METHOD OF SIMULTANEOUS INJECTION OF SEVERAL SATELLITES INTO NON-COPLANAR ORBITS WITH USE OF HEAVILY ECCENTRIC ORBITS AND ATMOSPHERIC BRAKING Russian patent published in 2004 - IPC

FIELD: inter-orbital maneuvers of artificial satellites injected simultaneously by one launch vehicle. SUBSTANCE: proposed method includes injection of first satellite into final orbit 15. Second satellite found in the same launch vehicle is first transferred to oblong waiting orbit (12 bis) whose semi-major axis is located in initial orbital plane. Then, its inclination and perigee are changed in apogee 19 of said orbit which is necessary for injection of second satellite into intermediate orbit 14, after which orbital maneuver is performed at one or more atmospheric braking cycles in region of perigee (6a, 6b) of intermediate orbit. As result, apogee altitude (19,19a, 19b, 10c) of each intermediate orbit (14,14a,14b, 14c) is changed. In region of apogee (19c) of intermediate orbit 914c), speed pulse is furnished to second satellite for raising perigee altitude and converting orbit (14c) to final orbit 11. Orbital parameters of orbit 11 differ from those of final orbit 15 of first satellite. For performing orbital maneuvers, use is made of electrical rocket engine or chemical rocket engines and flywheels (gyroscopes). EFFECT: enhanced economical efficiency. 17 cl, 3 dwg, 1 tbl