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Satellite system using equatorial and polar orbit relays

  • US 5,678,175 A
  • Filed: 06/06/1995
  • Issued: 10/14/1997
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/28/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A satellite communications system comprising:

  • a plurality of Equatorial, polar and middle latitude relay stations (34, 61,

         65);

    said relay stations (34, 61,

         65) being located circumferentially along Earth'"'"'s Equator (16), near Earth'"'"'s poles (NP, SP) and in regions of Earth'"'"'s middle-latitudes, respectively;

    a first satellite (12) operating in an Equatorial, low Earth orbit (14);

    a second satellite (12) operating in an inclined, low Earth orbit (60, 63,

         210);

    said first satellite (12) being capable of communicating with said plurality of Equatorial relay stations (34) over uplinks (35a) and downlinks (35b);

    said second satellite (12) being capable of communicating with at least one of said plurality of polar relay stations (61) with at least one of said plurality of middle-latitude relay stations (65) and with at least one of said plurality of Equatorial relay stations (34);

    said first satellite (12) being capable of storing a message from a first Equatorial relay station (34) and forwarding said message to a second Equatorial relay station (34); and

    said second satellite (12) capable of receiving said message from said second Equatorial relay station (34) and forwarding said message to one of said plurality of polar and middle-latitude relay stations (61,

         65).

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