CPC B64G 1/007 (2013.01) [B64G 1/10 (2013.01); B64G 1/641 (2013.01); B64G 1/645 (2013.01); B64G 2001/643 (2013.01)] | 11 Claims |
1. A method of releasing artificial satellites into Earth's orbit, comprising the steps of:
providing an orbital transport spacecraft able to move at orbital height and comprising a cargo area;
providing a plurality of release systems housed in said cargo area, wherein each release system comprises a POD (Picosatellite Orbital Deployer);
housing a plurality of satellites inside said PODs, wherein said PODs are configured for housing, transporting and releasing said plurality of satellites;
housing said orbital transport spacecraft in a space launcher configured to reach an orbital height;
releasing said orbital transport spacecraft at orbital height, when said space launcher reaches orbital height, by imparting a separation thrust to said orbital transport spacecraft;
releasing satellites in sequence from the cargo area through said PODs;
wherein the release of each satellite from the cargo area occurs in a respective predetermined direction and upon the orbital transport spacecraft has reached a respective predetermined position; and
wherein each two satellites released successively of the plurality of satellites are released in substantially mutually opposite directions, wherein a first satellite of the two satellites is released in a direction contrary to an orbital direction of advance of the orbital transport spacecraft and the second satellite of the two satellites is released in a direction matching the orbital direction of advance of the orbital transport spacecraft.
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