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arXiv · 2510.13004

Comparison of Forced and Unforced Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Docking Under Model Mismatch

Robert Muldrow·Channing Ludden·Christopher Petersen
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Abstract

This paper compares the required fuel usage for forced and unforced motion of a chaser satellite engaged in Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Docking (RPOD) maneuvers. Improved RPOD models are vital, particularly as the space industry expands and demands for improved fuel efficiency, cost effectiveness, and mission life span increase. This paper specifically examines the Clohessy- Wiltshire (CW) Equations and the extent of model mismatch by comparing pre- dicted trajectories from this model with a more computationally complex, higher fidelity RPOD model. This paper assesses several test cases of similar mission parameters, in each case comparing natural motion circumnavigation (NMC) with comparable forced motion circumnavigation. The Guidance, Navigation, and Con- trol (GNC) impulse maneuvers required to maintain the supposedly zero fuel CW trajectories is representative of the extent of CW model mismatch. This paper demonstrates that unforced motions are not inherently more fuel efficient than forced motions, thus permitting extended orbital operations given the higher fuel efficiency.

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Robert Muldrow, Channing Ludden, Christopher Petersen. 2025-10-14. Comparison of Forced and Unforced Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Docking Under Model Mismatch. https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.13004

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