// ORBITAL LOGISTICS AND PROPULSION TERM
Orbit Maintenance
This involves making periodic adjustments to a spacecraft's path to keep it within its designated orbit. It counteracts natural forces like atmospheric drag or gravitational pulls that would otherwise alter its position.
TECHNICAL DEFINITION
The ongoing process of executing propulsive maneuvers to counteract orbital perturbations (e.g., atmospheric drag, solar radiation pressure, gravitational anomalies) to keep a satellite within its specified orbital parameters, ensuring mission continuity and collision avoidance.
BACKGROUND
The International Space Station (ISS) is a space station in low Earth orbit (LEO). It is the product of the International Space Station program and is operated by five partner space agencies: NASA, Roscosmos (Russia), ESA (Europe), JAXA (Japan), and CSA (Canada). It is the first space station built, maintained and crewed through international cooperation and the largest human spacecraft ever constructed. It is an orbital research station, where scientific experiments in microgravity are conducted and the space environment is studied. Since 2 November 2000, it has hosted the longest continuous presence of humans in space. Alongside Tiangong, it is one of the only two currently operational space stations.
READ MORE ON WIKIPEDIASYNONYMS & ALIASES
- Station-keeping
- Orbit control
- Orbital upkeep
- Drag makeup
- Orbital corrections
USAGE NOTE
Geostationary satellites require constant orbit maintenance to remain above their designated longitude.
DEVELOPERS
Organizations developing technology related to Orbit Maintenance.
A subsidiary of Northrop Grumman, SpaceLogistics provides in-orbit satellite servicing. Their Mission Extension Vehicle (MEV) docks with aging satellites to provide propulsion and attitude control, effectively taking over orbit maintenance to extend their operational life.
Astroscale is a market leader in satellite servicing and long-term orbital sustainability. The company is developing services that include life extension, where a servicing vehicle docks with a client satellite to provide propulsion for station-keeping and orbital adjustments.
Busek specializes in advanced space propulsion systems, particularly electric propulsion. They design and manufacture a variety of thrusters, including Hall-effect and electrospray thrusters, which are critical components used by satellites for precise and efficient orbit maintenance.
A major satellite manufacturer that has pioneered all-electric satellite platforms, such as Spacebus Neo. These platforms use advanced electric propulsion systems exclusively for both initial orbit raising and all subsequent station-keeping maneuvers throughout the satellite's lifespan.
A company developing next-generation radio frequency (RF) plasma propulsion systems for satellites. Their Maxwell thruster offers a simplified, reliable, and scalable solution for in-space propulsion, enabling orbit maintenance, collision avoidance, and other maneuvers for small satellite constellations.
Benchmark develops chemical and electric propulsion systems for satellites ranging from CubeSats to small satellites. Their solutions are designed to provide the mobility needed for orbit insertion, station-keeping, and collision avoidance maneuvers.
ExoTerra develops high-performance solar electric propulsion systems for small satellites. Their Halo Hall-effect thrusters are designed to provide efficient, high-thrust propulsion for orbit raising and maintaining the orbital position of satellites in large constellations.
D-Orbit provides in-space transportation and logistics services. Their ION Satellite Carrier vehicle is a space tug that precisely maneuvers to deploy satellites into their operational orbits and can perform other in-orbit services, requiring robust orbit maintenance capabilities for the carrier itself.