Method for controlling a satellite adapted to exchange data with a plurality of vehicles

Abstract

A method for controlling a satellite adapted to exchange data with a plurality of vehicles positioned within a satellite's visibility zone, comprising: estimating (100) the number of vehicles eligible for a specific service present in the visibility zone using a global data receiving module adapted to receive data from the entire visibility zone; and activating (400), based on the estimated number of vehicles eligible for the specific service in the visibility zone, the global data receiving module or all or part of the local data receiving modules adapted to receive data from a respective sub-zone of the visibility zone, for data reception. (Shorthand figure: Figure 3)

Description

Title of the invention: Method for controlling a satellite adapted to exchange data with a plurality of vehicles Technical field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to the field of controlling a satellite during the exchange of data between this satellite and vehicles. Prior art

[0002] Data transmission between satellites and vehicles is becoming increasingly common with the emergence of autonomous vehicles in which certain services are downloaded or updated via an exchange of data between the satellite and the vehicle.

[0003] In this case, a satellite intended to exchange with vehicles, for example a satellite operating in low Earth orbit (we speak of LEO satellites, Low Earth Orbit) of the CubeSat type or any other type of satellite, has a very extensive visibility zone of the order of hundreds of thousands of km2. The visibility zone covered by the satellite can thus include several hundred thousand vehicles or several million vehicles with which the satellite is likely to exchange data.

[0004] With regard to the reception of data at the satellite level, due to the large number of vehicles in the visibility zone, a large number of messages can be received. However, the frequency resources allocated to the satellite are limited. Collisions between messages sent from vehicles to the satellite can thus occur and interfere with the smooth running of data exchanges.

[0005] With regard to sending data from the satellite to vehicles, sending messages to a large number of vehicles requires significant energy resources from the satellite, on which the sizing of the battery of the satellite's solar panels depends in particular. Imprecise management of the energy at the satellite level allocated to the exchange of data to the vehicles therefore leads to an overestimated sizing of the battery and the solar panels, which increases the cost of the satellite and its launch.

[0006] The invention improves these situations. Summary

[0007] The present disclosure proposes in this sense a method for controlling a satellite adapted to exchange data with a plurality of vehicles positioned in a zone of visibility of the satellite, the satellite comprising: - a global data transmission module suitable for sending data over the entire visibility zone,

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[0014] - a global data reception module adapted to receive data from the entire visibility zone, - a plurality of local data transmission modules, each local data transmission module being adapted to send data in a respective sub-area of ​​the visibility zone, - a plurality of local data reception modules, each local data reception module being adapted to receive data from a respective sub-area of ​​the visibility zone, and the method comprising: - the estimation of a number of vehicles eligible for a specific service present in the visibility zone from the global data reception module, and - activation, depending on the number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the visibility zone, of the global data reception module or of all or part of the local data reception modules for data reception. Optionally, the method comprises activating, depending on the number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the visibility zone, the global data transmission module or all or part of the local data transmission modules for sending data. Optionally, the method includes sending data from the satellite to the vehicles from the activated transmission module(s). Optionally, the method comprises deactivating, depending on the number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the visibility zone, the global emission module or all or part of the local emission modules for sending data. Optionally, the method includes receiving data from the vehicles from the activated receiving module(s). Optionally, the method includes deactivating, based on the number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the visibility zone, the global reception module or all or part of the local reception modules for receiving data. The present disclosure also relates to a method of controlling a satellite from a ground station, so that a satellite implements any of the control methods described by the present application. According to another aspect, the present application relates to a computer program comprising instructions for implementing any of the methods described in the present application when this program is executed by a processor.

[0015] According to another aspect, the present application relates to a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having stored thereon code instructions for implementing any of the methods described herein.

[0016] According to another aspect, the present disclosure presents a device for activating / deactivating data transmission and reception modules of a satellite, the satellite comprising: - a global data transmission module suitable for sending data over the entire visibility zone, - a global data reception module adapted to receive data from the entire visibility zone, - a plurality of local data transmission modules, each local data transmission module being adapted to send data in a respective sub-area of ​​the visibility zone, - a plurality of local data reception modules, each local data reception module being adapted to receive data from a respective sub-area of ​​the visibility zone, in which the device is configured to: - activation, based on a number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the visibility zone, of the global data reception module or of all or part of the local data reception modules for data reception, - deactivation, depending on the number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the visibility zone, of the global data reception module or of all or part of the local data reception modules for data reception.

