Approach

approach

[ə′prōch]

(mechanical engineering)

The difference between the temperature of the water leaving a cooling tower and the wet-bulb temperature of the surrounding air.

(navigation)

In air operations, a maneuver executed by an aircraft in making its transit from high-altitude enroute flight to the point where it begins the landing approach; includes maneuvers (such as flying race-track pattern) required for traffic control.

Approach

 

in space navigation, a series of consecutive maneuvers by which one spacecraft is brought into close proximity to another. The aim of approach may be inspection, mooring, or assembly in orbit. Inspection, for example, entails the examination of a spacecraft at close range in order to determine the necessity of repairs. Mooring involves the temporary linking of two spacecraft with a flexible line.

Approach may be accomplished in two ways. In one technique only the final distance separating the two spacecraft is critical, and the closing speed at the moment of closest approach is not a factor. In the second technique the closing speed up to the moment of closest approach should be very low, ideally zero. This second technique requires larger expenditures of fuel than the first.

Approach requires that the two spacecraft be equipped with radio communications systems, computers, rocket engines, and navigation control systems. The active spacecraft carries out the search, maneuvering, and approach missions, while the second one is passive.

The first approach of two spacecraft with crew participation was carried out by the American spacecraft Gemini 6 and Gemini 7 in 1965. The first approach of three spacecraft with crew participation was carried out by the Soviet spacecraft Soyuz 6, Soyuz 7, and Soyuz 8 in 1969.

approach

That part of an aircraft flight path from the end of the en route phase of the flight to touchdown.

Approach

A relational database that is part of Lotus SmartSuite. It provides the ability to graphically create Windows applications using industry standard database formats, such as dBASE and Paradox. It includes macros and the ability to attach programming statements to data, providing a way to automate many kinds of applications. See Lotus SmartSuite.