A Study on the Propellants Budgeting Process for Geostationary Orbit (GEO) Mission

This paper introduces the methods and procedures for determining the amount of propellants required for the operation of geostationary and geosynchronous satellites. Propellants loaded onto geostationary and geosynchronous satellites is used for orbital changes from transfer orbit to mission orbit, maintaining position in the mission orbit, using thrusters during rapid attitude changes and controls, and unloading momentum accumulated in the attitude control wheels. Budgeting the amount of propellants requires prior information such as the satellite's dry mass, thrusters and liquid apogee engine (LAE), the launch vehicle's transfer orbit elements, the satellite's final mission orbit elements, and the mission’s lifespan. This paper explains the process for budgeting the amount of payload fuel, the characteristics of each required item, and provides an example of fuel quantity calculation.