[0017] Optionally, the device is also configured to: - activation, depending on the number of vehicles eligible for a specific service estimated in the visibility zone, of the global data transmission module or of all or part of the local data transmission modules for sending data, - deactivation, depending on the number of vehicles eligible for a specific service estimated in the visibility zone, of the global data transmission module or of all or part of the local data transmission modules for sending data.

[0018] According to another aspect, the present disclosure presents a satellite, for example a Low Earth Orbit satellite, carrying any of the activation / deactivation devices described in the present application.

[0019] The method of controlling a satellite and the activation / deactivation device of Satellite data transmission and reception modules according to the present disclosure make it possible to activate and deactivate satellite data transmission and reception modules according to the estimated number of vehicles present in the area over which it flies and according to the nature of the services to be provided to the vehicles present. The activation and deactivation of the satellite modules is therefore carried out dynamically so that the energy consumption necessary for their operation is adapted to the number of vehicles present in the area of ​​visibility of the satellite as well as to the nature of the services to be provided to these vehicles insofar as some of these services require only a small exchange of data between the satellite and the vehicles.In other words, the method and the device allow precise management of the satellite energy allocated to the exchange of data with vehicles in the sense that the satellite consumes less energy unnecessarily, in particular in visibility zones in which there are no or very few vehicles or in zones for which a large part of the vehicles present are associated with services whose nature does not require significant data exchanges. Consequently, the energy required from the satellite for the exchange of data with the vehicles is reduced, which can in particular make it possible to equip the satellite with a battery having a lower charging capacity as well as the surface area of ​​the solar panels necessary for its power supply, thus leading to a reduction in the cost of the satellite and its launch.

[0020] Furthermore, the fact of being able to activate several local reception modules for a given visibility zone makes it possible to reduce collisions between the different messages transmitted by the vehicles since a local reception module only receives the messages transmitted by vehicles in its respective sub-zone. These messages cannot therefore collide with the other messages transmitted by vehicles present in the visibility zone but outside the sub-zone associated with the local reception module.

[0021] The method and device according to the present disclosure therefore make it possible to simultaneously reduce the cost of the satellite and its launch and the risks of collisions caused by the messages transmitted by the different vehicles in the visibility zone. Brief description of the drawings

[0022] Other characteristics, details and advantages will appear on reading the detailed description below, and on analyzing the attached drawings, in which: Fig.l

[0023] [Fig.l] represents an example of a communication architecture between a satellite and a plurality of vehicles. Fig. 2

[0024] [Fig.2] represents an example of a Low Earth Orbit, LEO, satellite. Fig. 3

[0025] [Fig.3] represents an example of a method for controlling a satellite. Fig. 4

[0026] [Fig.4] represents an example of a visibility zone and visibility sub-zones associated respectively with a global transmission or reception module and with local transmission or reception modules. Fig. 5

[0027] [Fig.5] represents an example of a transmission / reception module architecture sharing the same antenna. Description of the embodiments

[0028] Reference is now made to [Fig. 1] representing an example of a communication architecture in which the various methods presented by the present application can be implemented.

[0029] The example communication architecture shown comprises a “Low Earth Orbit” satellite (known by the acronym LEO) 1 and a plurality of vehicles 2. The architecture may also comprise a ground station 3.

[0030] A LEO satellite must be understood in the present application as being a satellite evolving in low Earth orbit, that is to say evolving up to 2000 kilometers in altitude. A LEO satellite can for example correspond to a CubeSat type satellite.

[0031] The plurality of vehicles 2 is included in a visibility zone of the LEO satellite. The visibility zone of the LEO satellite is defined as the portion of the Earth's surface within which the LEO satellite can exchange communication signals with various entities, for example to send or receive data. In this case, a LEO satellite being in orbit around the Earth, the visibility zone that it covers represents a ground surface of the order of 2700 to 1,000,000 km2, and this zone moves with the movement of the satellite. The number of vehicles included in this zone and with which the satellite can communicate therefore changes as a function of time.

[0032] With reference to [Fig.2], a LEO satellite 1 comprises a computer 4 and a memory 4L. The computer 4 may for example be a processor or a microcontroller. It comprises access to the memory 41 so that it can use the information it contains. The computer 4 is adapted to execute code instructions allowing the implementation of a method. In particular, the computer 4 is in particular adapted to execute code instructions allowing the implementation of a method for controlling a satellite, for example a LEO satellite, an example of which is presented with reference to [Fig.3].

