Pre and post orbit maneuver pulses to reduce flexural oscillations

A spacecraft comprising a spacecraft controller and a thruster, the spacecraft controller configured to cause the spacecraft to execute an orbital maneuver by firing a thruster, wherein the spacecraft controller:

• executes a first double pulse, double coast firing (DPDC) sequence with the thruster prior to the orbital maneuver;
• fires the thruster for a duration of the orbital maneuver;
• and
• executes a second DPDC firing sequence with the thruster subsequent to the orbital maneuver.

A non-transitory computer readable medium having software stored thereon, the software including instructions for causing a controller to:

• cause a spacecraft, the spacecraft including the controller and a thruster, to execute an orbital maneuver by firing the thruster, wherein the firing the thruster includes:
• executing a first double pulse, double coast firing (DPDC) sequence with the thruster prior to the orbital maneuver;
• firing the thruster for a duration of the orbital maneuver;
• and
• executing a second DPDC firing sequence with the thruster subsequent to the orbital maneuver.