A Retrospective Geometric Analysis of the Long-Term Evolution of Orbits and the Ballistic Lifetime for Satellites of the Prognoz Series

We consider the applied aspects of the geometrical analysis of solutions in a restricted circular double-averaged three-body problem that are concerned with the design of high-apogee satellite orbits. Based on the analysis of the long-term evolution and the ballistic lifetime for orbit families of the Prognoz satellites launched into their orbits in the period 1972–1995, we suggest some practical suggestions for choosing long-lived high-apogee orbits with taking into account various requirements for the domain of evolution of the orbital elements.