Round-trip orbital operation of a spacecraft

摘要

A method for operating a spacecraft comprising the steps of placing the spacecraft in a first orbit, changing orbital altitude of the spacecraft to transfer the spacecraft from the first orbit to a second orbit, changing an orbital plane of the spacecraft from an initial orbital plane to a different orbital plane, and changing orbital altitudes of the spacecraft to return to the spacecraft from the second orbit to the first orbit. The second orbit is at a different altitude than the first orbit of the spacecraft. The orbital altitude change placing the spacecraft in the second orbit and the orbital plane change are performed at substantially the same time.