Ground-based antenna for concurrent communications with multiple spacecraft

Abstract

A system includes an antenna of a ground station. The antenna is configured to generate a plurality of signal beams. The plurality of signal beams defines a plurality of cells in the sky. The antenna is mechanically fixed to a particular orientation. The antenna includes a phased array antenna. The system also includes a processor coupled to the antenna. The processor is configured to initiate concurrent communications with a plurality of spacecraft via the plurality of signal beams. The plurality of spacecraft is located within the plurality of cells.

Description

FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE[0001]The present disclosure is generally related to an antenna for communicating with spacecraft.BACKGROUND[0002]As technology improves, wireless communications, such as cellular communications, have become more and more ubiquitous. Some cellular networks include one or more satellites for providing cellular communications to mobile devices, such as satellite phones. In such systems, a satellite is capable of transmitting and receiving data from multiple electronic devices and routing the received data to a ground station for further processing. To enable such communications, satellites typically include large antennas that provide multiple communication beams to form a coverage area on the Earth. Electronic devices within the coverage area communicate with the satellites via the multiple beams. The satellites also include additional antennas to enable communications with the ground station. The antennas on-board the satellites represent a significant portion...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text describes a system and method for generating multiple signal beams at a ground station antenna to define cells in the sky. These signal beams can be used for communication with multiple spacecraft located within the cells. The technical effect of this patent is improved communication with multiple spacecraft using a more efficient and flexible antenna system.

Problems solved by technology

The antennas on-board the satellites represent a significant portion of the overall size, weight, and power consumption of the satellites, and thus represent challenges in decreasing the overall cost, weight, size, and power consumption of the satellites.

Using multiple antennas at a ground station increases cost and complexity of the system.

These mechanical steering components increase cost and complexity of the ground-based antennas.

Another challenge facing satellite systems is identification of the various satellites at the ground station.

Including identification information in each transmission to the ground station increases network congestion and decreases throughput in the satellite system.

In a particular implementation, the amplitude profile of each beam is not uniform (e.g., the signal power achieved at various points within a cell is different).

Other standard CubeSat sizes exist, such as 0.5 U, 1.5 U, 2 U, 3 U, 6 U, and 12 U. Thus, CubeSats have limited area available for communication circuitry.

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