Beam splitting in satellite communication systems

Abstract

A satellite in a communication system may be equipped with a phased array antenna system, which includes various configurations of antenna arrays on one or more sides of the satellite, and a transponder system coupled between one or more receiving arrays and one or more transmitting arrays (for example, for relaying communications via the satellite).

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] cross reference This patent application claims the interests and priority of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 491,022, filed on 17 March 2023, entitled “LOW EARTH ORBIT SATELLITE SYSTEM,” which is assigned to the assignee of this Specified and is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The following concerns communication systems, including beam splitting, in satellite communication systems. [Background technology]

[0003] In some communication systems, ground-based terminals may support wireless signaling of communication services via a constellation of satellites, which may include satellites in their respective non-geostationary orbits (NGSO), such as low Earth orbit (LEO) or medium Earth orbit (MEO). For example, a satellite in such a system may be configured with one or more antennas to support communication with or between terminals in the ground segment (e.g., gateway terminals, user terminals) and may support various forms of reconfiguration for carrying out communications as the satellite traverses along its orbital path (e.g., for communication with different terminals or different locations). Some NGSO satellite communication systems may implement a relatively large number of satellites to maintain quality of service, such as continuous service coverage for user terminals via one or more satellites in the constellation. To support the deployment of a relatively large number of satellites (e.g., in an NGSO satellite communication system), various design trade-offs, including cost, complexity, performance, power consumption, reliability, weight, size, form factor, and others, are considered among satellite characteristics. [Overview of the project]

[0004] The techniques described relate to communication systems, including systems that can implement satellites in non-geostationary orbit (NGSO) to support wireless signaling of communication services. Such communication systems may include one or more satellites that support relaying signals between target devices, such as signals between a gateway terminal and a user terminal. For example, a satellite in a satellite communication system may support receiving uplink signals (e.g., forward uplink signals from a gateway terminal, return uplink signals from a user terminal) and transmitting downlink signals (e.g., forward downlink signals to a user terminal, return downlink signals to a gateway terminal) based on the received uplink signals (e.g., according to a vent pipe payload configuration, according to a processing payload configuration). In some implementations, signals in a satellite communication system may be relayed through multiple satellites in a constellation so that one or more satellites in the satellite communication system can support receiving crosslink signals (e.g., from another satellite), transmitting crosslink signals (e.g., to another satellite), or both.

[0005] A communications satellite in a satellite communications system may be equipped with an antenna system including various configurations of antenna arrays for receiving and transmitting signals, and a transponder system coupled to such an antenna array configured to route signals between one or more receiving ports (e.g., of the receiving system) and one or more transmitting ports (e.g., of the transmitting system) of the antenna system. In some examples, the antenna array or associated circuitry may be configured to perform directional receiving (e.g., receiving beamforming), directional transmitting (e.g., transmitting beamforming), or both, along one or more directions (e.g., beam directions, one or more directions simultaneously, one or more directions according to a beam-hopping configuration). In some examples, the transponder system between the array for receiving signals and the array for transmitting signals may perform one or more aspects of signal processing, such as frequency conversion, demodulation or modulation, multiplexing, signal extraction or insertion, analog-to-digital conversion or digital-to-analog conversion, or other examples of signal processing.

[0006] To support payloads that can be efficiently implemented on a relatively large number of satellites (for example, in an NGSO satellite communication system), a satellite may be configured with a specific combination of components of a receiving system (e.g., one or more receiving antenna systems, one or more receiving subsystems), a transmitting system (e.g., one or more transmitting antenna systems, one or more transmitting subsystems), and a transponder system between the receiving and transmitting systems (e.g., for supporting various forms of relayed communications). For example, according to the examples disclosed herein, a satellite may include a receiving system having one or more antenna elements (e.g., receiving elements, direct-radiating antenna elements, receiving arrays, panel arrays, phased arrays) on the faces of the satellite (e.g., the sides of the satellite, the nadir), and a transmitting system having one or more antenna elements (e.g., transmitting elements, direct-radiating antenna elements, transmitting arrays, panel arrays, phased arrays) on the same faces of the satellite. In some examples, such receiving and transmitting systems may be configured to simultaneously support forward link signaling (e.g., from a gateway terminal to one or more user terminals) and return link signaling (e.g., from one or more user terminals to a gateway terminal), which may implement signal orthogonality such as different polarizations or different frequency ranges between the forward link signaling and the return link signaling.

[0007] Such a satellite transponder system may be configured with a forward link path (e.g., a forward link signal path) and a return link path (e.g., a return link signal path). For example, the forward link path may be coupled between a first output port of a receiving system and a first input port of a transmitting system. In some examples, the forward link path may be associated with a first signal polarization (e.g., a signal received by the receiving system, a signal transmitted by the transmitting system, or both). Furthermore, the return link path may be coupled between a second output port of the receiving system and a second input port of the transmitting system, and in some examples, the return link path may be associated with a second signal polarization (e.g., orthogonal to the first signal polarization). In some such implementations, the receiving and transmitting systems may be configured for signaling in different frequency ranges (e.g., non-overlapping frequency ranges), thereby improving signal isolation between uplink and downlink signaling. In such a communication system, the user terminal may be located relatively close to the gateway terminal that provides the service of communication with the user terminal (for example, within the beamforming scan capability of the receiving and transmitting systems within the service coverage area), and as a result, mounting the respective antenna elements of the receiving and transmitting systems on the same plane of the satellite may support a relatively efficient payload.

[0008] In some examples, a satellite (e.g., an NGSO satellite) using the disclosed techniques may also be configured to support cross-link signaling, thereby enabling the implementation of one or more additional antenna systems (e.g., one or more additional arrays on different faces of the satellite). For example, the satellite may include another receiving system (e.g., another receiving array, another panel array) on a different face of the satellite (e.g., a forward / return link antenna system, opposite the face containing the zenith plane), or another receiving system and another transmitting system on a different face of the satellite (e.g., the opposite face) (e.g., a face perpendicular to the nadir plane, a face supporting cross-link relay which may be independent of forward link relay or return link relay, or both). The corresponding transponder system may include one or more additional signaling paths (e.g., in addition to the forward link and return link paths) to support various combinations of coupling between the output and input ports of multiple antenna systems on different faces of the satellite and associated signal processing.

[0009] In some implementations, such satellites (e.g., NGSO satellites) may be configured to communicate with a relatively wider bandwidth than user terminals. For example, a satellite may be configured to communicate (e.g., transmit and receive) signaling using a beamformed beam with a bandwidth of 5 GHz, while user terminals may be configured to communicate (e.g., receive and transmit) signaling with a bandwidth of 1 GHz or some other bandwidth smaller than 5 GHz. When user terminals are spread out relatively in different locations, some implementations may include beam hopping or other techniques to direct different beams to different locations. However, when communicating with a relatively small number of user terminals, if enough user terminals are not located within the beam coverage area to utilize the satellite's full bandwidth, a portion of the satellite's capacity may remain unused (e.g., unallocated). Therefore, in some examples using the disclosed techniques, a satellite may be configured to communicate (e.g., transmit, receive) on a single beam (e.g., a 5 GHz beam) having multiple lobes (e.g., multiple directions with local peak signal strength, multiple directions with local peak receive sensitivity), and the multiple lobes carry frequency division multiplexed unicast communications (e.g., within the 1 GHz band) to or from a user terminal, which would otherwise not all be within the coverage area of ​​a narrower, more focused beam.

[0010] A satellite with such a configuration (e.g., an NGSO satellite) may also include a control system (e.g., one or more controllers) that supports various operating modes of the satellite. For example, such a control system may be configured to enable various signal paths of the transponder system (e.g., beam signal paths, relay paths, transponders) to support various couplings between the receiving and transmitting systems, including related aspects of signal processing. Additionally or alternatively, such a control system may configure directional receiving, directional transmitting, or both, such as correcting beam weighting or beam hopping in one or more beamforming networks of the receiving system, transmitting system, or both. Additionally or alternatively, such a control system may be configured to modify the orbital characteristics of the satellite (e.g., in conjunction with enabling transponder signal paths and configuring beamforming parameters), for example, correcting the satellite's alignment (e.g., using the satellite's angular momentum system to body-steering the satellite to align the satellite's face or antenna system along various directions), or changing the orbital path itself (e.g., using thrusters to change the satellite's altitude, redirecting the satellite's orbital path). In various implementations, such a control system may operate based on satellite configuration (e.g., pre-configuration, hardware configuration, software configuration), signaling received by satellite (e.g., from network controllers, from terminals, command signaling, parameter signaling, instructions), satellite detection (e.g., satellite characteristics, signal quality characteristics, characteristics of communications relayed by satellite, environmental characteristics, sensor measurements, communication measurements), or any combination thereof.

[0011] Accordingly, according to these and other aspects of the Disclosure, satellites may be configured for satellite communication systems (e.g., NGSO communication systems) having payloads that support the efficient deployment of relatively large numbers of satellite constellations. Furthermore, satellite communication systems may be configured to operate such satellite constellations in a relatively flexible manner, such as configuring satellites for various physical orientations, signaling orientations (e.g., beamforming orientations), and transponder configurations (e.g., signal path configurations between one or more receiving systems and one or more transmitting systems) for uplink signaling, downlink signaling, crosslink signaling, or various combinations thereof. Such techniques may offer particular advantages for trading off characteristics such as cost, complexity, performance, power consumption, reliability, weight, size, form factor, and others for deploying and operating various satellite communication systems, such as NGSO satellite communication systems.

