Editing Orbital inclination change (section)

{{redirect|Plane change|the concept of changing airplanes during a journey|Layover}}
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'''Orbital inclination change''' is an [[orbital maneuver]] aimed at changing the [[inclination]] of an orbiting body's [[orbit]]. This maneuver is also known as an '''orbital plane change''' as the plane of the orbit is tipped. This maneuver requires a change in the orbital velocity vector ([[delta-v]]) at the [[orbital nodes]] (i.e. the point where the initial and desired orbits intersect, the line of orbital nodes is defined by the intersection of the two orbital planes).

In general, inclination changes can take a very large amount of delta-v to perform, and most mission planners try to avoid them whenever possible to conserve fuel. This is typically achieved by launching a spacecraft directly into the desired inclination, or as close to it as possible so as to minimize any inclination change required over the duration of the spacecraft life. [[Gravity assist|Planetary flybys]] are the most efficient way to achieve large inclination changes, but they are only effective for interplanetary missions.