Comparative Analysis of Sub GTO, GTO and Super GTO in Orbit Raising for All Electric Satellites

Electric propulsion system has been used on many geostationary communication satellites for station keeping maneuver because of having high specific impulse values. But in general chemical propulsion system is being used for orbit rising from transfer orbit to GEO. Recently all electric satellites market is emerging and those satellites use electric propulsion system to reach final GEO orbit. It takes 4-8 months to reach final orbit and during this progress satellites subject to extreme environmental conditions. It is mandatory to minimize number of Van Allen belt crossing to keep spacecraft healthy. Transfer orbit types and orbit rising strategies affect duration to final orbit, number of radiation belt crossing and required delta V to final orbit. In this study reaching final GEO belt for different initial transfer orbits sub GTO, GTO, super GTO are investigated in terms of duration to GEO and number of Van Allen belt crossing.