[0012] Further scope of applicability of the methods and systems described will become apparent from the following detailed description, claims, and drawings. Since various changes and modifications within the scope of this specification will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the detailed description and specific examples are given merely as illustrative examples. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0013] [Figure 1] Figure 1 shows a diagram of a communication system supporting beamsplitting in a satellite communication system, as disclosed herein. [Figure 2A] Figure 2A shows an example of a satellite that supports beamsplitting in a satellite communications system, as disclosed herein. [Figure 2B] Figure 2B shows an example of a satellite that supports beamsplitting in a satellite communications system, as disclosed herein. [Figure 3A]FIG. 3A shows an example of a satellite supporting beam splitting in a satellite communication system according to an example disclosed in this specification. [Figure 3B] FIG. 3B shows an example of a satellite supporting beam splitting in a satellite communication system according to an example disclosed in this specification. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 shows an example of a payload supporting beam splitting in a satellite communication system according to an example disclosed in this specification. [Figure 5A] FIG. 5A shows an example of a payload configuration supporting beam splitting in a satellite communication system according to an example disclosed in this specification. [Figure 5B] FIG. 5B shows an example of a payload configuration supporting beam splitting in a satellite communication system according to an example disclosed in this specification. [Figure 5C] FIG. 5C shows an example of a payload configuration supporting beam splitting in a satellite communication system according to an example disclosed in this specification. [Figure 5D] FIG. 5D shows an example of a payload configuration supporting beam splitting in a satellite communication system according to an example disclosed in this specification. [Figure 5E] FIG. 5E shows an example of a payload configuration supporting beam splitting in a satellite communication system according to an example disclosed in this specification. [Figure 5F] FIG. 5F shows an example of a payload configuration supporting beam splitting in a satellite communication system according to an example disclosed in this specification. [Figure 5G] FIG. 5G shows an example of a payload configuration supporting beam splitting in a satellite communication system according to an example disclosed in this specification. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 shows an example of a communication system implementation manner supporting beam splitting in a satellite communication system according to an example disclosed in this specification. [Figure 7]Figure 7 shows an example of a communication system implementation that supports beam splitting in a satellite communication system, as disclosed herein. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows an example of a communication system implementation that supports beam splitting in a satellite communication system, as disclosed herein. [Figure 9] Figure 9 shows an example of a communication system implementation that supports beam splitting in a satellite communication system, as disclosed herein. [Figure 10] Figure 10 shows an example of a method for supporting beam splitting in a satellite communication system, as disclosed herein. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0014] A satellite communication system may include a constellation of satellites (e.g., NGSO satellites) that support relay signals between target devices, such as signals between a gateway terminal and a user terminal. For example, a satellite in a satellite communication system may support receiving uplink signals (e.g., forward uplink signals from a gateway terminal, return uplink signals from a user terminal) and transmitting downlink signals (e.g., forward downlink signals to a user terminal, return downlink signals to a gateway terminal) based on the received uplink signals (e.g., according to a vent pipe payload configuration, according to a processing payload configuration). In some implementations, signals in a satellite communication system may be relayed through multiple satellites in a constellation so that one or more satellites in the satellite communication system can support receiving crosslink signals (e.g., from another satellite), transmitting crosslink signals (e.g., to another satellite), or both.

[0015] A communications satellite in a satellite communications system may be equipped with an antenna system including various configurations of antenna arrays for receiving and transmitting signals, and a transponder system coupled to such an antenna array configured to route signals between one or more receiving ports (e.g., of the receiving system) and one or more transmitting ports (e.g., of the transmitting system) of the antenna system. In some examples, the antenna array or associated circuitry may be configured to perform directional receiving (e.g., receiving beamforming), directional transmitting (e.g., transmitting beamforming), or both, along one or more directions (e.g., beam directions, one or more directions simultaneously, one or more directions according to a beam-hopping configuration). In some examples, the transponder system between the array for receiving signals and the array for transmitting signals may perform one or more aspects of signal processing, such as frequency conversion, demodulation or modulation, multiplexing, signal extraction or insertion, analog-to-digital conversion or digital-to-analog conversion, or other examples of signal processing.

[0016] To support payloads that can be efficiently implemented on a relatively large number of satellites (for example, in an NGSO satellite communication system), an NGSO satellite may be configured with a specific combination of components of a receiving system (e.g., one or more receiving antenna systems, one or more receiving subsystems), a transmitting system (e.g., one or more transmitting antenna systems, one or more transmitting subsystems), and a transponder system between the receiving and transmitting systems (e.g., for supporting various forms of relayed communications). For example, according to the examples disclosed herein, a satellite may include a receiving system having one or more antenna elements (e.g., receiving elements, direct-radiating antenna elements, receiving arrays, panel arrays, phased arrays) on the faces of the satellite (e.g., the sides of the satellite, the nadir), and a transmitting system having one or more antenna elements (e.g., transmitting elements, direct-radiating antenna elements, transmitting arrays, panel arrays, phased arrays) on the same faces of the satellite. In some examples, such receiving and transmitting systems may be configured to simultaneously support forward link signaling (e.g., from a gateway terminal to one or more user terminals) and return link signaling (e.g., from one or more user terminals to a gateway terminal), which may implement signal orthogonality such as different polarizations or different frequency ranges between the forward link signaling and the return link signaling.

[0017] Such a satellite transponder system may be configured with a forward link path (e.g., a forward link signal path) and a return link path (e.g., a return link signal path). For example, the forward link path may be coupled between a first output port of a receiving system and a first input port of a transmitting system. In some examples, the forward link path may be associated with a first signal polarization (e.g., a signal received by the receiving system, a signal transmitted by the transmitting system, or both). Furthermore, the return link path may be coupled between a second output port of the receiving system and a second input port of the transmitting system, and in some examples, the return link path may be associated with a second signal polarization (e.g., orthogonal to the first signal polarization). In some such implementations, the receiving and transmitting systems may be configured for signaling in different frequency ranges (e.g., non-overlapping frequency ranges), thereby improving signal isolation between uplink and downlink signaling. In such a communication system, the user terminal may be located relatively close to the gateway terminal that provides the service of communication with the user terminal (for example, within the beamforming scan capability of the receiving and transmitting systems within the service coverage area), and as a result, mounting the respective antenna elements of the receiving and transmitting systems on the same plane of the satellite may support a relatively efficient payload.

[0018] In some examples, a satellite (e.g., an NGSO satellite) using the disclosed techniques may be configured to support cross-link signaling, thereby enabling the implementation of one or more additional antenna systems (e.g., one or more additional arrays on different faces of the satellite). For example, the satellite may include another receiving system (e.g., another receiving array, another panel array) on a different face of the satellite (e.g., a forward / return link antenna system, opposite the face containing the zenith plane), or another receiving system and another transmitting system on a different face of the satellite (e.g., the opposite face) (e.g., a plane perpendicular to the nadir plane, a plane supporting cross-link relay which may be independent of forward link relay or return link relay, or both). The corresponding transponder system may include one or more additional signaling paths (e.g., in addition to the forward link and return link paths) to support various combinations of coupling between the output and input ports of multiple antenna systems on different faces of the satellite and associated signal processing.

[0019] In some implementations, such satellites (e.g., NGSO satellites) may be configured to communicate with a relatively wider bandwidth than user terminals. For example, a satellite may be configured to communicate (e.g., transmit and receive) signaling using a beamformed beam with a bandwidth of 5 GHz, while user terminals may be configured to communicate (e.g., receive and transmit) signaling with a bandwidth of 1 GHz or some other bandwidth smaller than 5 GHz. If user terminals are spread out relatively in different locations, some implementations may include beam hopping or other techniques to direct different beams to different locations. However, when communicating with a relatively small number of user terminals, if enough user terminals are not located within the beam coverage area to utilize the satellite's full bandwidth, some of the satellite's capacity may remain unused (e.g., unallocated). Therefore, in some examples using the disclosed techniques, a satellite may be configured to communicate (e.g., transmit, receive) on a single beam (e.g., a 5 GHz beam) having multiple lobes (e.g., multiple directions with local peak signal strength, multiple directions with local peak receive sensitivity), the multiple lobes carrying frequency division multiplexed unicast communications (e.g., within the 1 GHz band) to or from a user terminal, which would otherwise extend outside the coverage area of ​​a narrower, more focused beam.

[0020] A satellite with such a configuration (e.g., an NGSO satellite) may also include a control system (e.g., one or more controllers) that supports various operating modes of the satellite. For example, such a control system may be configured to enable various signal paths of the transponder system (e.g., beam signal paths, relay paths, transponders) to support various couplings between the receiving and transmitting systems, including related aspects of signal processing. Additionally or alternatively, such a control system may configure directional receiving, directional transmitting, or both, such as correcting beam weighting or beam hopping in one or more beamforming networks of the receiving system, transmitting system, or both. Additionally or alternatively, such a control system may be configured to modify the orbital characteristics of the satellite (e.g., in conjunction with enabling transponder signal paths and configuring beamforming parameters), for example, correcting the satellite's alignment (e.g., using the satellite's angular momentum system to body-steering the satellite to align the satellite's face or antenna system along various directions), or changing the orbital path itself (e.g., using thrusters to change the satellite's altitude, redirecting the satellite's orbital path). In various implementations, such a control system may operate based on satellite configuration (e.g., pre-configuration, hardware configuration, software configuration), signaling received by satellite (e.g., from network controllers, from terminals, command signaling, parameter signaling, instructions), satellite detection (e.g., satellite characteristics, signal quality characteristics, characteristics of communications relayed by satellite, environmental characteristics, sensor measurements, communication measurements), or any combination thereof.

