Reorbiting statistics of geostationary objects in the years 1997 - 2000

Based on orbital data in the DISCOS database the situation in the geostationary ring is analysed. From 878 known objects, 305 are controlled inside their longitude slots, 353 are drifting above, below or through GEO, and 125 are in a libration orbit (status of Jan. 2001). In the last four years (1997-2000) 58 spacecraft reached end-of-life. 20 of them were reorbited in compliance with the IADC recommendations, 16 were reorbited below this recommendation and 22 were abandoned without any end-of-life disposal manoeuvre.