Spacecraft Rendezvous and Proximity Operations

Online short course on Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO), critical for crew transfer, in-space assembly and space debris removal, among other uses. Instructor is Pradipto Ghosh; 12 classroom hours / 2.4 CEU-PDH; online via Zoom with replays available. Students will receive Certificates of Completion from both AIAA and Johns Hopkins University.

Topics covered include RPO Concept of Operations (ConOps), relative orbit design, maneuver calculation, and elements of navigation. The objectives of this course are to develop the general principles governing spacecraft proximity operations, rendezvous, and docking. Students will be introduced to topics such as near and far range rendezvous, natural motion circumnavigation, safe relative motion, phasing, and rendezvous trajectory design. After completing this six-week course, students will be able to conceptualize the operations of rendezvous and prox-ops missions such as the International Space Station (ISS) resupply, crew transfer, extra-vehicular activities, and on-orbit assembly/refueling. A basic knowledge of Newtonian Mechanics and Ordinary Differential Equations is expected.