A satellite constellation optimized for stationkeeping fuel consumption is
provided. The satellite constellation includes a plurality of satellites,
each satellite having a corresponding inclined elliptical orbit, each
orbit having an initial right ascension of ascending node ("RAAN") value,
a RAAN drift rate, a semi-major axis, an eccentricity, an argument of
perigee and an inclination. Each satellite has a fuel consumption value
required to maintain the RAAN drift rate, the semi-major axis, the
eccentricity, the argument of perigee and the inclination of the
corresponding orbit. The initial RAAN value and the RAAN drift rate for
each orbit correspond to a minimized fuel consumption value for the
satellite having the highest fuel consumption value. The initial RAAN
value and RAAN drift rate may be determined by calculating, for each
possible data combination of an initial RAAN value for each orbit and a
RAAN drift rate for the constellation, a fuel consumption value for each
satellite in the constellation, and selecting, from the fuel consumption
values thus determined, the data combination corresponding to a lowest
fuel consumption for a highest fuel-consuming satellite.