[0021] Accordingly, according to these and other aspects of the Disclosure, satellites may be configured for satellite communication systems (e.g., NGSO communication systems) having payloads that support the efficient deployment of relatively large numbers of satellite constellations. Furthermore, satellite communication systems may be configured to operate such satellite constellations in a relatively flexible manner, such as configuring satellites for various physical orientations, signaling orientations (e.g., beamforming orientations), and transponder configurations (e.g., signal path configurations between one or more receiving systems and one or more transmitting systems) for uplink signaling, downlink signaling, crosslink signaling, or various combinations thereof. Such techniques may offer particular advantages for trading off characteristics such as cost, complexity, performance, power consumption, reliability, weight, size, form factor, and others for deploying and operating various satellite communication systems, such as NGSO satellite communication systems.

[0022] Features of this disclosure are first described in the context of a satellite communication system with reference to Figure 1. Features of this disclosure are also described in the context of exemplary satellites, payloads, and payload implementations with reference to Figures 2A to 5G. Features of this disclosure are also described in the context of implementations of satellites, user terminals, and gateway terminals (e.g., implementations of a communication system), as well as methods, with reference to Figures 6 to 10.

[0023] Figure 1 shows a diagram of a communications system 100 (e.g., a satellite communications system) supporting beamsplitting in a satellite communications system, according to examples disclosed herein. The communications system 100 may use various architectures to support communications services, such as an architecture including a ground segment 101 and a space segment 102. The space segment 102 may include one or more satellites 120 (e.g., communications satellites). The ground segment 101 may include ground terminals such as one or more user terminals 150 (e.g., service consumer terminals) and one or more gateway terminals 130 (e.g., access node terminals, network terminals, service provider terminals), as well as network devices 141 such as a network operations center (NOC), satellite and gateway terminal command centers, and others. In some implementations, terminals of the communications system 100 (e.g., gateway terminals 130) may be coupled to communicate with each other, or with one or more networks 140, or combinations thereof (e.g., via a mesh network, via a star network, via a wired network, via a wireless network).

[0024] Satellite 120 may include any suitable type of satellite configured for wireless communication with (e.g., to provide communication services) or between gateway terminals 130 and user terminals 150. In some examples, one or more of the satellites 120 (e.g., all of the satellites 120) may be in different orbits where the position of the satellites 120 relative to the Earth changes over time (e.g., NGSO such as Low Earth Orbit (LEO) or Medium Earth Orbit (MEO)). While at least some techniques are described herein with reference to satellite 120 as an example of a device supporting relaying communications between ground terminals, one or more of the techniques described herein may be applicable to other types of devices capable of relaying signaling (e.g., between ground terminals), which may generally have an overhead location relative to ground terminals (e.g., airplanes, unmanned aerial vehicles, drones, airships), or may be ground-based repeaters including mobile or fixed relay devices.

[0025] The communication system 100 may support uplink signaling (e.g., from ground segment 101 to space segment 102), downlink signaling (e.g., from space segment 102 to ground segment 101), crosslink signaling (e.g., between devices in space segment 102, such as between satellites 120), or any combination thereof. The communication system 100 may also support other signaling (e.g., signaling between gateway terminals 130, signaling between user terminals 150, signaling between satellites 120), including forward signaling (e.g., from gateway terminal 130 to user terminal 150) and return signaling (e.g., from user terminal 150 to gateway terminal 130), or any combination thereof. For example, satellite 120 may receive uplink signals 132 (e.g., forward uplink signals) from one or more gateway terminals 130 and transmit downlink signals 172 (e.g., forward downlink signals) to one or more user terminals 150, which may be associated with relaying forward link signaling (e.g., including). Additionally or alternatively, satellite 120 may receive uplink signals 173 (e.g., return uplink signals) from one or more user terminals 150 and transmit downlink signals 133 (e.g., return downlink signals) to one or more gateway terminals 130, which may be associated with relaying return link signaling. Additionally, or alternatively, the first satellite 120 may transmit a crosslink signal 175 that can be received by the second satellite 120, which may include forward crosslink signaling (for example, between a forward uplink signal 132 and a forward downlink signal 172), return crosslink signaling (for example, between a return uplink signal 173 and a return downlink signal 133), or a combination thereof.

[0026] For the communication of signals between the gateway terminal 130 and the user terminal 150 (for example, via one or more satellites 120), various physical layer modulation and coding techniques may be supported, such as multi-frequency time-division multiplexing access (MF-TDMA), time-division multiplexing access (TDMA), frequency-division multiplexing access (FDMA), orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing access (OFDMA), code-division multiplexing access (CDMA), or any hybrid or other scheme known in the art. In various examples, the physical layer technique may be the same for each of signals 132, 133, 172, 173, and 175, or at least some of such signals may use a different physical layer technique than other such signals. Satellites 120 may support communication using one or more frequency bands and any number of subbands thereof. For example, one or more of the satellites 120 may each support operation in one or more of the W band, V band, Ka band, K band, Ku band, X band, C band, S band, L band, or V band, among other bands or combinations of bands.

[0027] Satellite 120 may include a system of one or more antennas (e.g., one or more antenna systems, one or more transmitting subsystems, one or more receiving subsystems) such as panel array antennas, phased array antennas, direct-radiating phased array antennas, phased array fed reflector (PAFR) antennas, or any other components known in the art for transmitting or receiving signals for communication services. In some examples, the antenna system may support communications via one or more beamformed beams 125 (e.g., beams associated with directional transmission, beams associated with directional reception, beams associated with directional transmission and directional reception), which may be referred to as spot beams, service beams, satellite beams, or any other preferred term. Signals may be transmitted or received via an array of feeding elements of the antenna system of satellite 120 (e.g., via beamformers) to transmit or receive the cosmic electromagnetic radiation pattern (e.g., scan volume) of beam 125. In some examples, beam 125 may use a single carrier (e.g., for beam signals of a given frequency or a continuous frequency range) or may otherwise be associated with a single carrier.

[0028] In some examples, beam 125 may be configured (by location, frequency range, polarization, etc.) to support only one gateway terminal 130 (e.g., a single gateway terminal 130), in which case beam 125 may be referred to as a gateway beam or gateway spot beam (e.g., gateway beam 125-a). For example, gateway beam 125-a may be configured to support one or more uplink signals 132 between satellite 120 and gateway terminal 130 (e.g., forward uplink signals as the receiving beam of satellite 120), one or more downlink signals 133 between satellite 120 and gateway terminal 130 (e.g., return downlink signals as the transmitting beam of satellite 120), or a combination thereof. In some examples, satellite 120 may support a first gateway beam 125 (e.g., uplink gateway beam, forward gateway beam) for receiving uplink signals 132 (e.g., forward uplink beam signals for outputting forward uplink beam signals) and a second gateway beam 125 (e.g., downlink gateway beam, return gateway beam) for transmitting downlink signals 133 (e.g., return downlink beam signals for obtaining return downlink beam signals). In various examples, such techniques may include gateway beams 125 that are aligned along the same direction from satellite 120 (e.g., toward the same gateway terminal 130 to support forward and return traffic simultaneously) or along different directions from satellite 120 (e.g., toward different gateway terminals 130 for forward and return traffic) or supported via different antenna systems of satellite 120 (e.g., receiving antenna system and transmitting antenna system) or parts thereof, or both.

[0029] In some examples, beam 125 may be configured to support user terminals 150 (e.g., one or more user terminals 150) (e.g., by location, by frequency range, by polarization), in which case beam 125 may be referred to as a user beam or user spot beam (e.g., user beam 125-b). For example, user beam 125-b may be configured to support one or more downlink signals 172 (e.g., forward downlink signals as the transmit beam of satellite 120), one or more uplink signals 173 (e.g., return uplink signals as the receive beam of satellite 120), or a combination thereof, between satellite 120 and user terminals 150. In some examples, satellite 120 may support a first user beam 125 (e.g., a downlink user spot beam, a forward user spot) for transmitting downlink signals 172 (e.g., a forward downlink signal for outputting a forward downlink beam signal) and a second user beam 125 (e.g., an uplink user spot beam, a return user spot beam) for receiving uplink signals 173 (e.g., a return uplink signal for obtaining a return uplink beam signal). In various examples, such techniques may include user beams 125 aligned along the same direction from satellite 120 (e.g., toward the same part of the service area to simultaneously support forward and return traffic in the same area), or user beams 125 aligned along different directions from satellite 120 (e.g., toward different parts of the service area to support forward and return traffic in different areas), or user beams 125 supported via different antenna systems of satellite 120 (e.g., a transmitting antenna system and a receiving antenna system) or parts thereof, or both.

