This paper compares the required fuel usage for forced and unforced motion of a chaser satellite engaged in Rendezvous, Proximity Operations, and Docking (RPOD) maneuvers. Improved RPOD models are vital, particularly as the space industry expands and demands for improved fuel efficiency, cost effectiveness, and mission life span increase. This paper specifically examines the Clohessy- Wiltshire (CW) Equations and the extent of model mismatch by comparing pre- dicted trajectories from this model with a more computationally complex, higher fidelity RPOD model. This paper assesses several test cases of similar mission parameters, in each case comparing natural motion circumnavigation (NMC) with comparable forced motion circumnavigation. The Guidance, Navigation, and Con- trol (GNC) impulse maneuvers required to maintain the supposedly zero fuel CW trajectories is representative of the extent of CW model mismatch. This paper demonstrates that unforced motions are not inherently more fuel efficient than forced motions, thus permitting extended orbital operations given the higher fuel efficiency.

翻译：本文比较了执行交会、接近操作及对接（RPOD）机动时，追踪卫星在强制与非强制运动模式下所需的燃料消耗。改进的RPOD模型至关重要，尤其在航天产业扩张、对燃料效率、成本效益及任务寿命要求日益提高的背景下。本文重点考察Clohessy-Wiltshire（CW）方程，通过将该模型的预测轨迹与计算更复杂、保真度更高的RPOD模型进行对比，量化模型失配的程度。研究评估了多组任务参数相近的测试案例，在每组案例中对比自然运动环绕（NMC）与相应的强制运动环绕。为维持理论上零燃料消耗的CW轨迹所需的制导、导航与控制（GNC）脉冲机动，直观体现了CW模型的失配程度。本文证明非强制运动并非天然比强制运动更具燃料效率，从而在更高燃料效率的前提下为扩展轨道操作提供了依据。