Fast error-safe MOID computation involving hyperbolic orbits

Abstract

We extend our previous algorithm computing the minimum orbital intersection distance (MOID) to include hyperbolic orbits, and mixed combinations ellipse--hyperbola. The MOID is computed by finding all stationary points of the distance function, equivalent to finding all the roots of an algebraic polynomial equation of 16th degree. The updated algorithm carries about numerical errors as well, and benchmarks confirmed its numeric reliability together with high computing performance.