METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR LAUNCHING SATELLITES ON NON-COPLANAR ORBITS USING LUNAR GRAVITATIONAL ASSISTANCE

摘要

P A first satellite is placed almost directly by a launcher on a first final orbit (11, 11bis). BR/ A second satellite placed on the same launcher is first transferred to a highly elliptical waiting orbit ( 12, 12bis) whose half major axis is oriented so as to intercept the torus formed by the sphere of influence of the moon on its orbit, and then during a maneuver at the perigee of the highly elliptical orbit (12a), the second satellite is transferred to the lunar transfer orbit (13). BR/ Perigee altitude and inclination changes of an intermediate orbit (14) on which the second satellite is located are obtained predominantly by gravitational reaction in the sphere of influence of the moon and during a last maneuver the second satellite is placed in a final orbit (15) with orbital parameter values substantially different from those of the gold parameters bitals of the first final orbit. / P