LONG-TERM DYNAMICS AND STABILITY OF GEO ORBITS: THE PRIMACY OF THE LAPLACE PLANE

The geosynchronous Earth orbit (GEO) is in a region of space where the perturbing effects due to Earth's oblateness and lunisolar gravitational forces are comparable. On the classical Laplace plane, the secular orbital evolution driven by the combined effects of these perturbations is zero, so that the orbits are frozen. We explore the dynamics and stability of GEO orbits, and show how solar radiation pressure modifies the Laplace plane equilibrium. We discuss the implications of these results for the high area-to-mass ratio debris population, and show how the classical Laplace plane can be used as a robust long-term disposal orbit.