U.S. and Russian experts are meeting to decide what to do about a communications satellite that was boosted into a much lower orbit than expected.
Engineers say the Russian Energia rocket did not lift the Telstar 18 satellite into a sufficiently high orbit, Novosti reported Tuesday. As a result, it may be necessary for Telstar to use its own fuel to achieve the correct position.
However, the service life of the space vehicle will decrease significantly as the orbital maneuver will use practically all of its fuel, a spokesman at Russia’s space center said.
The satellite’s apogee is 12,600 miles instead of 21,600 miles. Apogee is the point in an orbit most distant from the body being orbited.
U.S. and Russian engineers were meeting to discuss their options.
