According to what I've read online, a Hohmann transfer is mostly intended for circular-to-circular transfers. However, it usually also mentions that you can, albeit less efficiently, use the same principles to transfer between any two coplanar orbits.
I understand how it works for axially-aligned ellipses, and how it works for concentric orbital transfers (i.e. one is entirely inside the other), but I'm not sure where to begin for the math on solving this one. I know that this type of transfer is usually best done in a bi-elliptic transfer, but I want my Hohmann transfer method to be robust, and always give at least an answer if it is physically possible.
(below is a picture of what I am referring to; from the white orbit, to the green, with an (attempted) transfer orbit in red)
EDIT: image embed isn't working. But the example was of two highly elliptical orbits, where they are at an angle to one another, such that they both contain each-others perigees, but both have apogees well outside the other's orbit.
EDIT2: Turns out, what I was trying to do is outside of the bounds of what a hohmann transfer can even do. Hohmann transfers are strictly for co-axial elliptical orbits. (If one of the orbits is circular, then any co-planar elliptical orbit is co-axial to that circular orbit)
How exactly does one 'force' a hohmann transfer for elliptical orbits? [Closed]
1.7 years ago
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387 CloakPin
Use the nodes you can create along your orbit lines.
Green makes your orbit line larger or smaller.
Blue is what forces your rendezvous into position.
Red lines up the rendezvous in the perpendicular direction.
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@CloakPin I don't mean to be rude, but that's not even in the ballpark of what I am asking. I know how to create and adjust maneuver nodes in the game. What I am trying to do is codify an exact procedure (namely the 'hohmann transfer'), not simply trying to reach an orbit.
That said, I ended up solving the problem myself. (I added an explanation in the original post)