Analysis of Evolution of Orbits of GEO Satellites Near End of Life Based on the STK Software

When a Geostationary-Orbit(GEO)satellite is close to its end of life, its payload and electronic components can still be used normally. Therefore, if east-west station keeping maneuvers are adopted, the operational lifetime of satellite can be greatly extended. This paper briefly describes main perturbation forces causing the change of a GEO orbit. We apply the STK software to analyze the motion of a GEO satellite near end of life, and give a simulation process for GEO satellite orbit evolution as a guide for exploring applications of GEO satellites near end of life.