Robustness and versatility of the reorbiting strategy for the Meteosat Second Generation satellites fleet

This paper describes the MSG re-orbiting strategy, designed in a robust, modular and versatile way in order to achieve the safest possible configuration for any of the spacecraft of the fleet at to be applicable any point in time, should need arise. The targets of the strategy are to re-orbit the satellite away from the GEO ring protected region, to reduce its kinetic energy stored in the form of satellite spin and, further to passivate its subsystems, to minimize the total energy trends, limiting the energy that the disposed satellite will accumulate during its uncontrolled post-life time, hence minimizing the possibility of an accidental breakup and collision with other GEO orbiting objects. The paper discusses a number of trade-off analyzed during the design phase to improve the re-orbiting and decommissioning reliability and shows how even for a satellite series designed before the space debris mitigation guidelines were established it was possible to design a strategy that ensures the achievement of all the debris mitigation targets aimed by the Organization.