Method for deploying an orbiting sparse array antenna
AssigneeThe Aerospace Corporation
InventorsSiegfried W. Janson, James E. Pollard, Chia-Chun Chao
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A deployment method maintains a cluster of subsatellites within a rigid formation relative to and orbiting about a real or fictitious center satellite that in turn orbits the earth in a frozen inclined eccentric reference orbit by determining the subsatellite reference orbits of the each of the subsatellites based upon position and velocity vectors of the center satellite. The determined subsatellite reference orbits can then be maintained through fuel efficient microthrusting so as to maintain the rigid formation for coherently combining communication signals within a very large sparse antenna array formed by the cluster having improved beam directionality for improved signal communications.
Claims18
A method of deploying a subsatellite orbiting around the earth through a subreference orbit defining a subreference orbital plane, the subsatellite concurrently suborbiting through a suborbit around a center point traveling along a reference orbit around the earth, the method comprising the steps of,
- reference selecting reference orbital parameters for defining the reference orbit defining a reference orbital plane, the reference orbital plane intersecting the subreference orbital plane along an intersection line defining (½)π and ({fraction (3/2)})π intersection points and thereby defining π and 2π alignment points along the reference orbit, the reference orbital parameters further defining a reference radius, a reference radius vector, a reference velocity and a reference velocity vector at the π and 2π alignment points of the center point passing through the reference orbit,
- subreference selecting cluster parameters for defining relative geometries between the subsatellite and the center point,
- scalar determining a subreference radius and a subreference velocity of the subsatellite from the cluster parameters and from the reference orbital parameters at one of the π and 2π alignment points where at a subreference velocity vector of the subsatellite is in alignment with a reference velocity vector of the center point,
- vector determining a subreference radius vector and a subreference velocity vector from the reference velocity vector, reference velocity, subreference velocity, subreference radius and the reference radius,
- subreference orbital parameter determining subreference orbital parameters from the subreference radius vector and the subreference velocity vector, and
- subsatellite deploying the subsatellite in the subreference orbit defined by the subreference orbital parameters.
A method of deploying a cluster of satellites comprising a center satellite and a plurality of subsatellites in a cluster formation orbiting around the earth through a respective reference orbit and a respective plurality of subreference orbits, the reference orbit defined by reference orbital parameters defining a reference orbital plane, the plurality subreference orbits defining a respectively plurality of subreference orbital planes, each of the plurality of subsatellites concurrently suborbiting through a respective plurality of suborbits around the center satellite defining a center point traveling along the reference orbit around the earth, the method comprising the steps of,
- reference selecting reference orbital parameters for defining the reference orbit defining the reference orbital plane intersecting each of the plurality of subreference orbital planes along a respective plurality of intersection lines defining a respective plurality of (½)π and ({fraction (3/2)})π intersection points and thereby defining a respective plurality of π and 2π alignment points along the reference orbit, the reference orbital parameters further defining a respective plurality of reference radii, reference radius vectors, reference velocities and reference velocity vectors at the respective plurality of π and 2π alignment points of the center point passing through the reference orbit,
- subreference selecting cluster parameters for defining relative geometries between each of the plurality of subsatellites and the center satellite, the plurality of suborbits defining the respective plurality suborbit planes, the cluster parameters comprising a suborbital plane angle for defining the suborbital plane relative to the reference orbital plane, and comprise a scaling factor and a cluster pattern generator for defining positions of the plurality of subsatellites relative to the center satellite at the respective plurality of π and 2π alignment points,
- scalar determining a respective plurality of subreference radii and a respective plurality of subreference velocities of each of the plurality of subsatellites from the cluster parameters and from the reference orbital parameters at a respective one of the plurality of π and 2π alignment points whereat each of the plurality of subreference velocity vectors of the plurality of subsatellites is in alignment with a respective one of the plurality of reference velocity vectors of the center satellite,
- vector determining a respective plurality of subreference radius vectors and a plurality of subreference velocity vectors from the respective plurality of reference velocity vectors, plurality of reference velocities, plurality of subreference velocities, plurality of subreference radii and the plurality of reference radii,
- subreference orbital parameter determining a plurality of subreference orbital parameters from the plurality of subreference radius vectors and the plurality of subreference velocity vectors, and
- subsatellite deploying the center satellite in the reference orbit defined by the reference orbital parameters and the plurality of subsatellites in the respective plurality of subreference orbits defined by the respective plurality of subreference orbital parameters.
A method of deploying a phased array antenna as a cluster of satellites comprising a center satellite and a plurality of subsatellites in a cluster formation orbiting around the earth through a respective reference orbit and a respective plurality of subreference orbits, the reference orbit defined by reference orbital parameters defining a reference orbital plane, the plurality of subreference orbits defining a respectively plurality of subreference orbital planes, each of the plurality of subsatellites concurrently suborbiting through a respective plurality of suborbits around the center satellite defining a center point traveling along the reference orbit around the earth, the method comprising the steps of,
- reference selecting reference orbital parameters for defining the reference orbit that defines a reference orbital plane, the reference orbital plane intersecting each of the plurality of subreference orbital planes along a respective plurality of intersection lines defining a respective plurality of (½)π and ({fraction (3/2)})π intersection points and thereby defining a respective plurality of π and 2π alignment points along the reference orbit, the reference orbital parameters further defining a respective plurality of reference radii, reference radius vectors, reference velocities and reference velocity vectors at the plurality of π and 2π alignment points of the center point passing through the reference orbit,
- subreference selecting cluster parameters for defining relative geometries between each of the plurality of subsatellites and the center satellite, the plurality of suborbits defining a suborbital plane, the cluster parameters comprising a suborbital plane angle for defining positions of the suborbital plane relative to the reference orbital plane, and comprising a scaling factor and a cluster pattern generator for defining positions of the plurality of subsatellites relative to the center satellite at a respective one of the plurality of π and 2π alignment points,
- scalar determining a respective plurality of subreference radii and a respective plurality of subreference velocities of each of the plurality of subsatellites from the cluster parameters and from the reference orbital parameters at one of the respective plurality of π and 2π alignment points whereat each of the plurality of subreference velocity vectors of the plurality of subsatellites is in alignment with a respective one of the plurality of reference velocity vectors of the center satellite,
- vector determining a respective plurality of subreference radius vectors and a plurality of subreference velocity vectors from the respective plurality of reference velocity vectors, plurality of reference velocities, plurality of subreference velocities, plurality of subreference radii and the plurality of reference radii,
- subreference orbital parameter determining a plurality of subreference orbital parameters from the plurality of subreference radius vectors and the plurality of subreference velocity vectors,
- subsatellite deploying the center satellite in the reference orbit defined by the reference orbital parameters and the plurality of subsatellites in the respective plurality of subreference orbits defined by the respective plurality of subreference orbital parameters,
- receiving a communication signal by each of the plurality of subsatellites and center satellite, all of which for providing a respective plurality of received signals,
- coherently combining the plurality of received signals into a received communication signal, and
- transmitting a transmit signal coherently by each of the plurality of subsatellites and the center satellite all of which serving to transmit the transmit signal within a cluster beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.