[0033] The memory 41 may for example comprise a ROM (Read-Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), an EEPROM (acronym designating the expression "Electrically Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory" and corresponding to a reprogrammable, electrically erasable electronic read-only memory) or any other type of suitable storage means allowing in particular the reading of code instructions. The memory may for example comprise optical, electronic or magnetic storage means. The memory 41 may for example comprise code instructions for the implementation of any of the methods for controlling a satellite described by the present disclosure.

[0034] The LEO 1 satellite comprises a global data transmission module 11, adapted to send data over the entire visibility zone Z of the satellite. The global data transmission module 11 thus comprises a first global visibility antenna, which covers the entire visibility zone Z of the satellite.

[0035] The LEO 1 satellite comprises a global data reception module 12, adapted to receive data from the entire visibility zone Z of the satellite. The global data reception module 12 thus comprises a second global visibility antenna, which covers the entire visibility zone Z of the satellite.

[0036] In examples, the LEO satellite comprises a global transmission / reception module comprising a global transmission module 11 and a global reception module 12 of data which share the same global visibility antenna associated with the visibility zone Z of the satellite.

[0037] The LEO satellite 1 also comprises a plurality of local data transmission modules 13. Each local data transmission module 13 is adapted to send data in a respective sub-area of ​​the visibility zone. In the example shown, the LEO satellite 1 comprises two local data transmission modules 13 but it can of course comprise more. In examples, the LEO satellite can comprise at least six local data transmission modules 13.

[0038] In examples, the plurality of local data transmission modules 13 is determined so that the visibility zone covered by the sum of each of the sub-zones associated with the plurality of local data transmission modules 13 represents at least 90% of the visibility zone Z covered by the global transmission module 11. It is also envisaged to have several sub-plurality of local data transmission modules 13 covering a relatively similar visibility zone or sub-visibility zone among the plurality of local data transmission modules 13.

[0039] An example is notably illustrated in [Fig.4] where the visibility zone Z of the global transmission module 11 is represented accompanied by a first plurality of visibility sub-zones Zi associated with a first plurality of local transmission modules 13 and a second plurality of visibility sub-zones Zn associated with a second plurality of local transmission modules 13. The second plurality of visibility sub-zones Zn represented only in a visibility sub-zone Zi can of course be extended to the entire visibility zone Z or to all the visibility sub-zones Zi of the first plurality of visibility sub-zones so that several visibility sub-zones associated with pluralities of local transmission modules 13 of different data overlap.The satellite can thus be equipped with a plurality of local data transmission modules defining several mesh sizes of the visibility zone Z associated with the global data transmission module 11.

[0040] The LEO satellite 1 further comprises a plurality of local data reception modules 14. Each local data reception module 14 is adapted to receive data from a respective sub-area of ​​the visibility zone Z. In the example shown, the LEO satellite 1 comprises two local data reception modules 14 but it can of course comprise more. In examples, the LEO satellite can comprise at least six local data reception modules 14.

[0041] In examples, the plurality of local data reception modules 14 is determined so that the visibility area covered by the sum of each of the sub-areas associated with the plurality of local data reception modules 14 represents at least 90% of the visibility area Z covered by the global reception module 12. It is also contemplated to have several sub-plurality of local data reception modules 14 covering a relatively similar visibility area or sub-visibility area among the plurality of local data reception modules 12.

[0042] An example is notably illustrated in [Fig. 4] where the visibility zone Z of the global reception module 11 is represented accompanied by a first plurality of visibility sub-zones Zi associated with a first plurality of local reception modules 14 and a second plurality of visibility sub-zones Zn associated with a second plurality of local reception modules 14. In this case, the description of [Fig. 4] with regard to the data transmission modules also applies to the reception modules. Thus, the satellite can be equipped with pluralities of local data reception modules 14 defining several mesh sizes of the visibility zone Z associated with the global data reception module 12.

[0043] In examples, the LEO satellite comprises a plurality of local data transmission / reception modules. Each local transmission / reception module data module comprises a local transmission module 13 and a local reception module 14 of data which share the same local visibility antenna associated with a visibility sub-zone.

[0044] Thus, in an example where a transmission module and a reception module are associated with the same antenna in a transmission / reception module, whether it is a global or local transmission / reception module, the visibility zone Z or the associated visibility sub-zone is the same for the transmission module and the reception module.

