Private Space Missions to ISS

This lecture covers the Axiom Ax-2 space mission to the International Space Station (ISS), managed by a US company and executed by SpaceX. Plans for future missions and the attachment of Axiom modules to the ISS are discussed. The lecture also delves into the concept of nodal regression and progression, Sun-synchronous orbits, and rendezvous strategies used by NASA and ESA. Details about the Crew Dragon spacecraft, catch up/overtake rates for nearby orbits, and the Shuttle's rendezvous phases are explained. The presentation concludes with insights into the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) missions, including rendezvous procedures and effects of burns on relative motion.