A graveyard orbit is used when the change in velocity required to perform a de-orbit
maneuver is too large. De-orbiting a
geostationary satellite requires a
delta-v of about , whereas re-orbiting it to a graveyard orbit only requires about . For satellites in
geostationary orbit and
geosynchronous orbits, the graveyard orbit is a few hundred
kilometers beyond the operational orbit. The transfer to a graveyard orbit beyond geostationary orbit requires the same amount of fuel as a satellite needs for about three months of
stationkeeping. It also requires a reliable
attitude control during the transfer maneuver. While most satellite operators plan to perform such a maneuver at the end of their satellites' operational lives, through 2005 only about one-third succeeded. Given the economic value of the positions at geosynchronous altitude, unless premature spacecraft failure precludes it, satellites are moved to a graveyard orbit prior to decommissioning. According to the
Inter-Agency Space Debris Coordination Committee (IADC) the minimum recommended
perigee altitude \Delta{H} beyond the
geostationary orbit is :\Delta{H} = 235\mbox{ km} + C_\mathrm{R} \frac{A \left[ \mathrm{m}^2 \right]}{m \left[ \mathrm{kg} \right]} \cdot 1000\mbox{ km} where :C_\mathrm{R} is the satellite's solar
radiation pressure coefficient, whose value is between 1 (for absorption) and 2 (for specular reflection), :A is its aspect area, :m is its mass. This formula includes for the GEO-protected zone to also permit orbit maneuvers in GEO without interference with the graveyard orbit. Another of
tolerance must be allowed for the effects of
gravitational perturbations (primarily solar and lunar). The remaining part of the equation considers the effects of the
solar radiation pressure, which depends on the physical parameters of the satellite. In order to obtain a license to provide
telecommunications services in the United States, the
Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requires all geostationary satellites launched after March 18, 2002, to commit to moving to a graveyard orbit at the end of their operational lives. U.S. government regulations require a boost, \Delta{H}, of about . In 2023
DISH received the first-ever fine by the FCC for failing to de-orbit its
EchoStar VII satellite according to the terms of its license. A spacecraft moved to a graveyard orbit will typically be
passivated. Uncontrolled objects in a near geostationary [Earth] orbit (GEO) exhibit a 53-year cycle of orbital inclination due to the interaction of the Earth's tilt with the lunar orbit. The orbital inclination varies ± 7.4°, at up to 0.8°pa. == Disposal orbit ==