Flight Question Planning NC burns.

The Aviator

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Hello everybody.
I'm planning to do some very realistic flights using the awesome SSU.
What I need to know is how to plan my NC burns in order to obtain a rendezvous on FD3. The method I use now is very simple. I just calculate the orbital period of my current orbit, and then perform several OMS burns to rise the orbit in order to arrive at a point near to 18 Km from the ISS to perform the TI burn and rendezvous on FD3.
It works fine, but I would know the real procedures used by NASA to plan these burns, with right timings and all the stuff I need to make things perfectly.;)
Thanks to all for your help. :cheers:
 

flying coffin

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I looked at the article on the wiki and it seems to be mostly about the
transfer orbit, but not determining the catch-up orbits. Shuttle missions
usually do 3 or so NC burns after the OMS2 burn, which gradually raise the
orbit. Then when they get close (small enough distance angle) they do NH height adjustment to match ISS apogee, then 1 or 2 orbits later they do the TI (transfer orbit) burn. It would be enlightening to know how to determine at least the semi-major axis targets for the catch up orbit (NC) burns.

Thanks!
 

The Aviator

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I looked at the wiki. It's a good starting point, but to make these manouvers I use the STS Guidance MFD that comes along with Shuttle Fleet. As flying coffin said, it would be good to know how to calculate the semi-major axis targets for the catch up orbit burns. It's exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks for your help. :thumbup:
 
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