Inclined non-uniform planar spaced constellation of satellites
US6502790B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 20, 2001 |
| Grant date | Jan 7, 2003 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 20, 2021 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB64G1/1021
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A non-uniform planar spaced constellation of satellites for providing continuous global or regional coverage including at least one pair of orbital planes having inclined co-rotating orbits, and at least one other orbital plane immediately adjacent one orbital plane of the pair of orbital planes having an inclined counter-rotating orbit, and wherein the fields of view of the satellites in the one pair of co-rotating orbital planes form an overlapped array of hexagonal packing at the equator, and the field of view of the satellites in the one other counter-rotating orbital plane and the one co-rotating orbital plane of the pair of co-rotating orbits form an overlapped array of rectangular packing at the equator, and wherein the spacing between the pair of co-rotating orbital planes is greater than the spacing between the one other counter-rotating orbital plane and the one co-rotating orbital plane.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.