Optimized propulsion device for controlling the orbit and attitude of a satellite

A propulsion device for controlling the orbit of an earth-orbit satellite, including a structure of which the orientation is maintained constant in relation to the Earth in an operational configuration of the satellite in the orbit;

• a center of mass of the satellite being contained in the structure of the satellite, the propulsion device comprising:
• two thrusters, each thruster being suitable for delivering a thrust according to one axis, and being fixed to the structure of the satellite in the same half-space delimited by the plane of the orbit,
• and in that the thrusters are arranged on the structure and separated from each other by a plane containing the center of mass and perpendicular to a Z-axis of the satellite oriented towards the Earth;
• the thrusters being configured in such a way that a force resulting from the thrusts of the two simultaneously activated thrusters represents a principal component according to a Y-axis of the satellite oriented perpendicular to the orbit,
• each of the two thrusters being configured to control the orientation of the thrust of said thruster around two axes substantially perpendicular to a thrust axis of said thruster.