[0045] Furthermore, a data transmission module, whether it is a global transmission module 11 or a local data transmission module 13, may comprise, in addition to its antenna, a power amplifier making it possible to amplify the power of the signal to be transmitted to the vehicles in the visibility zone associated with the antenna.

[0046] A data reception module, whether it is a global reception module 12 or a local data reception module 14, may further comprise, in addition to its antenna, a low noise amplifier (or LNA for "Low Noise Amplifier" in English) making it possible to amplify the power of the signals received by the antenna of the reception module coming from the visibility zone associated with said antenna of the module.

[0047] In examples where the satellite comprises a data transmission / reception module sharing the same antenna, whether it is a global transmission / reception module or a local transmission / reception module, this transmission / reception module may also comprise a device for combining or separating the transmission / reception channels and possibly filtering the signals on reception. The device may for example be a duplexer. An example of an ME / R transmission / reception module of this type is shown in [Fig. 5]. In particular, the ME / R transmission / reception module shown in [Fig. 5] comprises: - a data transmission module ME having a power amplifier 21, - an MR data reception module having a low noise amplifier 22, - a duplexer 23, and - a 24 antenna.

[0048] The satellite further comprises a device for activating / deactivating the data transmission and reception modules. The activation / deactivation device makes it possible to activate / deactivate the local transmission modules 13 and the global transmission module 11 of data and the local reception modules 14 and the global reception module 12 presented previously. The activation / deactivation device may for example correspond to the computer 4, which would for example be adapted to execute code instructions for activating and / or deactivating the data transmission and reception modules.

[0049] The activation of a module, whether it is a transmitting or receiving module, designates its power supply so that when a module is activated, it consumes energy available at the satellite and more precisely from its battery. Conversely, when a module is deactivated, the battery no longer supplies this module with energy so that the energy at the satellite is preserved.

[0050] With reference to [Fig. 3], an example of a method 10 for controlling a satellite 1 adapted to exchange data with a plurality of vehicles 2 positioned in the visibility zone Z of the satellite is presented below. [Fig. 3] schematically represents a sequential sequence of blocks 100 to 500 but this sequential sequence is only one example of a possible execution of the method for controlling the satellite 1. Thus, the blocks of the method represented in [Fig. 3] can be executed at different frequencies. In examples, certain blocks may not be executed. These are, for example, the dotted blocks representing advantageous optional options for the control method.

[0051] As illustrated by block 100, the method 10 comprises an estimation of a number of vehicles present in the visibility zone Z of the satellite eligible for a specific service from the global data reception module 12. It is assumed in this respect that the vehicles 2 present in the visibility zone send presence signals comprising a particular signature to the satellite 1.

[0052] A service may for example be provided by satellite 1, by a base station 3 or by another satellite. A service is for example associated with a certain category or a certain type of vehicle. A service may for example correspond to a security update of a vehicle or to an update of a GPS map of a vehicle. These are of course non-limiting examples of possible services.

[0053] The specific service may be a service for which all vehicles present in the visibility zone Z will be eligible, for example when the specific service corresponds to an alert concerning potentially dangerous weather conditions.

[0054] This involves using the global reception module to receive the various presence signals emitted by the vehicles 2 in the visibility zone. Since these are simply presence signals emitted by the vehicles, these signals comprise only a small amount of data (of the order of a few bytes) and are less subject to collisions between the signals. In this respect, the global reception module 14 of the satellite adapted to receive messages in the entire visibility zone Z is sufficient to receive the presence signals from the vehicles, even when the visibility zone comprises several million vehicles, without it being necessary to use other reception modules which allows the satellite's energy to be preserved. Examples of presence signals including specific vehicle signatures are described in particular in patent application FR2109918.

[0055] The estimation of the number of vehicles present in the visibility zone can for example be carried out by one of the methods described in patent application FR2109918 where examples of presence signals comprising particular signatures are presented.

[0056] In examples, the number of vehicles eligible for a specific service present in the visibility zone Z is estimated from the respective particular signature of the presence signals of the vehicles present in the visibility zone Z received at the satellite. The particular signature of a presence signal of a vehicle makes it possible, for example, to determine, as indicated in application FR2109918, a category for this vehicle, which category can be used by the method to determine whether or not this vehicle is eligible for the provision of the specific service. Other methods can also be envisaged for determining whether a vehicle present in the visibility zone Z of the satellite is eligible for the specific service.

[0057] As illustrated by block 400, the method 10 comprises activating, as a function of the number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the visibility zone Z, the global data reception module 12 or all or part of the local data reception modules 14 for receiving data.

