SATELLITE INCLUDING ELECTRIC PROPULSION MEANS SUPPORTED BY MOVING MEANS AND ADDITIONAL ELECTRIC PROPULSION MEANS WITH FIXED ORIENTATION

摘要

The present invention relates to a satellite (10) comprising propulsion means (30, 31) and displacement means (20, 21) of said propulsion means in a satellite reference system comprising three axes X, Y and Z such that the axis X is parallel to a velocity vector, the Z axis is directed towards the Earth, and the Y axis is orthogonal to the X and Z axes. The displacement means are adapted to modify angles between a thrust direction of the propulsion means. and X, Y axes, and moving said propulsion means, constant thrust direction in the satellite reference, so as to form a moment of any axis in a plane orthogonal to the direction of thrust. The propulsion means carried by the displacement means are electric and the satellite (10) comprises additional electrical propulsion means (40) of fixed orientation relative to the satellite.