[0030] In some examples, beam 125 may be configured to serve both user terminal 150 and gateway terminal 130. For example, beam 125 may be configured to support any combination of downlink signal 172, uplink signal 173, uplink signal 132, or downlink signal 133 between satellite 120 and user terminal 150 and gateway terminal 130. In some examples, satellite 120 may use beam 125 to transmit or receive crosslink signal 175, or both (not shown). Such a technique may be supported by satellite 120 using the same crosslink beam 125 for transmitting and receiving crosslink signal 175, or using a first crosslink beam 125 for transmitting crosslink signal 175 and a second crosslink beam 125 for receiving crosslink signal 175, which may be supported by the same antenna system or different antenna systems of satellite 120.

[0031] Beam 125 may support communication services with target devices located within the volume of beam 125, such as a user terminal 150, a gateway terminal 130, or a satellite 120, or their projections, such as at different distances from the plane or surface of beam coverage area 126, including within a beam coverage area 126 (e.g., a spot beam coverage area). The beam coverage area 126 may be defined by an area of ​​the electromagnetic radiation pattern of the associated beam 125 projected onto the ground or other reference surface, having signal characteristics (e.g., signal strength, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), signal-to-interference plus noise ratio (SINR)) that exceed or otherwise satisfy a threshold. The spot beam coverage area 126 may cover any preferred service area (e.g., circular, elliptical, hexagonal, local, regional, national, planar, non-planar) and may include target devices located within the associated beam 125 (e.g., within the volume of the associated beam 125), but may support communication services with any number of target devices located within the beam coverage area 126 that are not necessarily located on the reference surface of the beam coverage area 126, such as airborne terminals.

[0032] In some examples, satellite 120 may support multiple beamformed beams 125, each associated with a beam coverage area 126, and each beam coverage area 126 may or may not overlap with another (e.g., adjacent) beam coverage area 126. For example, satellite 120 may support one or more service areas (e.g., service coverage areas) using any number of beam coverage areas 126. A service area can be broadly defined as a coverage area, and either a ground source or a ground receiver may participate in communication services to and from such coverage area via one or more satellites 120 (e.g., transmit and / or receive signals associated with communication services), and one or more beam coverage areas 126 may be serviced via one or more satellites 120 (e.g., for each duration during which satellites 120 in NGSO can service one or more beam coverage areas 126 that at least partially overlap with a service area). In some systems, the service coverage area for each communication link (e.g., forward uplink coverage area, forward downlink coverage area, return uplink coverage area, and / or return downlink coverage area) may differ.

[0033] The user terminal 150 may include various devices configured to communicate signals with the satellite 120 or other target devices, including other types of terminals such as fixed terminals (e.g., ground-based stationary terminals) or mobile terminals (e.g., terminals on boats, aircraft, or ground vehicles). The user terminal 150 may communicate information via the satellite 120 or other target devices, and such communication may include communication via the gateway terminal 130 to a destination device such as the network device 141, or any other device associated with the network 140 or a distributed server. The user terminal 150 may communicate signals according to various physical layer transmit modulation and coding techniques, including other standards such as those defined in the DVB-S2, WiMAX, LTE, and DOCSIS standards.

[0034] The user terminal 150 may include an antenna 155 configured for receiving downlink signals 172 (e.g., from satellite 120), transmitting uplink signals 173 (e.g., to satellite 120), or both. The antenna 155 may be part of an antenna assembly 151 (e.g., a user terminal antenna assembly), which may also include various hardware for mounting or oriented the antenna 155. The antenna assembly 151 may also include circuitry and / or a processor for converting (e.g., performing frequency conversion, modulation / demodulation, multiplexing / demultiplexing, filtering, and forwarding) radio frequency (RF) communication signals (e.g., downlink signals 172, uplink signals 173) and user terminal communication signals 157 communicated between the antenna 155 and the user terminal controller 158. Such circuitry and / or a processor may be included in the antenna assembly 151, which may be referred to as an integrated antenna assembly or a processor-integrated antenna assembly. Additionally, or alternatively, the user terminal controller 158 may include circuitry for performing various RF signal operations (e.g., receiving, frequency conversion, modulation / demodulation, multiplexing / demultiplexing, etc.). The antenna assembly 151 may also be known as the satellite outdoor unit (ODU), and the user terminal controller 158 may be known as the indoor unit (IDU).

[0035] In some examples, the user terminal 150 may be configured for unidirectional or bidirectional communication with the satellite 120 via beam 125 (e.g., user beam 125-b). In some implementations, the antenna 155 may include an array of feeding elements 156 (e.g., a two-dimensional array, a panel array, a phased array) physically arranged in a feeding array assembly, and the signals from each feeding element 156 may be manipulated according to various beamforming techniques (e.g., phase and / or amplitude manipulation) to support terminal beams (e.g., terminal spot beam, not shown), such as a transmit beam (e.g., directional transmit) and a receive beam (e.g., directional receive). In other words, communication via the antenna 155 may be electronically configured using the array of feeding elements 156 to align the transmission and / or reception of signals along a desired direction (e.g., terminal beam orientation). In some other implementations, the signaling direction of antenna 155 may be configurable mechanically (e.g., mechanically steerable with or without one or more reflectors such as parabolic reflectors), or it may be configurable both electronically and mechanically, or antenna 155 may implement an omnidirectional antenna. Thus, antenna 155 may be configured to track satellite 120 within the NGSO to support directional communication signaling with satellite 120.

[0036] User terminal 150 may be connected to one or more consumer premises equipment (CPE) 160 via wired or wireless connections 161, and may provide network access services (e.g., access to network 140, internet access) or other communication services (e.g., broadcast media, multicast media) to the CPE 160 via one or more devices of the communication system 100. User devices may include, but are not limited to, computers, local area networks, internet equipment, wireless networks, mobile phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs), other handheld devices, netbooks, notebook computers, tablet computers, laptops, display devices (e.g., televisions, computer monitors), printers, sensors, vehicles, and other equipment. CPE 160 may also include any equipment located on the subscriber's premises, including, among other things, routers, firewalls, switches, private branch exchanges (PBXs), and voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) gateways. In some examples, the user terminal 150 supports bidirectional communication between one or more CPEs 160 and one or more networks 140 (for example, via one or more satellites 120 and one or more gateway terminals 130).

[0037] The gateway terminal 130 may serve uplink signals 132 and downlink signals 133 (for example, to and from one or more satellites 120). The gateway terminal 130 may also be known as a ground station, gateway, or hub. The gateway terminal 130 may include a gateway antenna system 131 and a gateway controller 135 (for example, an access node controller). The gateway antenna system 131 may be capable of bidirectional communication and may be designed with appropriate transmit power and receive sensitivity to reliably communicate with one or more communication satellites 120. In some examples, the gateway antenna system 131 may include a parabolic reflector having high directivity in the direction of the satellites 120 and low directivity in the other direction. The gateway antenna system 131 may include a variety of other configurations that support operation of features such as high separation between orthogonal polarizations, high efficiency in the operating frequency band, low noise, and other features.

[0038] In some examples, a gateway terminal 130 (e.g., a gateway controller 135, an access node controller) may schedule traffic to user terminals 150. Additionally or alternatively, traffic scheduling may be performed in other parts of the communication system 100 (e.g., in one or more network devices 141, which may include an NOC and / or a gateway command center). Satellite 120 may communicate with gateway terminals 130 by transmitting downlink signals 133, receiving uplink signals 132, or both, via one or more beams 125 (e.g., gateway beams 125-a, which may be associated with each gateway beam coverage area 126-a). Gateway beams 125-a may support, for example, communication services for one or more user terminals 150 (e.g., relayed by satellite 120), or any other communications between satellite 120 and gateway terminals 130.

[0039] The gateway terminal 130 may provide an interface between the network 140 and the satellite 120 and may be configured to relay information sent between the network 140 and one or more user terminals 150. The gateway terminal 130 may format the information for distribution to each user terminal 150. Additionally or alternatively, the gateway terminal 130 may be configured to receive signals from the satellite 120 (for example, from one or more user terminals 150) sent to destinations accessible via the network 140. The gateway terminal 130 may also format the received signals for transmission to the network 140.

[0040] Network(s) 140 can be any type of network, including, for example, the Internet, Internet Protocol (IP) networks, intranets, wide area networks (WANs), metropolitan area networks (MANs), local area networks (LANs), virtual private networks (VPNs), virtual LANs (VLANs), fiber optic networks, hybrid fiber coaxial networks, cable networks, public switched telephone networks (PSTNs), public switched data networks (PSDNs), public land mobile networks, and / or any other type of network that supports communication between the devices described herein. Network(s) 140 may include both wired and wireless connections, as well as optical links. Network(s) 140 may connect one or more gateway terminals 130 to other gateway terminals 130 that may be communicating with satellite 120 or other satellites. One or more network devices 141 may be coupled to gateway terminals 130 and control aspects of the communication system 100. In various examples, the network device 141 may be located in the same place as the gateway terminal 130, or may be located separately near the gateway terminal 130, or it may be a remote installation communicating with the gateway terminal 130 and / or network 140 via wired and / or wireless communication links.

