Space Regulatory Glossary Orbital Mechanics

Hohmann transfer

/ˈhoʊmən ˈtrænsfɜːr/ noun

1. The most fuel-efficient orbital maneuver for transferring a spacecraft between two circular orbits in the same plane, using two engine burns connected by an elliptical transfer orbit.
2. The first burn raises the apogee to the target orbit altitude; the second burn at apogee circularizes the orbit. While optimal for fuel, Hohmann transfers can be slow — a transfer from LEO to GEO takes approximately 5 hours.

Origin Described by German engineer Walter Hohmann in his 1925 work 'Die Erreichbarkeit der Himmelskörper' (The Attainability of Celestial Bodies).

Related terms

delta-v The change in velocity required to perform an orbital maneuver, measured in meters per second (m/s). Delta-v is the… apogee The point in a satellite's orbit where it is farthest from Earth. In a geostationary transfer orbit, the apogee is at… perigee The point in a satellite's orbit where it is closest to Earth. For a circular orbit, perigee altitude equals apogee… GEO Geostationary orbit. A circular equatorial orbit at approximately 35,786 km altitude where a satellite's orbital period…

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