Retrograde orbits are now approved (what could possibly go wrong?)

On Fri, 6 Apr 2012 06:43:38 -0700, "Hägar" wrote:

So, how many satellites are in those retrograde-polar orbits?

*** None ... they are in a Polar Orbit.


Hmmmm... there could be reasons for a real retrograde orbit. I'm not
an expert, but I seem to recall that Israel would have to use a
retrograde orbit for any satellites they put up from their own land.
If the launched to the east (in the direction of enemy nations) it
would initially be seen as a missile attack on those nations - and if
the launch was a failure and things came down from the sky on those
nations, even more so. There could be immediate retaliatory strikes.
So their only reasonable launch path would be to the west over the
Mediterranean Sea, i.e. retrograde.

Of course, maybe they could rent launch facilities from a nation that
had them (some friendly nation with facilities with ocean to the
east). But in general I don't think Israel would want to be dependent
on other nations for something that would involve their own national
security. Hitching a ride to the Space Station, sure, not a problem.
But having someone else launch their own spy satellites would be
something quite different. They might consider the extra cost to
boost in "the wrong direction" well worth it to have everything under
their complete control.