US 6,192,217 B1 · Universal replacement communications satellite

Abstract

A practicable universal replacement C band/Ku band communications satellite designed for orbiting the Earth in a storage orbit and a method for its use as a replacement for a failed satellite are disclosed. The universal replacement satellite can be controlled by an external control system (e.g., a ground station) and is reconfigurable by remote command (e.g., from a ground station). The satellite is designed to make several fast moves during its design life from its storage slot to the geostationary slot to which it needs to move when it is to act as a replacement for a failed satellite. The ability to make fast moves helps minimize down time. After its then-current mission of sparing a particular failed satellite has been completed, the communications payload can be turned off and the satellite can be moved back to its storage slot to await its next replacement mission. Various design features allow it to be able to satisfactorily mimic (that is, emulate) the communications capabilities of a very high percentage of the existing geostationary C band and Ku band satellites while still being economically and otherwise practicable. The satellite can also contain means for handling BSS signals so that the satellite can act as a replacement for both FSS and BSS failed satellites.

A universal replacement communications satellite designed for orbiting the Earth in a geostationary orbit, which can be controlled by an external control system, which is reconfigurable, and which can emulate the communications performance of a substantial percentage of existing geostationary C band and Ku band communications satellites and therefore for which it can be a replacement, the universal replacement satellite being designed to receive uplink C band and Ku band signals and to output C band and Ku band downlink signals, the universal replacement communications satellite comprising:

(a) Ku band processing means for (i) receiving Ku band uplink signals in the channels of three 250 MHz uplink bands of 13.75-14.00 GHz, 14.00-14.25 GHz, and 14.25-14.50 GHz, each uplink band having a plurality of uplink Ku band channels, (ii) amplifying the signals, (iii) down converting their frequencies, and (iv) outputting any of those amplified, reduced-frequency Ku band signals as Ku band downlink signals in the channels of any of six 250 MHz bands within the 10.95-11.20 GHz, 11.45-11.70 GHz, 11.70-12.20 GHz, and 12.25-12.75 GHz downlink Ku bands, each downlink Ku band having a plurality of downlink Ku band channels;
(b) two or more Ku band downlink antennas, each antenna capable of outputting a downlink beam comprising Ku band downlink signals, each downlink beam being separately directable to different locations on Earth;
(c) means for directing the Ku band downlink signals to any one of the two or more Ku band downlink antennas;
(d) C band processing means for (i) receiving C band uplink signals in the channels of two uplink bands of 5.925 to 6.425 GHz and 6.425 to 6.725 GHz, each uplink band having a plurality of uplink C band channels, (ii) amplifying the signals, (iii) down converting their frequencies, and (iv) outputting those amplified, reduced-frequency C band signals as C band downlink signals in the channels of the 3.70-4.20 GHz and 3.40-3.70 GHz downlink C bands, each downlink C band having a plurality of downlink C band channels;
(e) two or more C band downlink antennas, each antenna capable of outputting a downlink beam comprising downlink C band signals, each downlink beam being separately directable to different locations on Earth;
(f) means for directing the C band downlink signals to any one of the two or more C band downlink antennas;
(g) a propulsion subsystem designed to allow the satellite to make at least three fast moves, each of at least three degrees per day, during the design life of the satellite;
(h) a power subsystem to provide electrical power for satellite operation;
(i) a telemetry and command subsystem to allow the satellite to monitor itself and for communicating with the external control system, the subsystem comprising a telemetry sub-subsystem that can transmit on at least two different frequencies and a command sub-subsystem that can receive on at least two different frequencies;
(j) an attitude and orbit control subsystem for helping to properly orient the satellite with respect to Earth;
(k) a thermal control subsystem for helping to maintain the satellite within the proper temperature range for operation;
and
(l) means to reconfigure the satellite, said means comprising (i) means to remotely adjust the Ku band processing means to direct a bundle of at least two but of fewer than all of the signals in each of the uplink Ku bands to any one of the downlink Ku bands, (ii) means to remotely adjust the downlink beam from at least one of the Ku band downlink antennas to direct the beam to different locations on Earth, (iii) means to remotely adjust the downlink beam from at least one of the C band downlink antennas to direct the beam to different locations on Earth, (iv) means to remotely change the footprint of the downlink beam from at least one of the downlink antennas, and (v) means to remotely change the polarity of at least one of the downlink antennas.

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Universal replacement communications satellite

Life of this patent

Universal replacement communications satellite

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims68