Efficient inclination control for geostationary satellites

Theory and in-orbit experience are presented for an efficient method of inclination control for geostationary satellites. Solar perturbations with a period of six months can cause a station-keeping fuel consumption overhead which varies between 2.3 and 4.0 percent. The proposed method controls a component of these perturbations while completely avoiding the fuel penalty. This is equivalent to a service life extension of three to four months for a typical 10-year satellite.