A plane change requires velocity perpendicular to current velocity — opposing the satellite's enormous in-plane speed. This makes inclination changes among the most expensive maneuvers in orbital mechanics.
A plane change requires velocity perpendicular to current velocity — opposing the satellite's enormous in-plane speed. This makes inclination changes among the most expensive maneuvers in orbital mechanics.
Orbital mechanics cares about velocity as a vector — direction matters, not just magnitude. Changing the direction of a fast-moving object costs energy proportional to its speed.
The cost is so high at LEO that missions almost never perform significant plane changes. They launch into the correct inclination from the start.
Mission designers use clever geometry to reduce the ΔV cost of necessary plane changes.
Inclination changes are rare, unambiguous, and always noteworthy in SSA.
The need to launch into the target inclination — rather than fix it later — is why launch corridors, range safety, and site selection are critical mission design constraints from day one.