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Reference.org
Parking orbit
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<p>A parking orbit is a temporary orbit used during the launch of a <a href="/facts/Spacecraft/YQqQaUw0">spacecraft</a>. A launch vehicle follows a trajectory to the parking orbit, then coasts for a while, then engines fire again to enter the final desired trajectory. </p><p>An alternative trajectory that is used on some missions is <i>direct injection</i>, where the rocket fires continuously (except during staging) until its fuel is exhausted, ending with the payload on the final <a href="/facts/Trajectory/STNN33FK">trajectory</a>. This technique was first used by the Soviet <a href="/facts/Venera_1/pVs6FeMA">Venera 1</a> mission to Venus in 1961. </p>