Editing Geostationary transfer orbit (section)

==Background==

Geostationary and geosynchronous orbits are very desirable for many [[Communications satellite|communication]] and [[Earth observation satellite|Earth observation satellites]]. However, the [[delta-v]], and therefore financial, cost to send a spacecraft to such orbits is very high due to their high orbital radius. A GTO is an intermediary orbit used to make this process more efficient. Satellite operators often use a high-thrust, low-efficiency [[launch vehicle]] to put their satellite into GTO, and then, after detaching the launch vehicle, use low-thrust, high-efficiency thrusters onboard the satellite itself to circularize its orbit (to GEO). This mission architecture is useful because it minimizes the mass that the spacecraft must push to GEO, allows for maximally efficient circularization burns taking advantage of the [[Oberth effect]], and allows the spent launch vehicle to [[deorbit]] primarily through [[aerobraking]] due to its low perigee, minimizing its [[Space debris|orbital lifetime]].