Technique for sharing radio frequency spectrum in multiple satellite communication systems

A system for sharing a radio frequency spectrum between first and second satellite communication systems, the system comprising:

• a first Earth-based communication station operating as an Earth-bound portion of the first satellite communication system;
• a second Earth-based communication station operating as an Earth-bound portion of the second satellite communication system;
• first and second satellites in a non-geostationary Earth orbit and operating as a satellite portion of the first satellite communication system to communicate with said first Earth-based communication station, said first and second satellites being in an Earth orbit in a first predetermined plane;
• and
• a third satellite in a non-geostationary Earth orbit and operating as a satellite portion of the second satellite communication system to communicate with said second Earth-based communication station, said third satellite being in an Earth orbit in said first predetermined plane and positioned intermediate said first and second satellites in said first predetermined plane.

A system for sharing a radio frequency spectrum in a satellite communication system, the system comprising:

• first and second Earth-based communication stations operating as an Earth-bound portion of the satellite communication system;
• first and second satellites each in a non-geostationary Earth orbit and operating as a satellite portion of the satellite communication system, said first and second satellites being in an Earth orbit in a first predetermined orbital plane and configured to communicate with said first Earth-based communication station;
• and
• a third satellite in a non-geostationary Earth orbit and operating as a satellite portion of the satellite communication system to communicate with said second Earth-based communication station, said third satellite being in an Earth orbit in said first predetermined orbital plane and positioned intermediate said first and second satellites in said first predetermined orbital plane.

A system for sharing a radio frequency spectrum between first and second satellite communication systems, the system comprising:

• a first Earth-based communication station operating as an Earth-bound portion of the first satellite communication system;
• a second Earth-based communication station operating as an Earth-bound portion of the second satellite communication system;
• a first plurality of satellites in non-geostationary Earth orbits and operating as a satellite portion of the first satellite communication system to communicate with said first Earth-based communication station, each of said satellites of said first plurality of satellites orbiting the Earth in one of a first plurality of orbital planes;
• and
• a second plurality of satellites in non-geostationary Earth orbits and operating as a satellite portion of the second satellite communication system to communicate with said second Earth-based communication station, a portion of said satellites of said second plurality of satellites orbiting the Earth in one of a second plurality of orbital planes different from said first plurality of orbital planes, each of said second plurality of orbital planes being located interleaved with said first plurality of orbital planes, at least one of said second plurality of satellites being positioned intermediate two adjacent ones of said first plurality of satellites in a selected one of said first plurality of orbital planes.

A system for sharing a radio frequency spectrum between a plurality of satellite communication systems, the system comprising:

• an Earth-based communication station for each of the plurality of satellite communication systems and operating as an Earth-bound portion of the respective satellite communication system;
• a set of orbital planes shared by the plurality of satellite communications systems;
• and
• a satellite for each of the respective satellite communication operating as a satellite portion of the respective satellite communication system to communicate with said Earth-based communication station corresponding to the respective satellite communication system, said satellites each being in a non-geostationary Earth orbit and interleaved in an ordered repetitive sequence in each of said set of orbital planes.

A method for sharing a radio frequency spectrum between first and second satellite communication systems, the method comprising the steps of:

• operating a first plurality of Earth-based communication stations as an Earth-bound portion of the first satellite communication system;
• operating a second plurality of Earth-based communication stations as an Earth-bound portion of the second satellite communication system;
• operating a first plurality of satellites in non-geostationary Earth orbits as a satellite portion of the first satellite communication system to communicate with said first plurality of Earth-based communication stations, each of said satellites of said first plurality of satellites orbiting the Earth in a first orbital plane;
• and
• operating a second plurality of satellites in non-geostationary Earth orbits as a satellite portion of the second satellite communication system to communicate with said second plurality of Earth-based communication stations, each of said satellites of said second plurality of satellites orbiting the Earth in one of said plurality of orbital planes in a position intermediate adjacent ones of said satellites of said first plurality of satellites such that each of said orbital planes contains alternating ones of said first and second plurality of satellites.

A method for sharing a radio frequency spectrum between first and second satellite communication systems, the method comprising the steps of:

• operating a first Earth-based communication station as an Earth-bound portion of the first satellite communication system;
• operating a second Earth-based communication station as an Earth-bound portion of the second satellite communication system;
• operating first and second satellites in a non-geostationary Earth orbit as a satellite portion of the first satellite communication system to communicate with said first Earth-based communication station, said first and second satellites being placed in a first Earth orbit having a first predetermined plane;
• and
• operating a third satellite in a non-geostationary Earth orbit as a satellite portion of the second satellite communication system to communicate with said second Earth-based communication station, said third satellite being placed in an Earth orbit in said first predetermined plane and positioned intermediate said first and second satellites in said first orbital plane.

A method for sharing a radio frequency spectrum in a satellite communication system, the method comprising the steps of:

• operating first and second Earth-based communication stations as an Earth-bound portion of the satellite communication system;
• operating first and second satellites, each in a non-geostationary Earth orbit, as a satellite portion of the satellite communication system, said first and second satellites being in an Earth orbit in a first predetermined plane and communicating with said first Earth-based communication station;
• and
• operating a third satellite in a non-geostationary Earth orbit as a satellite portion of the satellite communication system to communicate with said second Earth-based communication station, said third satellite being in an Earth orbit in said first predetermined plane and positioned intermediate said first and second satellites in said first predetermined plane.

A method for sharing a radio frequency spectrum between first and second satellite communication systems, the method comprising the steps of:

• operating a first Earth-based communication station as an Earth-bound portion of the first satellite communication system;
• operating a second Earth-based communication station as an Earth-bound portion of the second satellite communication system;
• inserting a first satellite into a non-geostationary Earth orbit in a first predetermined orbital plane as a satellite portion of the first satellite communication system to communicate with said first Earth-based communication station;
• inserting a second satellite into a non-geostationary Earth orbit in said first predetermined orbital plane as a portion of said satellite portion of the first satellite communication system to communicate with said first Earth-based communication station;
• inserting a third satellite into a non-geostationary Earth orbit in said first predetermined plane as a satellite portion of the second satellite communication system to communicate with said second Earth-based communication station;
• and
• positioning said third satellite intermediate said first and second satellites in said first predetermined plane, the first and second satellite communication systems is minimized by said first, second and third satellites in said first predetermined plane.