If I have the Keplerian elements for two orbits, how do I compute the shortest distance between these two orbits in 3D space? Is there any analytical expression to compute that?
Analytical Expression to find the Shortest Distance between Two Ellipses?
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geometry
conic-sections
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4This is already quite difficult in 2D: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Distance_of_closest_approach_of_ellipses_and_ellipsoids . It may not be solved in 3D. It is of course not difficult to solve numerically. – 2010-12-06