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How do I translate along an orbit without changing it?


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Is there any way to simply move along an orbit at a different rate without changing trajectory? I always end up just behind my rendezvous targets, and can\'t find an angle at which I can burn to simply move faster.

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Hi Trekkin, the only way to move faster than your rendezvous target is to lower your orbit, that way you\'ll be moving faster and can get ahead of it, then raise your orbit again.

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Yeah, moving 'along' an orbit happens due to your velocity and gravity. Burning in any direction will alter the orbit. As sal_vager said, to move faster, lower your orbit temporarily. Then, raise it again. it might need to be altered for only a very short period of time, depending on how close you are to your target.

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Thanks, everyone. It turns out it\'s not as hard as I thought to just set up a transfer orbit that gets me where i want to be in the middle of it, then circularize, which is probably the closest I\'m going to get.

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