Space rendezvous
A rendezvous is the targeted approach of two missiles in space. While it can therefore also be meant that a space probe reached its destination planet, but usually the term refers to the approach of two spaceships or a spacecraft to a space station. Only one of the two spacecraft is actively controlled and moves through appropriate, precisely metered orbital maneuvers on the other, passive spacecraft to.
It is important to note that the acceleration of a spacecraft will cause it to move to a higher and thus slower orbit. If a spaceship flying ahead of the vehicle can be achieved, must be reduced, the speed counter-intuitively. Here, the active spacecraft during the next half- orbital period decreases closer to the earth and travel much faster (shorter turnaround time ). At the right moment has to be accelerated, then again, so that both ships have the same orbit. Only at a small distance from the movements are far enough decoupled in order to fly with intuitive manual maneuvers can.
The goal of a rendezvous is often a link-up ( docking ). In this case, both spacecraft must be equipped with compatible docking mechanisms. For transfer of astronauts or material, the spacecraft must have appropriate hatches. Most of the exchange is done via locks, only in rare cases in open space.