[0041] In some examples, a communications system 100 (e.g., a space segment 102) may include a set of multiple satellites 120 (e.g., a constellation) to support communications services. For example, the service area of ​​such communications services may be configured such that communications can be serviced by one or more satellites 120 passing through one or more service areas at a given time. In some examples, such techniques may also be supported by communications system 100 including one or more satellites 180, which may include satellites in different orbits (e.g., geostationary orbit) from the satellites 120. The satellites 180 may be implemented to support various techniques of communications system 100. For example, satellite 180 may be configured to support data signaling with or between gateway terminals 130 (e.g., via signal 181 which may include uplink signaling, downlink signaling, or both), with or between user terminals 150 (e.g., via signal 182 which may include uplink signaling, downlink signaling, or both), or a combination thereof (e.g., as a relay between gateway terminal 130 and user terminal 150). Additionally or alternatively, satellite 180 may be configured to support data signaling with or through satellite 120 (e.g., via signal 183 as a GEO link signal), including a configuration in which signal 183 supports crosslink relay signaling (e.g., for forward communication, for return communication) through satellite 180. Additionally, or alternatively, satellite 180 may support transmitting configuration signaling for, for example, configuring the operation of gateway terminal 130 (e.g., via signal 181), configuring the operation of user terminal 150 (e.g., via signal 182), or configuring the operation of satellite 120 (e.g., via signal 183), or for any combination thereof.

[0042] As illustrated herein, a satellite 120 may be configured for a communications system 100 having a payload that supports the efficient deployment of a relatively large number of satellites 120 constellations. Furthermore, the communications system 100 may be configured to operate such a constellation of satellites 120 in a relatively flexible manner, such as configuring the satellites 120 for various physical orientations, signaling orientations (e.g., beamforming orientations), and transponder configurations (e.g., signal path configurations between one or more receiving systems and one or more transmitting systems of the satellites) for uplink signaling, downlink signaling, crosslink signaling, or various combinations thereof. Such techniques may offer particular advantages for trading off characteristics such as cost, complexity, performance, power consumption, reliability, weight, size, form factor, and others for deploying and operating the communications system 100.

[0043] Figures 2A and 2B show an example of satellite 120-a supporting beamsplitting in a satellite communications system, as disclosed herein. Satellite 120-a may be configured to be deployed within a NGSO and may support various aspects of the techniques described in communications system 100. For example, satellite 120-a may support targeting functionality for receiving and transmitting beam signals, which may enable the relatively small size and relatively low complexity of satellite 120-a. In some examples, the relatively small size of satellite 120-a may, among other factors, support the relatively low cost and overhead associated with deploying satellite 120-a in communications system 100. For example, multiple satellites 120-a may be deployed from the payload of the same launch vehicle rather than launching and deploying satellites 120-a individually. While some techniques are described with reference to satellite 120-a operating within a NGSO, in some other examples, one or more of the techniques described may be implemented in satellite 120 or satellite 180 operating in geostationary orbit, among other implementation aspects.

[0044] Satellite 120-a may generally have a prism shape and can be described with reference to the x, y, and z directions of coordinate system 200. Satellite 120-a may include a body portion 210 having sides (for example, surfaces that may be planar or curved), which may include sides 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, and 216. In some examples, the sides of satellite 120-a may be orthogonal, but in some other examples, the sides of satellite 120-a may be in different orientations, such as satellite 120-a having a trapezoidal prism shape, a rhombic prism shape, a hexagonal prism shape, an octagonal prism shape, or other shapes.

[0045] In some examples, satellite 120-a may include one or more panels 220 that are deployable from the main body portion 210, such as panels 220-a and 220-b, which are rotatably coupled to the main body portion 210 using hinges 225. In some implementations, the panels 220 may mount one or more solar elements 230, which may be positioned on one or both sides of each panel 220 and may provide power to the operating components of satellite 120-a. For example, satellite 120-a may include a first solar panel array configured to deploy from a side portion 213 and a second solar panel array configured to deploy from a side portion 214. In some examples, the control system of satellite 120-a may use hinges 225 to manage the deployment of the panels 220.

[0046] Satellite 120-a may support wireless communication between ground terminals by, for example, using a receiving array 240 (e.g., an uplink array, a panel array, a direct radiating array) to receive uplink signaling (e.g., forward uplink signaling, return uplink signaling, uplink signal 132, uplink signal 173) and using a transmitting array 250 (e.g., a downlink array, a panel array, a direct radiating array) to transmit downlink signaling (e.g., forward downlink signaling, return downlink signaling, downlink signal 172, downlink signal 133). For example, the receiving array 240 may be configured to receive signaling from a ground terminal, and the transmitting array 250 may be configured to transmit signaling to a ground terminal.

[0047] In some implementations, satellite 120-a may also support wireless communication with or via other satellites 120 or 180 by, for example, using a receiving array 260 (e.g., a crosslink receiving array, a panel array, a direct radiating array) to receive crosslink signaling (e.g., forward crosslink signaling, return crosslink signaling, crosslink signal 175, signal 183), and in some examples, using a transmitting array 270 (e.g., a crosslink transmitting array, a panel array, a direct radiating array) to transmit crosslink signaling (e.g., forward crosslink signaling, return crosslink signaling, crosslink signal 175, signal 183). For example, the receiving array 260 may be configured to receive signaling from other satellites, and the transmitting array 270 may be configured to transmit signaling to other satellites. By including an additional receiving array 260 and an additional transmitting array 270, satellite 120-a may be able to communicate crosslink signals with additional degrees of freedom to align beam 125 toward various target devices (for example, to orient beam 125 in order to orient satellite 120-a). Thus, satellite 120-a may include two high-power transmitting arrays in some examples.

[0048] Because signal transmission can be associated with relatively high power consumption, in some examples, satellite 120-a may operate in a power-limited configuration where only one of the transmit arrays 250 or 270 is enabled (for example, at a given time). In various implementations, such a power-limited configuration may be the strict configuration of satellite 120-a, in which case satellite 120-a will not enable both transmit arrays 250 and 270 simultaneously. In some other examples, such a power-limited configuration may be implemented on a case-by-case basis, such as when satellite 120-a itself is operating in a low-power mode (for example, associated with relatively low power supplied by one or more solar panels and associated with a relatively low amount of stored energy in a battery). In other words, satellite 120-a may enable both transmit arrays 250 and 270 based on the amount of available power meeting a threshold, which may be based on the power involved in supporting communication via transmit arrays 250 and 270. In some other examples, the receiving array 260, the transmitting array 270, or both may be omitted from satellite 120-a (for example, in an implementation of satellite 120-a that does not support crosslink, or in an implementation of satellite 120-a that supports crosslink and uses one or both of the receiving array 240 or the transmitting array 250).

[0049] The receiving array 240, transmitting array 250, receiving array 260, and transmitting array 270 may be physically positioned on satellite 120-a (for example, they may be located on satellite 120-a, or they may be fixed to satellite 120-a) to support efficient communication of beam signals (for example, via beam 125) with user terminal 150, gateway terminal 130, and other satellites 120 or satellite 180. For example, both the receiving array 240 and the transmitting array 250 may be located on side 215 of satellite 120-a, while the receiving array 260 and the transmitting array 270 may be located on different sides, such as opposite sides. For example, the receiving array 260 may be located on side 211 of satellite 120-a, and the transmitting array 270 may be located on side 212 of satellite 120-a (e.g., the side of satellite 120-a opposite to the receiving array 260), or on another side of satellite 120-a different from the side containing the receiving array 260 (e.g., side 213, side 214) (e.g., providing two sides of satellite 120-a for signal reception and two sides of satellite 120-a for signal transmission). In some examples, the receiving array 240 and the transmitting array 250 may be separate assemblies of antenna elements (e.g., an assembly of receiving elements separated from the assembly of transmitting elements), which may support relatively improved signal isolation and packaging, among other advantages. In some other examples, the receive array 240 and the transmit array 250 may refer to interleaved antenna elements (e.g., receive and transmit elements distributed between at least partially overlapping surface areas), or they may be implemented as a single array implementing antenna elements for both receiving and transmitting (e.g., as transceiver elements).

[0050] To support communication with the ground segment 101 using the receiving array 240, the transmitting array 250, or both, satellite 120-a may be oriented such that its side 215 (e.g., nominal direction of side 215, axis of side 215, positive z direction of satellite 120-a) is aligned toward the Earth (e.g., toward the service area, toward the location of the service area). Additionally or alternatively, to support receiving signals from another satellite 120 or satellite 180 using the receiving array 260, satellite 120-a may be oriented such that its side 211 is generally aligned toward the other satellite 120 or satellite 180 (e.g., within the scan range of the beamformer of the receiving array 260). Additionally, or alternatively, to support signal transmission to another satellite 120 or satellite 180 using the transmit array 270, satellite 120-a may be oriented such that its side 212 is generally aligned toward the other satellite 120 or satellite 180 (for example, within the scan range of the beamformer of the transmit array 270). Such orientation may be configured based on one or more types of relay supported by satellite 120-a at a given time.

