Analytical Solutions to Two-Impulse Nondrifting Transfer Problems for Rendezvous in Elliptical Orbits

This paper develops the analytical solution to the nondrifting transfer problem for rendezvous in elliptical orbits. The transfer algorithm generates a nondrifting, passively safe trajectory between two spacecraft states by finding the appropriate maneuvers and transfer time. The nondrifting solution is derived first for Cartesian state vectors, which is useful for transferring to a terminal approach point that is defined in terms of such a Cartesian state vector. Next, the transfer problem is solved in terms of differential orbital elements. This second solution lends itself well to perform close-range rendezvous in elliptical orbits.