OPTIMIZED POWER BALANCED LOW THRUST TRANSFER ORBITS UTILIZING SPLIT THRUSTER EXECUTION

摘要

A method for providing optimized power balanced low thrust transfer orbits (402) utilizing split thruster execution (800) to minimize an electric orbit raising (400) duration of an apparatus (100) includes monitoring an electric power balance on the apparatus. The method also includes firing a first thruster (104) in response to the apparatus exiting an eclipse and based on the electric power balance. The method additionally includes firing a second thruster (104) at a predetermined time delay after firing the first thruster based on the electric power balance. The method additionally includes ending firing one of the first thruster or the second thruster (104) after a predetermined time duration based on the electric power balance. The method further includes ending firing another of the first thruster or the second thruster (104) in response to the apparatus entering a next eclipse.