Satellites and satellite-based systems for ground-to-space short-burst data communications
US10602378B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 18, 2019 |
| Grant date | Mar 24, 2020 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jun 18, 2039 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04W84/06
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
The disclosed system comprises one or more small satellites (e.g., CubeSats), one or more ground transmitters, and one or more downlink receivers to facilitate ground-to-space short-burst data communications. The CubeSats are miniaturized or small-form satellites that orbit the Earth transmitting data to and from the ground transmitters and the downlink receivers in low Earth orbit. To efficiently use its surface area, in various embodiments, the CubeSats are designed with deployable and folding wings such that the zenith-pointing side of the wings comprises solar panels and the nadir-pointing side of the wings comprises an antenna. In various embodiments, to increase the data transmission capacity of the CubeSats, the CubeSats comprise a deployable phased array antenna and a software defined radio.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.