Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ames-lm.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!floyd!harpo!seismo!hao!ames-lm!al
From: al@ames-lm.UUCP (Al Globus)
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: Intersecting orbits
Message-ID: <198@ames-lm.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 4-Apr-84 00:47:48 EST
Article-I.D.: ames-lm.198
Posted: Wed Apr  4 00:47:48 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 5-Apr-84 00:37:14 EST
References: <489@sri-arpa.UUCP>
Organization: NASA-Ames Research Center, Mtn. View, CA
Lines: 14

>>The fact is, satellites do go every which way.  We launch satellites from
>>28.5 degrees north, the Soviets launch from around 55 degrees north, and
>>we both launch into polar orbits.  Maybe nobody launches straight west,
>>but the US launches satellites south-southwest from Vandenberg.

>>This, by the way, makes me skeptical about the claim that the space station
>>would be useful as a base for satellite repair.

NASA plans an Orbital Transfer Vehicle (OTV) as part of the space station 
system.  The OTV would be based at the space station base (the manned part).
This vehicle would be used to place satellites in other orbits and retrieve
satellites from other orbits for repair.  There is a great deal of discussion 
over whether an OTV should be manned and/or use aerobraking.  Aerobraking
is particularly attractive for return from geosynchronous orbit.