Artificial satellite communication system

• US 5,871,181 A
• Filed: 05/21/1992
• Issued: 02/16/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 07/19/1991
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Jonathan Mass
• Original Assignee: Jonathan Mass
• Inventors: Mass, Jonathan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mojica, Virna Lissi
• Application Number:
  US07/886,228
• Time in Patent Office: 2,462 Days
• Field of Search: 244/158 R, 342/352, 342/358, 342/359, 342/360, 455/11.1, 455/12.1, 455/13.1, 455/13.2, 455/13.3, 379/59, 379/60
• US Class Current: 244/158.4
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/1007 Communications satellites
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/1085 Swarms and constellations
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/242 Orbits and trajectories
• CPC Class Codes: B64G 1/2425 Geosynchronous orbits
• CPC Class Codes: H04B 7/195 Non-synchronous stations

Abstract

A communication system including a constellation of a plurality of artificial satellites orbiting the Earth, each artificial satellite having communication apparatus providing communication with the Earth, characterized in that the plurality of artificial satellites are in triply-geosynchronous (TGS) orbits having a period of eight sidereal hours, or twice-triply-geosynchronous (TTGS) orbits having a period of sixteen sidereal hours, which orbits are inclined with respect to the Equator and synchronized with the Earth'"'"'s rotation such as to exploit the natural spacing of approximately 120° in longitude of the major land masses of Europe, North America and the Far East for communication with the artificial satellites to provide for higher elevation angles in such land masses than in other areas.

Claims

1. A communication system including a constellation of a plurality of artificial satellites orbiting the Earth, each artificial satellite having communciation means providing communication with the Earth, characterized in that the plurality of artificial satellites are in triply-geosynchronous (TGS) orbits having a period of eight sidereal hours, or twice-triply-geosynchronous (TTGS) orbits having a period of sixteen sidereal hours, which orbits are inclined with respect to the Equator and synchronized with the Earth'"'"'s rotation such as to exploit the natural spacing of approximately 120°

in longitude of the major land masses of Europe, North America and the Far East for communication with the artificial satellites to provide for higher elevation angles in such land masses than in other areas.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said orbits are inclined circular orbits.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein said orbits are triply-geosynchronous (TGS) orbits having a period of eight sidereal hours.

4. The system according to claim 3, wherein the constellation includes 12 satellites at approximately 13,900 Km altitude in twelve orbital planes with ascending nodes 30°

apart and crossing the Equator from South to North at intervals of two sidereal hours.

5. The system according to claim 3, wherein the constellation includes 24 satellites at approximately 13,900 Km altitude in twenty-four orbital planes with ascending nodes 15°

apart and crossing the Equator from South to North at intervals of one sidereal hour.

6. The system according to claim 2, wherein said circular orbits are twice triply-geosynchronous (TTGS) orbits having a period of 16 sidereal hours.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the constellation includes 12 satellites at approximately 25,800 Km altitude, in six inclined orbit planes containing two satellites in each plane.

17. The system according to claim 1, wherein said orbits are inclined elliptical orbits.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein said orbits are skewed elliptical orbits such that their perigees are offset from the extreme latitudes in order to improve coverage over predetermined areas.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein said constellation includes eight satellites in eight orbits, equally spaced in Right Ascension, the orbits having an apogee altitude of about 26,790 Km, a perigee altitude of about 1,000 Km, and a perigee angle of about -134 degrees relative to the S-N equator crossing as measured in the orbit plane.

20. The system according to claim 17, wherein said orbits are triply-geosynchronous (TGS) orbits having a period of eight sidereal hours.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein the constellation includes a plurality of satellites at an apogee altitude of about 26,790 Km and a perigee altitude of about 1,000 Km.

22. The system according to claim 17, wherein said inclined elliptical orbits are twice-triply-geosynchronous (TTGS) orbits having a period of sixteen sidereal hours.

8. A communication system including a constellation of a plurality of artificial satellites orbiting the Earth, each satellite having communication means providing communication with the Earth;

characterized in that the satellites are in inclined elliptical orbits having their perigee and apogee offset from the extreme latitudes so as to obtain longer stays of the satellites over predetermined areas in one hemisphere than would be possible with such elliptical orbits in which the perigee and apogee are not offset from the extreme latitudes.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the artificial satellites are inclined with respect to the Equator such as to exploit the natural spacing of approximately 120°

in longitude of the important land masses of Europe, North America and the Far East for communication with the artificial satellites to provide for higher elevation angles in such land masses than in other areas.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said inclined elliptical orbits are twice triply-geosynchronous (TTGS) orbits having a period of 16 sidereal hours.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein said inclined elliptical orbits are triply-geosynchronous (TGS) orbits having a period of eight sidereal hours.

12. A method of deploying a constellation of artificial satellites communicating with and orbiting the Earth, comprising placing a plurality of the artificial satellites in triply-geosynchronous (TGS) orbits having a period of eight sidereal hours, or twice-triply-geosynchronous (TTGS) orbits having a period of sixteen sidereal hours, which orbits are inclined with respect to the Equator and synchronized with the Earth'"'"'s rotation, such as to exploit the natural spacing of approximately 120°

in longitude of the major land masses of Europe, North America and the Far East for communication with the artificial satellites to provide for higher elevation angles in such land masses than in other areas.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said orbits are inclined circular orbits.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said orbits are inclined elliptical orbits.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein said orbits are triply-geosynchronous (TGS) orbits having a period of eight sidereal hours.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein said orbits are twice-triply-geosynchronous (TTGS) orbits having a period of sixteen sidereal hours.