Research/ ORBITAL ROBOTICS
Study on Rendezvous Techniques of American Spacecraft
Yuliang Wei
Rendezvous, Proximity Ops & DockingOpenAlex keyword: spacecraft rendezvous · Guidance, Dynamics & ControlOpenAlex keyword: guidance, navigation and control · Autonomy, Task Planning & OperationsOpenAlex keyword: fault detection and isolation
The US rendezvous and docking techniques development can be divided into three stages: Gemini and Apollo spacecraft,Space Shuttle,and post-Shuttle projects.Progression of autonomous rendezvous technology is firstly based on developing various guidance and navigation sensors,in particular,laser sensors used during the final approach phase.Redundance in the Guidance,Navigation and Control system and fault detection and isolation method play an important role in trajectory safety.The projects being studied in this paper include Gemini,Apollo,Shuttle,post-Shuttle planned ones(Orion,Dragon,Cygnus,BlackSky,and on-orbit satellite servicing),and flight demonstrations(XSS-11,DART and Orbital Express),with focus on rendezvous trajectories and rendezvous sensors as well as rendezvous operation sequencing.