METHOD FOR INTERORBIT TRANSPORTATION OF PAYLOADS Russian patent published in 2010 - IPC B64G1/14 B64G1/26 

FIELD: transport.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to nonexpendable interorbit transport systems. Interorbital vehicle (IOV) equipped with electric thruster (ET) is transferred from low-earth orbit to intermediate high-elliptical orbit (e.g. one-day orbit with inclination of ~ 63°, perigee altitude of ~ 500 km and apocenter altitude of ~ 71250 km). This transition is executed using installed on IOV disposable acceleration unit with high-thrust engine. Then the acceleration unit is separated from IOV. The IOV is transferred from the said intermediate orbit to target orbit along multiturn helical trajectory using low-thrust ET. IOV returning after payload separation on the target orbit is made to the same intermediate orbit where ET is refueled and new payload is mounted. Repeating cycles of payload transportation to the target orbit is executed from this intermediate orbit. Payloads can be delivered by IOV for instance to geostationary orbit or to neutral point L₁ of earth-moon system.

EFFECT: reducing duration of transport operations, rising resource of energy-propulsion plant, increasing number of IOV usage cycles and weight of payload delivered to the target orbit.

7 cl, 4 dwg, 3 tbl