[0051] The receiving array 240, transmitting array 250, receiving array 260, and transmitting array 270 can each be associated with an axis that may be the nominal direction of their respective arrays (e.g., nominal axis, boresight axis, boresight direction, outward direction). In some examples, such nominal directions can be associated with the directions of the array's peak gain capability (e.g., direction of maximum radiated power, direction of maximum received sensitivity, direction of minimum strain). For example, the receiving array 240 may be associated with axis 245, the transmitting array 250 may be associated with axis 255, and each of the axes can be aligned along the positive z direction from satellite 120-a (e.g., along the direction fixed to the main body portion 210, along the direction from the side portion 215, along the parallel direction). Thus, aligning the receiving array 240, the transmitting array 250, or both toward the target can be associated with oriented satellite 120-a such that the positive z direction is aligned toward the target. Additionally, the receiving array 260 may be associated with an axis 265 that can be aligned along the positive x-direction from satellite 120-a (e.g., perpendicular to axis 245 or in a different direction, perpendicular to axis 255 or in a different direction, a direction different from axes 245 and 255). In some implementations, aligning the receiving array 260 toward a target (e.g., a second target, along the direction of the second target) may additionally or alternatively be associated with orienting satellite 120-a such that the positive x-direction is aligned toward the target. Additionally, the transmitting array 270 may be associated with an axis 275 that can be aligned along the negative x-direction from satellite 120-a (e.g., perpendicular to axis 245 or in a different direction, perpendicular to axis 255 or in a different direction, a direction different from axes 245 and 255, opposite to axis 265 or in a different direction). In some implementations, aligning the transmit array 270 toward a target (e.g., a third target, along the direction of the third target) may be additionally or alternatively associated with oriented the satellite 120-a such that the negative x-direction is aligned toward the target.

[0052] Therefore, satellite 120-a illustrates an example that provides another degree of flexibility for orienting beam 125, where the receiving array 240 (e.g., axis 245) and the transmitting array 250 (e.g., axis 255) may be oriented along one direction from satellite 120-a, the receiving array 260 (e.g., axis 265) may be oriented along a different direction from satellite 120-a, and the transmitting array 270 (e.g., axis 275) may be oriented along a different direction from satellite 120-a. In the example of satellite 120-a, the direction of axis 265 is separated by 90 degrees from the directions of axes 245 and 255 (e.g., on a vertical plane), but in some other examples using the techniques described, the direction of axis 265 may be separated from the directions of axes 245 and 255 at different angles such as 30 degrees, 45 degrees, 60 degrees, 120 degrees, 135 degrees, etc. (e.g., as fixed separation angles between arrays). Furthermore, in the example of satellite 120-a, the direction of axis 275 is separated by 180 degrees from the direction of axis 265 (for example, pointing in the opposite direction), but in some other examples using the technique described, the direction of axis 275 may be separated from the direction of axis 265 at different angles such as 45 degrees, 60 degrees, 90 degrees, 120 degrees, 135 degrees (for example, as fixed separation angles between arrays). Such techniques may be supported by non-planar surfaces of satellite 120, or fixed arrays of antenna elements, such as one or more curved arrays or arrays of other shapes associated with axes 245, 255, 265, and 275 (for example, in the case of satellite 120 having one or more curved surfaces such as cylindrical or spherical surfaces). Furthermore, in the example of satellite 120-a, axes 245 and 255 are parallel, but in some other examples, the directions of axes 245 and 255 may be separated by fixed angles such as 10 degrees, 20 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, or some other fixed angle (for example, between the outward directions of the sides of satellite 120, between the nominal directions of the curved array of satellite 120).

[0053] In some examples, the receiving array 240 and the transmitting array 250 may have similar cross-sectional areas, the same number of antenna elements, or both. In some other examples, one of the receiving array 240 or the transmitting array 250 may be relatively larger than the other, or may have a relatively large number of antenna elements, or may have a relatively large number of antenna elements, or a combination thereof. For example, the receiving array 240 may be configured to receive signals in a first frequency range, and the transmitting array 250 may be configured to transmit signals in a second frequency range that does not overlap with the first frequency range. In some examples, the receiving array 260 may be configured to receive signals in a third frequency range that does not overlap with the first and second frequency ranges, and the transmitting array 270 may be configured to transmit signals in the third frequency range.

[0054] In an example where the first frequency range is relatively higher than the second frequency range, the receiving array 240 may be relatively smaller than the transmitting array 250, which may be associated with relatively shorter wavelengths at relatively higher frequencies. Similarly, in an example where the third frequency range lies between the first and second frequency ranges, the receiving array 260, the transmitting array 270, or both may be sized between the receiving array 240 and the transmitting array 250. However, in various other implementations, such relative sizing or quantities of antenna elements may be reversed or otherwise different among the receiving array 240, the transmitting array 250, the receiving array 260, and the transmitting array 270 (for example, depending on the relative frequencies supported by each array). Additionally, or alternatively, the relative sizing or quantity of antenna elements may be balanced among the receiving array 240, transmitting array 250, receiving array 260, and transmitting array 270 based on other criteria, such as link balancing or biasing via satellite 120-a, among other balancing methods (e.g., balancing performance characteristics between forward link communications and return link communications, biasing performance characteristics to support relatively high forward link throughput, balancing performance characteristics between gateway terminals and user terminals, such as relevant antenna characteristics).

[0055] In some examples, the receiving array 240, the transmitting array 250, or both may have a triangular cross-section. For example, when sharing a face of satellite 120-a, dividing the surface area of ​​the face into triangles may support the receiving array 240 and the transmitting array 250 having more uniform beamforming characteristics than if the surface area were divided into adjacent rectangles or other shapes. In some other examples, the area of ​​the shared face of satellite 120-a may be divided into rectangular cross-sections or other shapes for the receiving array 240 and the transmitting array 250, and during operation, satellite 120-a may be rotated so that any beamforming or other signaling asymmetries can be favorably aligned along a particular direction of rotation. For example, the relatively long dimensions of the receiving array 240 or the transmitting array 250 may be aligned along a particular direction, such as the direction of separation between beams 125, which may reduce beamforming scan losses at angles with respect to axes 245 and 255, or with respect to the z-direction of satellite 120-a.

[0056] A receiving system on satellite 120-a (for example, a receiving system including a receiving antenna system, an uplink antenna system, a receiving array 240, a crosslink receiving antenna system, a receiving array 260) may support receiving beam signals (for example, uplink signal 132, uplink signal 173, crosslink signal 175, signal 183 via beam 125) from one or more target devices, such as one or more user terminals 150, one or more gateway terminals 130, another satellite 120, satellite 180, or a combination thereof. For example, the receiving array 240 may include one or more receiving elements (for example, receiving antenna elements, receiving power-feeding elements) located on a side 215 configured to receive signaling from a target device, and the receiving array 260 may include one or more receiving elements on a side 211 configured to receive signaling from a target device.

[0057] In some implementations, the receiving elements of the receiving array 240 may support the reception of their respective component signals associated with different polarizations and may be associated with, or include, respective ports (e.g., one or more ports, each an input port, each an output port) configured for component signals associated with a particular polarization. For example, a set of receiving elements of the receiving array 240 may receive first component signals (e.g., electromagnetic component signals) of a first received beam signal, each first component signal having a first polarization. The received first component signals may be converted (e.g., to electrical signals, to electrical component signals) and output using a set of first antenna element ports (e.g., output ports). Thus, at least some of the receiving elements may receive a portion or component of a first received beam signal and output the associated electrical signals (e.g., to a first received beamforming network corresponding to the first polarization) from their respective first ports. In some examples, a set of receiving elements may also receive a second component signal of a second received beam signal, each second component signal having a second polarization (e.g., different from the first polarization and orthogonal to the first polarization). The received second component signals may be transformed and output using a set of second antenna element ports. Thus, at least some of the receiving elements may also receive a portion or component of the second received beam signal and output the associated electrical signal (e.g., to a second received beamforming network corresponding to the second polarization) from their respective second ports.

[0058] In some implementations, the receiving elements of the receiving array 260 may support the reception of each component signal associated with crosslink polarization (e.g., single polarization for signals received from another satellite 120 or satellite 180), which may be the same as or a different type of polarization as one of the first or second polarizations associated with the receiving elements of the receiving array 240. For example, a set of receiving elements of the receiving array 260 may receive third component signals of a third received beam signal, each third component signal having crosslink polarization. In some other examples, the crosslink signaling supported by satellite 120-a may not be polarized. The received third component signals may be transformed and output using a set of third antenna element ports (e.g., output ports). Thus, at least some of the receiving elements of the receiving array 260 may receive a portion or component of a third received beam signal and output the associated electrical signals (e.g., to a third received beamforming network corresponding to the crosslink polarization or its absence) from their respective third ports.

[0059] In some examples, the receiving array 240 may be configured to receive signaling according to a first polarization associated with forward link communication and according to a second polarization associated with return link communication, in which case the first polarization may be orthogonal to the second polarization. For example, the first polarization may be an example of LHCP and the second polarization may be an example of RHCP. Additionally or alternatively, the first and second polarizations may be linearly polarized, such as the first polarization having vertical polarization and the second polarization having horizontal polarization. The crosslink polarizations supported by the receiving array 260 may be LHCP, RHCP, vertical polarization, or horizontal polarization.

[0060] One or more receiving systems of satellite 120-a may include one or more beamforming networks that can be configured to support directional reception via a receiving array 240 (for example, via multiple antenna elements of the receiving array 240) for axis 245, or via a receiving array 260 (for example, via multiple antenna elements of the receiving array 260) for axis 265. For example, each such beamforming network of one or more receiving systems may be configured to output one or more beam signals according to their respective beams 125 (for example, the receiving beams) using component signals from a set of receiving elements of the receiving array 240 or from a set of receiving elements of the receiving array 260.

