Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) encompass the guidance, navigation, and control techniques required to safely approach and maneuver near another object in orbit. RPO is foundational to crew and cargo missions to the ISS, satellite servicing, active debris removal, and space domain awareness inspection missions. The operations require precise relative navigation, often using a combination of GPS, LIDAR, and machine vision.
RPO has become a commercially significant capability with companies like Astroscale (ADRAS-J debris inspection), True Anomaly (space domain awareness), and Northrop Grumman (MEV satellite servicing) all building business models around proximity operations. The technology also has national security implications, as the ability to approach and inspect satellites raises both defensive and offensive concerns in the space domain.