HIGHLY INCLINED ELLIPTICAL ORBIT LAUNCH AND ORBIT ACQUISITION TECHNIQUES

摘要

Techniques for placing a satellite into a highly inclined elliptical operational orbit having an argument of perigee of 90° or 270° include executing an orbit transfer strategy that transfers the satellite from a launch vehicle deployment orbit to the operational orbit. The launch vehicle deployment orbit is selected to have an argument of perigee of approximately 90° greater than the argument of perigee of the operational orbit, an apogee altitude of approximately 14000 km and a perigee altitude of approximately 500 km. The orbit transfer strategy includes (i) an apsidal rotation of approximately 90°, at least a substantial part of the apsidal rotation being attained without expenditure of any satellite propellant; and (ii) an electric orbit raising maneuver to attain an apogee altitude and a perigee altitude required by the HIEO.

主权项

1. A method of placing at least one satellite into an operational orbit, the method comprising:
executing an orbit transfer strategy that transfers the satellite from a launch vehicle deployment orbit to the operational orbit, wherein:
the operational orbit is substantially geosynchronous and has (i) an inclination of greater than 70 degrees; (ii) a nominal eccentricity in the range of 0.25 to 0.5; (iii) an argument of perigee of approximately 90 or approximately 270 degrees; (iv) an operational orbit apogee altitude of approximately 48,000 km; and (v) an operational orbit perigee altitude of approximately 23,000 km;the launch vehicle deployment orbit has an apogee altitude of approximately 14000 km, a perigee altitude of approximately 500 km, and an argument of perigee of approximately 90° greater than the argument of perigee of the operational orbit; andthe orbit transfer strategy includes:
an apsidal rotation of approximately 90° from the argument of perigee of the launch vehicle deployment orbit to the argument of perigee of the operational orbit, at least a substantial part of the apsidal rotation being attained without expenditure of any satellite propellant; andan orbit raising maneuver to attain the operational apogee altitude and the operational orbit perigee altitude, at least a substantial part of the orbit raising maneuver being performed with electric thrusters.