ESA Science & Technology - SMART-1 osculating orbit up to 26.04.04

In this diagram the osculating orbits at launch (GTO) and at different times are plotted. It can be seen that since the electric propulsion is again being operated, the last orbit is substantially modified. Especially the height of the apogee is dramatically increased due to the perigee thrusting strategy.

Since the start of the mission, the electric propulsion system has changed the orbital parameters as follows:

• The semi major axis from 24 626 km to 56 443 km
• The perigee altitude from 656 km to 16 364 km
• The apogee altitude from 35 880 km to 83 767 km
• The orbital period from 10 hours 41 minutes to 37 hours and 4 minutes