[0058] This block makes it possible, depending on the number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the area, to determine which reception modules must be activated to allow reception of data from the vehicles present in the visibility zone. When it is the global data reception module 13, only this reception module can be activated, which makes it possible to preserve the energy of the satellite. This block can for example be implemented by the device for activating / deactivating the data transmission and reception modules of a satellite 1.

[0059] In first examples, when a number of vehicles estimated to be eligible for the specific service is greater than a global reception threshold associated with the specific service, the method comprises activating a first plurality of local data reception modules 14 among the plurality of local reception modules 14. When the number of vehicles estimated is less than the global reception threshold associated with the specific service, the method comprises activating the global data reception module 12.

[0060] In second examples complementary to the first examples, when a number of vehicles estimated to be eligible for the specific service is greater than a reception mesh threshold associated with the specific service, the method comprises activating a second plurality of local data reception modules 14. The modules local reception modules 14 of the second plurality of local data reception modules 14 are associated with surface visibility areas lower than the visibility areas associated with the first plurality of local data reception modules 14. In these examples, the reception mesh threshold associated with the specific service is greater than the overall reception threshold associated with the specific service.

[0061] The method 10 therefore chooses to activate a plurality of local reception modules 14 associated with more or less wide visibility areas or chooses to activate the global reception module 12 which makes it possible both to reduce collisions between the data sent from the vehicles 2 to the satellite but also to preserve the satellite battery by activating the relevant module(s) according to the number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the visibility area.

[0062] In examples and as represented by block 200, the method 10 may optionally comprise activating, as a function of the number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the visibility zone Z, the global data transmission module 11 or all or part of the local data transmission modules 13 for sending data.

[0063] This block makes it possible, depending on the number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the area, to determine which transmission modules must be activated to allow data to be sent from the satellite to the vehicles present in the visibility zone. When it is the global data transmission module 11, only this transmission module can be activated in order to preserve the energy of the satellite. This block can for example be implemented by the device for activating / deactivating the data transmission and reception modules of a satellite 1.

[0064] In first examples, when a number of estimated vehicles is greater than a global emission threshold associated with the specific service, the method comprises activating a first plurality of local data emission modules 13 among the plurality of local emission modules 13. When the number of estimated vehicles is less than the global emission threshold associated with the specific service, the method comprises activating the global data emission module 11.

[0065] In second examples complementary to the first examples, when a number of estimated vehicles is greater than a transmission mesh threshold associated with the specific service, the method comprises activating a second plurality of local data transmission modules 13. The local transmission modules 13 of the second plurality of local data transmission modules 13 are associated with surface visibility zones lower than the visibility zones associated with the first plurality of local data transmission modules 13. In these examples, the transmission mesh threshold associated with the specific service is greater than the global transmission threshold associated with the specific service.

[0066] The method 10 therefore chooses to activate a plurality of local transmission modules 13 associated with more or less wide visibility surfaces or chooses to activate the global transmission module 11 which makes it possible both to guarantee sufficient bandwidth for sending data from the satellite 1 to the vehicles 2 but also to preserve the satellite battery by activating the relevant module(s) according to the estimated number of vehicles in the visibility zone.

[0067] It should be noted that there may be a mismatch between the activated transmitting and receiving modules. In other words, the global transmitting module 11 may be activated to transmit in the visibility zone to all the vehicles while the global data receiving module 12 may be deactivated and replaced by the activation of a plurality of local receiving modules 14 in order to receive a large data flow from the vehicles and avoid collisions. This adaptive management of the data transmitting and receiving modules as a function of the estimated number of vehicles makes it possible to preserve the quality of service in the data exchange between the satellite and the vehicles while preserving the energy of the satellite by improving the energy management of the data exchanges between vehicles and satellite.In fact, the energy management proposed by the process is closer to the real energy needs necessary for the exchange of data between satellite and vehicles which depend in particular on the visibility zone flown over and the nature of the services to be offered to vehicles in this zone.

[0068] In examples, and as represented by block 300, the method 10 may optionally comprise sending data from the satellite 1 to the vehicles 2 from the activated transmit module(s). Sending data from the satellite 1 to the vehicles may comprise sending data packets relating to the specific service.

[0069] In examples, and as represented by block 500, the method 10 may optionally comprise receiving data from the vehicles 2 from the activated receiving module(s). The reception of data from the vehicles 2 may correspond to a reception of data corresponding to acknowledgments of data packets relating to the specific service sent at the end of block 300.