[0061] In some implementations, one or more receiving systems of satellite 120-a may include a first beamforming network coupled to the output of a first set of antenna element ports (e.g., associated with a receiving array 240), which may receive a first set of component signals (e.g., forward link component signals) from the first set of antenna element ports. The first beamforming network may output a single beam signal (e.g., a forward link beam signal) associated with a first polarization to a transponder (e.g., a forward link transponder, a forward link signal path, part of a transponder system), which may route the beam signal to a transmitting system, such as a transmitting system including a transmitting array 250 and a transmitting array 270. In some implementations, one or more receiving systems may also include a second beamforming network coupled to the output of a second set of antenna element ports (e.g., associated with a receiving array 240), which may receive a second set of component signals (e.g., return link component signals) from the second set of ports. A second beamforming network may output a single beam signal associated with a second polarization (e.g., a return link beam signal) to a transponder (e.g., a return link transponder, a return link signal path, or part of a transponder system), and the transponder may route the beam signal to a transmitting system. In some implementations, the receiving system may also include a third beamforming network coupled with the output of a set of third antenna element ports (e.g., associated with a receiving array 260), and may receive a set of third component signals (e.g., crosslink component signals) from the set of third ports. The third beamforming network may output a single beam signal associated with a crosslink polarization (e.g., a crosslink beam signal) to a transponder (e.g., a crosslink signal path, or part of a transponder system), and the transponder may route the beam signal to a transmitting system.

[0062] The transmitting systems of satellite 120-a (e.g., transmitting antenna systems, downlink antenna systems, transmitting array 250, crosslink transmitting antenna systems, transmitting array 270) may support transmitting beam signals (e.g., downlink signal 133, downlink signal 172, crosslink signal 175, signal 183 via beam 125) to one or more target devices such as one or more user terminals 150, one or more gateway terminals 130, another satellite 120, satellite 180, or a combination thereof. For example, the transmitting array 250 may include one or more transmitting elements (e.g., transmitting antenna elements, transmitting feed elements) located on a side 215 configured to transmit signaling to target devices, and the transmitting array 270 may include one or more transmitting elements on a side 212 configured to transmit signaling from target devices. The transmitting antenna elements may include physical transducers that convert electrical signals (e.g., electrical component signals) into electromagnetic signals (e.g., electromagnetic component signals).

[0063] The transmitting system of satellite 120-a may include one or more beamforming networks (e.g., transmit beamforming networks) that can be configured to support directional transmission with respect to axis 255 via transmit array 250 (e.g., via multiple antenna elements of transmit array 250) or to support directional transmission with respect to axis 275 via transmit array 270 (e.g., via multiple antenna elements of transmit array 270). For example, each such beamforming network of the transmitting system may be configured to transmit one or more beam signals according to their respective beams 125 (e.g., transmit beams) using component signals that are output to a set of transmit elements of transmit array 250 or a set of transmit elements of transmit array 270.

[0064] In some implementations, the transmitting system may include a first beamforming network coupled to the inputs of a first set of antenna element ports (e.g., of the transmitting array 250). The first beamforming network may receive, for example, a single beam signal associated with a first polarization (e.g., a transmit beam signal, a forward link beam signal) from a transponder, and the transponder may route the beam signal from one or more receiving systems, including receiving arrays 240 and 260. The first beamforming network may output a set of first component signals (e.g., a forward link component signal) to a first set of antenna element ports for transmitting a single beam 125 associated with the first polarization. In some implementations, the transmitting system may also include a second beamforming network coupled to the inputs of a second set of antenna element ports (e.g., of the transmitting array 250). The second beamforming network may receive, for example, a single beam signal associated with a second polarization (e.g., a return link beam signal) from a transponder, and the transponder may route the beam signal from one or more receiving systems. A second beamforming network may output a set of second component signals (e.g., return link component signals) to a second set of antenna element ports for transmitting a single beam 125 associated with a second polarization. In some implementations, the transmitting system may also include a third beamforming network coupled to the inputs of a third set of antenna element ports (e.g., of the transmitting array 270). The third beamforming network may receive a single beam signal (e.g., a crosslink beam signal) from, for example, a transponder, which may route the beam signal from one or more receiving systems. The third beamforming network may output a set of third component signals (e.g., crosslink component signals) to a third set of antenna element ports for transmitting a single beam 125 (e.g., associated with crosslink polarization or its absence).

[0065] In some implementations, the transmitting elements of the transmitting array 250 may support the transmission of their respective component signals associated with different polarizations and may be associated with, or include, respective ports (e.g., their respective input ports, their respective output ports) configured for component signals associated with specific polarizations. For example, a set of transmitting elements may use a set of first antenna element ports (e.g., input ports) to receive a first component signal of a first transmit beam signal (e.g., a forward link beam signal) (e.g., an electrical component signal from a first transmit beamforming network corresponding to a first polarization), and the first component signal may be converted by the transmitting elements into an electromagnetic signal (e.g., an electromagnetic component signal) transmitted by the transmitting elements according to the first polarization. Thus, at least some of the transmitting elements may receive a portion or component of the first transmit beam signal and transmit the associated electromagnetic signal having the first polarization. In some examples, a set of transmitting elements may use a set of second antenna element ports (e.g., input ports) to receive a second component signal of a second transmit beam signal (e.g., a return link beam signal) (e.g., from a second transmit beamforming network corresponding to a second polarization), and the second component signal may be converted by the transmitting elements into an electromagnetic signal transmitted by the transmitting elements according to the second polarization. Thus, at least a portion of the transmitting elements may also receive a portion or component of the second transmit beam signal and transmit an associated electromagnetic signal having a second polarization (e.g., different from the first polarization and orthogonal to the first polarization).

[0066] In some examples, the transmitting array 250 may transmit signaling according to a first polarization associated with forward link communication (e.g., signaling to user terminal 150) and a second polarization associated with return link communication (e.g., signaling to gateway terminal 130), in which case the first polarization may be orthogonal to the second polarization. For example, the first polarization may be an example of LHCP, and the second polarization may be an example of RHCP. Additionally or alternatively, the first and second polarizations may be linearly polarized, such as the first polarization having vertical polarization and the second polarization having horizontal polarization. In some implementations, the transmitting array 250 may implement the same polarization as the receiving array 240 for forward communication (e.g., LHCP for the forward link) and the same polarization as the receiving array 240 for return communication (e.g., RHCP for the return link). In some other implementations, the transmitting array 250 may implement different polarizations as the receiving array 240 or the receiving array 260 or both for forward communication, or for return communication, or both. In various examples, the transmitting array 270 may transmit crosslink signaling according to or without crosslink polarization.

[0067] In some implementations, satellite 120-a may include additional components to support wireless communication with other devices, such as gateway terminal 130, user terminal 150, other satellites 120, or satellite 180. For example, satellite 120-a may include patch antenna 284 (e.g., S-band patch antenna), omnidirectional antenna 282 (e.g., omnidirectional antenna), or both, which may support communication (e.g., transmit control signaling, receive control signaling) in a limited frequency range (e.g., 2GHz to 4GHz, not overlapping with or distinctly different from receive array 240, transmit array 250, receive array 260, and transmit array 270). In some examples, one or more of such antennas may communicate control signaling (e.g., via the control band), such as scheduling information, orbit adjustment information, and others. Additionally, or alternatively, the patch antenna 284, the omni-antenna 282, or both, may support transmitting or receiving signal 182, receiving uplink signal 132, receiving uplink signal 173, transmitting downlink signal 133, transmitting downlink signal 172, transmitting or receiving crosslink signal 175, or any combination thereof, among other examples. In some examples, the patch antenna 284, the omni-antenna 282, or both may be located on a side of satellite 120-a different from the receiving array 240 and the transmitting array 250, for example, side 211 or side 216 (for example, on the opposite side from the receiving array 240 and the transmitting array 250).

[0068] In some implementations, satellite 120-a may include a tracking system 280 (e.g., a star tracker) to support the detection of telemetry information of satellite 120-a. For example, the tracking system 280 may measure the position of a star or other object to determine the location of satellite 120-a, the velocity of satellite 120-a, the orientation of satellite 120-a, or any combination thereof. In some examples, satellite 120-a may use the characteristics of satellite 120-a determined by the tracking system 280 to determine or calculate its orbital path or other telemetry information, transmit telemetry information (e.g., using a telemetry beacon), or use the telemetry information to control the orientation of satellite 120-a (e.g., using an angular momentum system), or determine the direction of each of one or more beams 125, among other implementations.

[0069] In some implementations, satellite 120-a may include one or more components that support the control of satellite 120-a's orbital parameters. For example, satellite 120-a may, in some examples, include one or more thrusters 286 that may be located on a side of satellite 120-a different from the receiving array 240, transmitting array 250, receiving array 260, and transmitting array 270 (e.g., side 216), or on one or more other sides. The thrusters 286 may be operable to correct the orbital path of satellite 120-a. Additionally or alternatively, satellite 120-a may include an angular momentum system (e.g., inside satellite 120-a, not shown) that is operable to orient satellite 120-a around one or more axes (e.g., rotate it) (for example, to align one or more sides of satellite 120-a along one or more target directions, and to align axis 245, axis 255, axis 265, axis 275, or a combination thereof along one or more target directions).

