Abstract: Methods are provided for accurate insertion of a constellation of satellites into a common orbit plane with a mean inclination &thgr;. In an embodiment of the invention, an initial satellite is inserted on an initial insertion date and, for each of subsequent satellites, a respective orbit insertion date is selected. With reference to the latter date, the initial insertion RAAN is updated to find a current RAAN. This updating is accomplished with knowledge of a regression rate of the initial satellite's orbit normal about a Q vector. With reference to the Q vector's inertial position, an instantaneous inclination that corresponds to the mean inclination &thgr; and the updated RAAN is then derived. Finally, the subsequent satellite is injected into an orbit having the instantaneous inclination and the current RAAN.

Abstract: Methods are provided for accurate insertion of a constellation of satellites into a common orbit plane with a mean inclination .theta.. In an embodiment of the invention, an initial satellite is inserted on an initial insertion date and, for each of subsequent satellites, a respective orbit insertion date is selected. With reference to the latter date, the initial insertion RAAN is updated to find a current RAAN. This updating is accomplished with knowledge of a regression rate of the initial satellite's orbit normal about a Q vector. With reference to the Q vector's inertial position, an instantaneous inclination that corresponds to the mean inclination .theta. and the updated RAAN is then derived. Finally, the subsequent satellite is injected into an orbit having the instantaneous inclination and the current RAAN.