[0070] In examples, and as represented by block 210, the method 10 may optionally comprise the deactivation, depending on the number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the visibility zone, of the global transmission module 11 or of all or part of the local transmission modules 13 for sending data. This block may for example be implemented by the device for activating / deactivating the data transmission and reception modules of a satellite 1.

[0071] In examples, and as represented by block 410, method 10 may optionally tively include the deactivation, depending on the number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the visibility zone, of the global reception module 12 or of all or part of the local reception modules 14 for the reception of data. This block can for example be implemented by the device for activating / deactivating the data transmission and reception modules of a satellite 1.

[0072] The present disclosure also relates to a method for controlling a satellite from a ground station 3 so that a satellite implements any of the methods presented above. In this sense, the ground station 3 may also comprise a computer and a memory, the memory comprising code instructions allowing the computer of the ground station 3 to implement the method for controlling the satellite.

[0073] The present disclosure also relates to a computer program comprising instructions for implementing any of the methods for controlling a satellite or the method for controlling a satellite by the ground station 3 when this program is executed by a processor.

[0074] The present disclosure finally relates to a non-transitory recording medium readable by a computer on which is recorded a program for the implementation of any of the methods of controlling a satellite or the method of controlling a satellite by the ground station 3 when this program is executed by a processor.

Claims

Claims

1. Method for controlling a satellite (1) adapted to exchange data with a plurality of vehicles (2) positioned in a visibility zone (Z) of the satellite (1), the satellite (1) comprising: - a global data transmission module (11) adapted to send data over the entire visibility zone, - a global data reception module (12) adapted to receive data from the entire visibility zone, - a plurality of local data transmission modules (13), each local data transmission module (13) being adapted to send data in a respective sub-zone of the visibility zone, - a plurality of local data reception modules (14), each local data reception module (14) being adapted to receive data from a respective sub-area of ​​the visibility zone, and the method comprising: - the estimation (100) of a number of vehicles eligible for a specific service present in the visibility zone (Z) from the global data reception module (12), and - activation (400), depending on the number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the visibility zone, of the global data reception module (12) or of all or part of the local data reception modules (14) for data reception.

2. A method according to the preceding claim, wherein the method further comprises: - activation (200), depending on the number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the visibility zone, of the global data transmission module (11) or of all or part of the local data transmission modules (13) for sending data.

3. Method according to the preceding claim, in which the method further comprises: - sending (300) data from the satellite (1) to the vehicles (2) from the activated transmission module(s).

4. Method according to any one of claims 2 or 3, wherein the method further comprises: - deactivating (210), as a function of the number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the visibility zone, the global transmission module (11) or all or part of the local transmission modules (13) for sending data.

5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method further comprises: - receiving (500) data from the vehicles (2) from the activated receiving module(s).

6. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the method further comprises: - deactivating (410), depending on the number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the visibility zone, the global reception module (12) or all or part of the local reception modules (14) for the reception of data.

7. A method of controlling a satellite from a ground station, so that a satellite implements a method according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. Device for activating / deactivating data transmission and reception modules of a satellite (1) adapted to be embarked in a satellite (1), the satellite (1) comprising: - a global data transmission module (11) adapted to send data over the entire visibility zone of the satellite (1),

9. - a global data reception module (12) adapted to receive data from the entire visibility zone, - a plurality of local data transmission modules (13), each local data transmission module (13) being adapted to send data in a respective sub-zone of the visibility zone, - a plurality of local data reception modules (14), each local data reception module (14) being adapted to receive data from a respective sub-area of ​​the visibility zone, in which the device is configured to: - activation (400), depending on a number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the visibility zone, of the global data reception module (12) or of all or part of the local data reception modules (14) for the reception of data, - deactivation (410), depending on the number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the visibility zone, of the global data reception module (12) or of all or part of the local data reception modules (14) for data reception. Activation / deactivation device according to the preceding claim, wherein the device is also configured to: - the activation (200), depending on the number of vehicles eligible for a specific service estimated in the visibility zone, of the global data transmission module (11) or of all or part of the local data transmission modules (13) for sending data, - deactivation (210), depending on the number of vehicles eligible for the specific service estimated in the visibility zone, of the global data transmission module (11) or of all or part of the local data transmission modules (13) for sending data.

10. Low Earth Orbit satellite carrying an activation / deactivation device according to the preceding claim.

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