AAS 99-178

A New Solution for the Rendezvous Problem

V.R. Bond

The Boeing Company, Houston TX

Abstract

This paper presents a new solution for the rendezvous problem. This solution is stable having no error growth since the only assumption is that terms of the second order in the eccentricity of the orbit of the active satellite (the chaser) are negligible. The result is a solution having only constant or periodic terms. The approach taken in the development of the new solution is to begin with the two-body solutions of the chaser and the target satellites. The solution for the relative motion is the difference between these two-body solutions. The solution is then transformed to the target-centered rotating system.