Small satellite GEO-to-LEO orbit transfer vehicle

A method of facilitating the deployment of a payload satellite into a predetermined low-earth orbit, comprising:

• identifying an excess capacity on a scheduled geosynchronous-transfer orbit launch vehicle,
• facilitating an attachment of the payload satellite to the geosynchronous-transfer orbit launch vehicle,
• facilitating a deployment of the payload satellite into a geosynchronous-transfer orbit via the geosynchronous-transfer orbit launch vehicle, and
• facilitating a maneuvering of payload satellite to the predetermined low-earth orbit.

An orbit-transfer vehicle that facilitates the deployment of a payload satellite into a low-earth orbit, comprising:

• an attitude determination and control system that is configured to maneuver the orbit-transfer vehicle and the payload satellite from a geosynchronous-transfer orbit to the low-earth orbit
• wherein
• the orbit-transfer vehicle is configured to facilitate:
• an atachment of the payload satellite to the orbit-transfer vehicle, and
• an attachment of the orbit-transfer vehicle to a geosynchronous-transfer orbit launch vehicle that is configured to deploy the orbit-transfer vehicle with-attached payload satellite to the geosynchronous-transfer orbit.