China has successfully rescued two satellites that were stuck in the wrong orbit for 123 days using a novel “gravitational slingshot” method. The satellites, launched atop a Yuanzheng-1S rocket on March 15th, suffered a technical failure with the upper stage, preventing them from reaching their intended orbit. After several months of attempts to rescue the satellites, Chinese engineers found a solution by using the gravity of Earth, the Moon, and the Sun to guide the satellites back into their correct orbits.
The mission, which involved a team of engineers at the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization (CSU), used a combination of thruster control and gravitational manipulation to stabilize the satellites. The rescue effort was deemed a success, saving the satellite mission and demonstrating a potentially game-changing maneuver for deep-space navigation.
The rescued satellites are part of a constellation that will provide navigation services for spacecraft, allowing ground controllers to locate a spacecraft in three hours. This is a significant reduction from the current two-to-three-day time frame using land-based positioning. The satellites’ autonomous piloting capabilities also pave the way for China’s ambitious plans for increasing its presence around Earth and the Moon.
The successful rescue mission highlights cutting-edge technology involved, as the satellites are part of a constellation that could enable uncrewed spacecraft navigation beyond Earth orbit.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/space/space-exploration/china-uses-gravitational-slingshots-to-save-2-satellites-that-were-stuck-in-the-wrong-orbit-for-123-days