A guiding method for positioning a satellite equipped with means for communicating with a ground station, comprising the following steps carried out during a predefined running cycle: A. determining, on the ground for a predetermined cycle, a rule for orienting the thrust vector of said satellite and a log of state variables and of assistant state variables of said satellite for transferring from an initial orbit to a predetermined target orbit using the optimal control theory; B. determining, on the ground for said predetermined cycle and on the basis of the rule for orienting the thrust vector of said satellite and of the log of state variables and of assistant state variables of said satellite shown in a reference inertial coordinate system, a rule for changing the rotation of said satellite around said thrust vector; C. representing, according to a predetermined format, the change of the state and assistant state variables in order to obtain first parameters; D. representing, according to a predetermined format, a rule for changing the rotation in order to obtain second parameters; E. concatenating said first and second parameters in order to obtain a plan for guiding said satellite; F. downloading said plan for guiding said satellite onto said satellite; G. periodically repeating the following sub-steps during the running cycle according to a predefined period that is shorter than the duration of said guiding cycle; - g1) reconstructing a satellite guiding setpoint on board said satellite; - g2) executing said guiding setpoint on board said satellite by applying a closed control loop; H. measuring the actual orbital trajectory of said satellite on the ground; I. regularly repeating steps A) to H) on a cycle-by-cycle basis, with the trajectory measured at the end of the preceding cycle as the initial orbit for the next cycle, until the target orbit is reached. A. determining, on the ground for a predetermined cycle, a rule for orienting the thrust vector of said satellite and a log of state variables and of assistant state variables of said satellite for transferring from an initial orbit to a predetermined target orbit using the optimal control theory; B. determining, on the ground for said predetermined cycle and on the basis of the rule for orienting the thrust vector of said satellite and of the log of state variables and of assistant state variables of said satellite shown in a reference inertial coordinate system, a rule for changing the rotation of said satellite around said thrust vector; C. representing, according to a predetermined format, the change of the state and assistant state variables in order to obtain first parameters; D. representing, according to a predetermined format, a rule for changing the rotation in order to obtain second parameters; E. concatenating said first and second parameters in order to obtain a plan for guiding said satellite; F. downloading said plan for guiding said satellite onto said satellite; G. periodically repeating the following sub-steps during the running cycle according to a predefined period that is shorter than the duration of said guiding cycle; - g1) reconstructing a satellite guiding setpoint on board said satellite; - g2) executing said guiding setpoint on board said satellite by applying a closed control loop; - g1) reconstructing a satellite guiding setpoint on board said satellite; - g2) executing said guiding setpoint on board said satellite by applying a closed control loop; H. measuring the actual orbital trajectory of said satellite on the ground; I. regularly repeating steps A) to H) on a cycle-by-cycle basis, with the trajectory measured at the end of the preceding cycle as the initial orbit for the next cycle, until the target orbit is reached.