A launcher places a first satellite practically directly on a final orbit. A second satellite carried by the same launcher is initially transferred onto a waiting orbit that is highly elliptical, having a semi-major axis situated in the initial orbital plane. The inclination and the perigee of the waiting orbit are then changed in the vicinity of the apogee of the waiting orbit, thereby placing the second satellite on an intermediate orbit. A maneuver is performed that includes at least one step making use of atmospheric braking in the vicinity of perigee of the intermediate orbit so as to lower the altitude of apogee of the intermediate orbit, and an impulse is supplied to the second satellite at apogee of the intermediate orbit so as to raise its perigee and transform the intermediate orbit into a final orbit having orbital parameters whose values are substantially different from those of the orbital parameters of the final orbit of the first satellite.