Flight maneuver
Orbital Rendezvous
The 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.
Highlights
- ›The orbital-mechanics dance before docking
Hardware & related concepts
Knowledge connections
- Associated withStation-Keeping
- Associated withInternational Docking System Standard
- Associated withAutonomous Navigation
Sources
The primary and reference sources this topic draws on.
- NASANational Aeronautics and Space Administration
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.