Space Regulatory Glossary Orbital Mechanics

station-keeping

noun

1. The periodic use of onboard thrusters to maintain a satellite within its assigned orbital position, correcting for perturbations caused by gravitational influences from the Sun, Moon, and Earth's non-uniform mass distribution.
2. GEO satellites typically perform north-south and east-west station-keeping maneuvers to remain within a ±0.05 to ±0.1 degree box around their assigned longitude. Fuel for station-keeping is often the limiting factor in a GEO satellite's operational lifetime.

Related terms

orbital slot A designated longitude position along the geostationary arc where a satellite is authorized to operate. Orbital slots… GEO Geostationary orbit. A circular equatorial orbit at approximately 35,786 km altitude where a satellite's orbital period… graveyard orbit A disposal orbit approximately 300 km above the geostationary arc (roughly 36,100 km altitude) where GEO satellites are… delta-v The change in velocity required to perform an orbital maneuver, measured in meters per second (m/s). Delta-v is the…

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