Abstract: Disclosed is a method and apparatus for launching a capsule into a lower orbit in conjunction with the launch of a satellite into a higher energy orbit. The capsule is located in the launch vehicle so that, at burnout of the next-to-last stage of the launch vehicle, the altitude of velocity of the last stage capsule and satellite are sufficient to correspond to a desire orbit for said capsule. The capsule is released before ignition of the last stage during the ballistic phase of flight between the next-to-last stage and the last stage. After release of the capsule, the last stage is ignited permitting the satellite to be placed in the desired higher energy orbit. Particular preferred embodiments of the invention relates to slewing of the launched vehicle so as to release the capsule in predetermined directions apart from the launch direction so as to obtain a desired amount of separation between the capsule and the last stage prior to ignition of the last stage.