Complimentary retrograde/prograde satellite constellation
First Claim
1. A method for sensing and monitoring ICBM threats using a constellation of earth orbiting satellites, comprising:
- arranging a first plurality of threat sensing satellites in earth orbit with a first, common prograde orbit plane with a first inclination defining a first angle between about 30°
to 70°
with respect to the earth'"'"'s equator and an Argument of Perigee equal to about 270°
;
arranging a second plurality of threat sensing satellites in earth orbit with a first, common retrograde orbit plane and a second inclination defining a second angle between about 110°
to 150°
with respect to the earth'"'"'s equator and an Argument of Perigee equal to about 270°
;
selecting said second angle formed by said second retrograde orbit plane to be a symmetric conjugate of said first angle formed by said first prograde orbit plane;
distributing said first and second plurality of threat sensing satellites respectively within said first prograde orbit and said first retrograde orbit with a Walker distribution of T/P/1;
synchronizing a plurality of epochs of said first plurality of threat sensing satellites with a plurality of epochs of said second plurality of threat sensing satellites to provide uniform inter-plane satellite spacing; and
monitoring an ICBM threat with at least one of said first and second plurality of threat sensing satellites.
2 Assignments
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for sensing and monitoring ICBM threats using a constellation of earth orbiting satellites. The method includes arranging a first and a second plurality of threat sensing satellites in earth orbit. The first plurality is selected to have a first prograde orbit plane with a first inclination angle between about 30° to 70° with respect to the earth'"'"'s equator and an Argument of Perigee equal to about 270°. The second plurality is selected to have a first retrograde orbit plane with a second inclination angle between about 110° to 150° with respect to the earth'"'"'s equator and an Argument of Perigee equal to about 270°. The second inclination angle is selected to be a symmetric conjugate of the first inclination angle. The first and second plurality of threat sensing satellites are distributed respectively within the first prograde and first retrograde orbits with a Walker distribution of T/P/1. Synchronization of a plurality of epochs of the first plurality of satellites with a plurality of epochs of the second plurality of satellites is performed to provide uniform inter-plane satellite spacing for improved monitoring of an ICBM threat.
51 Citations
10 Claims
-
1. A method for sensing and monitoring ICBM threats using a constellation of earth orbiting satellites, comprising:
-
arranging a first plurality of threat sensing satellites in earth orbit with a first, common prograde orbit plane with a first inclination defining a first angle between about 30°
to 70°
with respect to the earth'"'"'s equator and an Argument of Perigee equal to about 270°
;arranging a second plurality of threat sensing satellites in earth orbit with a first, common retrograde orbit plane and a second inclination defining a second angle between about 110°
to 150°
with respect to the earth'"'"'s equator and an Argument of Perigee equal to about 270°
;selecting said second angle formed by said second retrograde orbit plane to be a symmetric conjugate of said first angle formed by said first prograde orbit plane; distributing said first and second plurality of threat sensing satellites respectively within said first prograde orbit and said first retrograde orbit with a Walker distribution of T/P/1; synchronizing a plurality of epochs of said first plurality of threat sensing satellites with a plurality of epochs of said second plurality of threat sensing satellites to provide uniform inter-plane satellite spacing; and monitoring an ICBM threat with at least one of said first and second plurality of threat sensing satellites. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification