Momentum unloading using gimbaled thrusters

A method of simultaneously controlling East/West and North/South positioning and unloading momentum of a spacecraft (20) while orbiting an object, wherein the spacecraft (20) has a thruster array (36, 38, 40, 42) and a momentum accumulator. The method entails moving the spacecraft (20) towards a node of the orbit and firing a thruster (38) of the thruster array at a predetermined position on the orbit, separate from said node, so as to control the orbital position of the spacecraft (20). The method also includes the step of dumping momentum from the momentum accumulator at the predetermined position and while the thruster (38) is being fired so that any loss in control in the attitude of the spacecraft (20) is reduced.