Overhead system of inclined eccentric geosynchronous orbiting satellites
AssigneeHughes Electronics Corporation
InventorAlfred Cellier
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system of inclined geosynchronous satellite orbits has a service area defined on a surface of the earth. The service area has elevation angles greater than a predetermined minimum elevation angle from the horizon. A satellite has an orbit with respect to the earth having a sky track when viewed from within said service area. An operating arc is defined by a subset of points on the sky track within the service area. The satellites operate consecutively on the operating arc.
Claims10
A satellite system above a landmass comprising:
- a service area on a surface of the earth having a predetermined minimum elevation angle from the horizon;
- a satellite having an eccentric, substantially 24-hour period geosynchronous orbit with respect to the earth and having a sky track when viewed from within said service area, said orbit being inclined relative to an equatorial plane of the earth;
- and
- an operating arc defined by a subset of points on said sky track over said service area;
- said satellite operating on said operating arc.
A satellite system above a landmass comprising:
- a service area on a service of the earth having a predetermined minimum elevation angle from the horizon;
- a satellite having an eccentric, substantially 24-hour period geosynchronous orbit with respect to the earth, and having a sky track when viewed from within said service area, said orbit comprising a plurality of points through which the satellite passes and being inclined relative to an equatorial plane of the earth;
- and
- an operating are defined by a subset of points on said sky track over said service area, said subset of points less than said plurality of points, said satellite operating on said operating arc.
A satellite system above a landmass comprising:
- a service area on a surface of the earth having a predetermined minimum elevation angle from the horizon;
- a satellite having an eccentric, substantially 24-hour period geosynchronous orbit with respect to the earth and having a sky track when viewed from within said service area, said orbit being inclined relative to an equatorial plane of the earth at an inclination angle at least 45 degrees;
- and
- an operating are defined by a subset of points on said sky track over said service area, said satellite operating on said operating arc.
A satellite system above a landmass comprising:
- a service area on a surface of the earth having a predetermined minimum elevation angle from the horizon;
- a first satellite having an eccentric, substantially 24-hour period geosynchronous orbit with respect to the earth, and having skytrack when viewed from within said service area, said orbit comprised of a plurality of points through which the satellite passes and being inclined relative to an equatorial plane of the earth;
- a second satellite sharing the eccentric, substantially 24-hour period geosynchronous orbit and the skytrack thereof, spaced apart from the first satellite;
- and
- an operating are defined by a subset of points, said first and second satellite operating sequentially on said operating arc and not operating outside the operating arc.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.