Hughes Space has achieved a space first with the successful insertion of a wayward satellite into geo-stationary orbit via two lunar flybys.

HGS-1 was launched last Christmas Day. Because of a malfunctioning launch vehicle, it was left in an unusable, highly elliptical orbit. Insurers declared it a total loss for its original purposes, which was for communications and television services in Asia. Hughes Global Services, Inc., (HGS) obtained title in April to the fully functional satellite, an HS 601HP model built by Hughes Space and Communications Company (HSC).

Hughes orbital engineers devised a novel mission to salvage the

satellite, using lunar gravity to improve the resulting orbit once the

satellite returned to Earth. That flyby, in mid-May, was the first

commercial mission to the moon. Encouraged by the precision of that

mission, Hughes performed a second lunar rendezvous this month to

further improve the orbit.

The second mission concluded today. At 11:29 a.m. PDT, Hughes

satellite controllers fired the on-board motor for 12 minutes, which

slowed the spacecraft enough to enter a circular orbit 22,300 miles

(36,000 km) above the equator. HGS-1 will be "parked" in a dormant

state over the Pacific until Hughes finds customers for it.

When HGS obtained title to the satellite, it agreed to try to find

revenue-producing uses for the satellite and to share profits with the

insurers. "This is a real opportunity for someone to kick-start or

augment their business with an in-orbit satellite, at less cost and

time than it would take to contract and build their own satellite,"

said Ronald V. Swanson, HGS president. Even though HGS' primary

business is packaging satellite communications services for

governmental entities, it is actively seeking interest in the entire

satellite as well.

HGS-1 made its first swing around the moon May 13. On May 16, as

the satellite approached Earth, controllers slowed it down by firing

the on-board rocket motor. This put the satellite into a 15-day orbit

around Earth with an apogee — the farthest distance from Earth — of

about 303,000 miles (488,000 km). The moon is about 250,000 miles

away (402,000 km).

On June 1, controllers nudged the satellite into position for a

second lunar flyby. It passed the moon again on June 6, at a distance

of nearly 21,300 miles (34,300 km) from the surface, which is about 52

times farther than the initial lunar encounter of 3,883 miles (6,200

km). A small firing of the rocket motor June 11 reoriented the

satellite for its final orbit around Earth.

Last Sunday at 9:15 a.m. PDT, controllers fired the motor for 46

minutes, and again for two minutes at 10:50 a.m. These burns slowed

HGS-1 into a 46-hour orbit ranging in altitude from 22,300 miles

(36,000 km) to 51,000 miles (82,000 km). Tuesday, controllers

performed a 28-minute burn at 7:29 a.m. PDT, putting it into a nearly

circular 28-hour orbit. Today's burn captured it in a 24-hour,

geosynchronous orbit, so that it will orbit Earth at the same speed

that the planet rotates. It will stay at roughly the same spot above

Earth, but will drift a few degrees north and south of the equator

every day.

"The lunar recovery mission team did an outstanding job. Everything has gone just as predicted," Swanson said. "It really validates the viability of this technique for future missions."