Methods for optimizing the performance, cost and constellation design of satellites for full and partial earth coverage
First Claim
1. A method for designing constellations that provide k-fold continuous, contiguous/overlapping or non-contiguous coverage of earth or any planet from low, intermediate, or high altitude satellites for circular or elliptical orbits making an angle greater than or equal to 0°
- and less than or equal to 360°
with an equatorial plane for full earth coverage or for coverage for latitudes from 0°
to a latitude L in the Northern and Southern hemispheres or for latitudes greater than or equal to L in the Northern and Southern hemisphere comprising;
arranging the number of satellites and the angular coverage of the satellites to provide k-fold contiguous/overlapping coverage over a first plane of the earth and contiguous/overlapping or non-contiguous coverage over a second plane, wherein k is a positive integer; and
determining the configuration and the minimum number of satellites to produce the required coverage.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for highly efficient constellations of satellites which give single, double, . . . k-fold redundant full earth imaging coverage, or k-fold coverage for latitudes greater than any selected latitude is given for remote sensing instruments in short periods of time, i.e., continuous coverage, as a function of the parameters of the satellite and the remote sensing instrument for many different types of orbits. A high data rate satellite communication system and method for use with small, mobile cell phone receiving and transmitting stations is also provided. Satellite instrument performance models, full and partial satellite constellation models, and satellite cost models are disclosed and used to optimize the design of satellite systems with vastly improved performance and lower cost over current major satellite systems.
40 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A method for designing constellations that provide k-fold continuous, contiguous/overlapping or non-contiguous coverage of earth or any planet from low, intermediate, or high altitude satellites for circular or elliptical orbits making an angle greater than or equal to 0°
- and less than or equal to 360°
with an equatorial plane for full earth coverage or for coverage for latitudes from 0°
to a latitude L in the Northern and Southern hemispheres or for latitudes greater than or equal to L in the Northern and Southern hemisphere comprising;arranging the number of satellites and the angular coverage of the satellites to provide k-fold contiguous/overlapping coverage over a first plane of the earth and contiguous/overlapping or non-contiguous coverage over a second plane, wherein k is a positive integer; and determining the configuration and the minimum number of satellites to produce the required coverage. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
- and less than or equal to 360°
-
21. A method of designing constellations for elliptical orbits wherein k-fold contiguous/overlapping, continuous or non-contiguous coverage of the earth is obtained, comprising:
-
arranging a number of satellites and an angular coverage of the satellites, where the coverage of the satellites on the earth is that obtained for the lowest altitude in the elliptical orbit, to provide k-fold contiguous/overlapping coverage over one plane of the earth and contiguous/overlapping or non-contiguous coverage over a second plane; and determining the configuration and the number of satellites to produce the required coverage.
-
Specification