Loading…
Loading contentLoading…
Loading contentThe guided approach of two spacecraft to the same orbit and position so they can dock or berth — a delicate dance governed by orbital mechanics, where firing to speed up raises the orbit and paradoxically slows the chase down on a target ahead, while slowing down drops into a lower, faster orbit that catches up. First achieved by Gemini in 1965, rendezvous is the foundation of space-station crew and cargo flights and of in-space assembly.
Facts on this topic will be cited from these primary and reference sources.
Mission data, planetary science, space telescopes, and public-domain imagery.
Most NASA-produced imagery is in the public domain; individual items are checked for usage terms before publication.