Abstract
The Handbook of Satellite Applications focuses on the practical applications of satellites. This means that the handbook addresses the many uses that are made of communications, remote sensing, satellite navigation, and meteorological systems as well as the spacecraft, the ground systems, and tracking, telemetry, and command systems that make these networks possible. There are also chapters that address regulatory issues, economic and insurance issues, and even threats to the future operation of application satellites. This chapter addresses the remaining critical areas that are critical to the successful operation of application satellite systems.
All type of applications satellites could not carry out their function unless they were first launched into the right orbit. Even after successful launch they must also be properly maintained there through necessary station-keeping operations. This chapter addresses the history of rocket and launch vehicle development and explains the basic technical capabilities that allow applications satellites to be placed into orbit with greater and greater reliability. This chapter also briefly addresses in-orbit operations that allow spacecraft to be maintained in orbit and to operate over increasingly long practical lifetimes. Over the past 60 years of the space age an expanding variety of different propulsion systems and launch systems have been developed to carry out the important tasks of launch, station-keeping, and deorbit or removal of spacecraft to a graveyard orbital location.
One of the key elements of success for applications satellites of all types is the fact that gradually the reliability and the lift capability of launch vehicles have improved over time. It has been hoped for many years that new technology could allow the cost of launches to be significantly reduced, but to date such breakthroughs in the economics of launch systems have not yet been achieved. The precision thruster systems that allow spacecraft to be pointed with ever greater precision and to maintain crucial station-keeping have quite successfully continued to evolve. This has allowed application satellites to operate for much longer lifetimes and with greater pointing accuracy that has increased their functionality.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
R.A. Braeuni, Basics of spaceflight: rocket propellants (2008). http://www.braeunig.us/space/propel.htm
A. Lindemoyer, COTS status: NASA advisory council (2011). http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/580727main_4%20-%20Lindenmoyer%20COTS%20Status_508.pdf
Michael Lennick, Launch Vehicles Pocket Space Guide: Heritage of the Space Race (Mar 1, 2006)(Pocket Space Guides) New York
J.N. Pelton, Global Talk (Sitjhoff and Noordhoff International, Alphen aan den Rijn, 1981) pp. 13–20
Travis S. Taylor, Introduction to Rocket Science and Engineering (2007) CRC Books, New York
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2013 Springer Science+Business Media New York
About this entry
Cite this entry
Pelton, J.N. (2013). Launch Vehicles and Launch Sites. In: Pelton, J.N., Madry, S., Camacho-Lara, S. (eds) Handbook of Satellite Applications. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7671-0_72
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7671-0_72
Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY
Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-7670-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-7671-0
eBook Packages: EngineeringReference Module Computer Science and Engineering