Spot 1 end of life disposition manoeuvres

The corresponding operations, performed in November 2003, were complex due to a large number of constraints such as the unusual flight domain, the on-board sensors, the short ground station visibilities or the uncertainties in the estimation of the remaining fuel in the tanks. In the preliminary phase, the orbit was lowered 15 km below the operational orbit to avoid any collision risk with the other Spot satellites. Then, in a second phase, a series of eight apogee boosts lowered progressively the perigee altitude to 619 km. Finally, a large last manoeuvre was performed to empty the tanks and to reduce the perigee altitude the maximum amount. A succession of four ground stations visibilities allowed a real time monitoring of this manoeuvre. In particular the effect of gas bubbles in the propulsion system was observed through telemetry confirming the fuel depletion. The batteries were then disconnected and the telemetry emitter was switched off. According to the obtained perigee altitude, the on-orbit lifetime of Spot 1 should be about 18 years, which meets the space debris mitigation requirements.