A launch strategy for high-inclination orbit missions from the San Marco Equatorial Range

The Son Marco Equatorial Range (SMER), due to its favourable geographic position (less than three degrees away from the Equator), has represented an ideal launch facility to achieve low-inclination and equatorial orbits. However, safety restrictions does not allow to achieve high-inclination orbits by in-plane launch maneuvers, requiring a large fuel expense for plane-change by means of the so called dog-leg maneuver. A guidance system has been developed to execute the out-of-plane maneuver during the guided ascent phase, in order to reduce the Delta v required for plane changes. The numerical test of this guidance algorithm showed satisfying performances in terms of orbit acquisition (small errors on the orbital elements); at the same time, it proved itself capable to execute plane-change maneuvers, allowing significant reductions in fuel consumption with respect to the dog-leg technique. (C) 1998 International Astronautical Federation. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.