Flight operations for Shuttle rendezvous navigation and targeting

An important mission for the Space Shuttle is orbital rendezvous with free-flying satellites for repair and refurbishment. The recent successful rescue of the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM) satellite by the Space Shuttle Challenger emphasizes this fact. The task of completing a rendezvous is one that requires the capability to track the target satellite and autonomously determine the maneuvers necessary to complete the rendezvous. This paper describes the method by which Shuttle rendezvous is accomplished. An overview of Shuttle subsystems that are directly relevant to the rendezvous task is presented. Potential improvements to the Shuttle rendezvous capability are outlined.