE IMPULSIVE RENDEZVOUS
J.E. Prussing - University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Abstract
In a cooperative rendezvous both vehicles can provide thrust to accomplish the rendezvous. A cooperative maneuver requires equal or less total propellant than a conventional active-passive rendezvous. With no propellant constraints the more efficient vehicle (as measured by the ratio of exhaust velocity to mass) provides all the necessary velocity change. With an active propellant constraint both vehicles typically provide velocity change and a paradox can occur whereby the initially less efficient vehicle provides most or all of the velocity change.