I'm playing career mode with RemoteTech. A major task I'm facing is deploying a network of communication satellites in keostationary orbit. As I understand it, three spaced out evenly across the orbit would be the ideal configuration.
Putting satellites into KSO is easy enough, but how do I go about the spaced out evenly part? Should I simply launch them 2 (6-hour orbit divided by 3 satellites) hours apart, or are there other methods?
Best Answer
The best approach, in my opinion, is to launch all three satellites on the same launcher. Each satellite will also need to have enough delta-V to finalize its own orbit.
First step is to launch your rocket into a geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO). It doesn't really matter what your perikee is at this stage, but your apokee should be at geosynchronous altitude (2,868.75 km).
The second step is to raise your perikee such that your orbital period is 1/3 or 2/3 that of a GEO orbit (2 or 4 hours).
Finally, you're going to put each of your satellites into their final orbit, one at a time. I prefer to wait an orbit after raising the perikee, but it's not entirely necessary. Detach the satellite, and use its apokee motor to finalize its orbit. Switch back to the launcher, wait an orbit, and repeat with the next satellite.
Getting your orbital altitudes aren't as important as getting the proper orbital period. If the periods aren't exact, your satellites will start to drift out of formation. If your satellites aren't in formation, simply raise or lower their orbits for a few revolutions until they're in place.