Package org.orekit.propagation.relative

package org.orekit.propagation.relative
Top level package for relative motion propagation.

This package provides relative providers that allow analytical propagation of a chaser S/C relative to a target S/C. Relative providers are implemented as AdditionalDataProvider and provide the chaser S/C state as an additional data to the main propagator, which is the target S/C. The chaser S/C state is provided in the Local Orbital Frame of the target.

Two implementations of the relative provider interface are available:

  1. org.orekit.propagation.relative.clohessywiltshire: Hill-Clohessy-Wiltshire equations for target circular orbits, based on chapter 7 of book [1].
  2. org.orekit.propagation.relative.yamanakaankersen; Yamanaka-Ankersen equations for elliptical orbits, based on [2]

Package org.orekit.propagation.relative.maneuver provides relative maneuvers applied to the chase S/C. These are impulse maneuvers implemented as EventDetector added to the main propagator (i.e. the target S/C). They can be used for Relative Proximity Operations modeling (see package org.orekit.control.relative)

References:

  • [1]. Orbital Mechanics For Engineering Students: Howard. D. Curtis, Elsevier Aerospace Engineering Series, 2010.
  • [2]. New State Transition Matrix For Relative Motion On An Arbitrary Elliptical Orbit: Koji Yamanaka, Finn Ankersen, Journal of Guidance, Control, and Dynamics, Vol. 25, No. 1, January-February 2002.