[0070] Satellite 120-a may include a control system to support various operations of satellite 120-a. For example, such a control system may constitute a directional receiver, a directional transmit, or both, such as correcting beam weighting or beam hopping in one or more beamforming networks of the receiver system, the transmit system, or both. Additionally or alternatively, such a control system may be configured to modify the orbital characteristics of satellite 120-a (e.g., in conjunction with activating transponder signal paths and configuring beamforming parameters), for example, to correct the alignment of satellite 120-a (e.g., using the angular momentum system of satellite 120-a to body-steering the satellite to align satellite faces such as side 215, side 211, or side 212 along various directions, or antenna systems such as axes 245, 255, 265, or 275), or to change the orbital path itself (e.g., using thrusters 286 to change the altitude of satellite 120-a, redirect the orbital path of satellite 120-a). In various implementations, such a control system may operate based on a configuration on satellite 120-a (e.g., pre-configuration, hardware configuration, software configuration), based on signaling received on satellite 120-a (e.g., via signal 132, via signal 173, via signal 183, via receiving array 240, via patch antenna 284, via omni antenna 282, from a network controller, from a terminal, command signaling, parameter signaling, commands), based on detections on satellite 120-a (e.g., characteristics of satellite 120-a, signal quality characteristics, characteristics of communications relayed by satellite 120-a, environmental characteristics, sensor measurements, communication measurements), or any combination thereof.

[0071] In some examples, the receiving array 240 and the transmitting array 250 may be configured for communication with a terminal on the ground segment, but the receiving array 240 and the transmitting array 250 may additionally or alternatively be configured for communication with or through another satellite, such as another satellite 120 or another satellite 180. For example, to support a GEO link (e.g., a LEO-GEO link), satellite 120-a may support wireless communication by receiving a signal 183 using the receiving array 240, or by transmitting a signal 183 using the transmitting array 250, or both (e.g., via their respective beams 125). In some examples, such a technique may be supported by aligning the positive z-direction of satellite 120-a toward satellite 180 (e.g., a geosynchronous satellite, with respect to at least a portion of satellite 120-a's orbital path).

[0072] Figures 3A and 3B show an example of satellite 120-b supporting beamsplitting in a satellite communications system, as disclosed herein. Satellite 120-b may be configured to be deployed within a NGSO and may support various aspects of the techniques described in communications system 100. For example, satellite 120-b may support targeting functionality for receiving and transmitting beam signals, which may enable the relatively small size and relatively low complexity of satellite 120-b. In some examples, the relatively small size of satellite 120-b may, among other factors, support the relatively low cost and overhead associated with deploying satellite 120-b in communications system 100. For example, multiple satellites 120-b may be deployed from the same launch payload rather than launching and deploying satellites 120-b individually. While some techniques are described with reference to satellite 120-b operating within a NGSO, in some other examples, one or more of the techniques described may be implemented in satellite 120 or satellite 180 operating in geostationary orbit, among other implementation aspects.

[0073] Satellite 120-b may generally have a prism shape and can be described with reference to the x, y, and z directions of coordinate system 300. Satellite 120-b may include a body portion 310 having sides (for example, surfaces that may be planar or curved), which may include sides 311, 312, 313, 314, 315, and 316. In some examples, the sides of satellite 120-b may be orthogonal, but in some other examples, the sides of satellite 120-b may be in different orientations, such as satellite 120-b having a trapezoidal prism shape, a rhombic prism shape, a hexagonal prism shape, an octagonal prism shape, or other shapes.

[0074] In some examples, satellite 120-b may include one or more panels 320 that are deployable from the main body portion 310, such as panels 320-a and 320-b, which are rotatably coupled to the main body portion 310 using hinges 325. In some implementations, panels 320 may mount one or more solar elements 330, which may be positioned on one or both sides of each panel 320 and may provide power to the operating components of satellite 120-b. For example, satellite 120-b may include a first solar panel array configured to deploy from a side portion 313 and a second solar panel array configured to deploy from a side portion 314. In some examples, the control system for satellite 120-b may use hinges 325 to manage the deployment of the panels 320.

[0075] Satellite 120-b may support wireless communication between ground terminals by, for example, using a receiving array 240-a to receive uplink signaling (e.g., forward uplink signaling, return uplink signaling, uplink signal 132, uplink signal 173) and using a transmitting array 250-a to transmit downlink signaling. For example, the receiving array 240-a may be configured to receive signaling from a ground terminal, and the transmitting array 250-a may be configured to transmit signaling to a ground terminal. In some examples, the receiving array 240-a or the transmitting array 250-a may be configured according to one or more embodiments of the receiving array 240 or the transmitting array 250, respectively (for example, similar to satellite 120-a), as described with reference to Figures 2A and 2B.

[0076] Satellite 120-b may also support wireless communication with or via other satellites 120 or 180 by, for example, receiving crosslink signaling using a receiving array 260-a (e.g., a crosslink receiving array), and, in some examples, transmitting crosslink signaling using a transmitting array 250-a (e.g., as a combined downlink and crosslink array). For example, satellite 120-b may use transmitting array 250-a as a downlink array (e.g., to transmit downlink signals), and additionally or alternatively, use the same transmitting array 250-a as a crosslink transmitting array (e.g., to transmit signal 175, to transmit signal 183 to satellite 180 as a GEO link). By using transmitting array 250-a as both a downlink array and a crosslink transmitting array, satellite 120-b may communicate crosslink signals without including a dedicated crosslink transmitting array (e.g., without transmitting array 270), thereby including a single high-power transmitting array. Since signal transmission can be associated with relatively high power consumption, using a single transmit array 250-a may therefore allow satellite 120-b to operate according to reduced power consumption or reduced heat generation, potentially resulting in reduced cost, reduced weight, reduced complexity, and improved packaging considerations compared to satellite 120 (e.g., satellite 120-a) having a dedicated cross-link transmit array. Additionally, using a single transmit array 250-a may improve or simplify the design of satellite 120-b by allowing greater flexibility in positioning (e.g., fixing) components such as the receive array 240-a, transmit array 250-a, and receive array 260-a.

[0077] The receiving array 240-a, transmitting array 250-a, and receiving array 260-a may be physically positioned on satellite 120-b (for example, they may be located on satellite 120-b, or they may be fixed to satellite 120-b) to support efficient communication of beam signals (for example, via beam 125) with user terminal 150, gateway terminal 130, and other satellites 120 or satellite 180. For example, both the receiving array 240-a and the transmitting array 250-a may be located on side 315 of satellite 120-b, and the receiving array 260-a may be located on side 316 of satellite 120-b (e.g., a second side of satellite 120-b, opposite to the receiving array 240-a and the transmitting array 250-a), or on another side of satellite 120-b different from the side containing the receiving array 240-a and the transmitting array 250-a (e.g., side 311, side 312, side 313, side 314) (e.g., providing a second side of satellite 120-b for signal reception).

[0078] To support communication with the ground segment 101 using the receiving array 240-a, the transmitting array 250-a, or both, satellite 120-b may be oriented such that its side 315 (e.g., nominal direction of side 315, axis of side 315, positive z direction of satellite 120-b) is aligned toward the Earth (e.g., toward the service area, toward the location of the service area). Additionally, or alternatively, to support communication with one or more other satellites 120 or satellite 180 using the receiving array 260-a, the transmitting array 250-a, or both, satellite 120-b may be oriented such that its side 315, or side 316, or both, is generally aligned toward another satellite 120 or satellite 180 (e.g., within the scan range of the beamformer of the associated array).

[0079] The receiving array 240-a, the transmitting array 250-a, and the receiving array 260-a can each be associated with an axis that may be the nominal direction of their respective arrays (e.g., nominal axis, boresight axis, boresight direction, outward direction). In some examples, such nominal directions can be associated with the directions of the array's peak gain capability (e.g., direction of maximum radiated power, direction of maximum received sensitivity, direction of minimum strain). For example, the receiving array 240-a may be associated with axis 245-a, and the transmitting array 250-a may be associated with axis 255-a, and each of the axes can be aligned along the positive z-direction from satellite 120-b (e.g., along the direction fixed to the main body portion 310, along the direction from the side portion 315, along the parallel direction). Thus, aligning the receiving array 240-a, the transmitting array 250-a, or both toward the target can be associated with orienting satellite 120-b such that the positive z-direction is aligned toward the target. Additionally, the receiving array 260-a may be associated with axis 265-a, which can be aligned along the negative z-direction from satellite 120-b (e.g., in the direction parallel to axis 245-a, in the direction parallel to axis 255-a, and in the direction different from axes 245-a and 255-a). In some implementations, aligning the receiving array 260-a toward a target (e.g., a second target, along the direction of the second target) may, additionally or alternatively, be associated with orienting satellite 120-b such that the negative z-direction is aligned toward the target.

[0080] Therefore, satellite 120-b illustrates an example in which the receiving array 240-a (e.g., axis 245-a) and the transmitting array 250-a (e.g., axis 255-a) may be oriented along one direction, and the receiving array 260-a (e.g., axis 265-a) may be oriented along a different direction, providing different degrees of flexibility for oriented beam 125. In the example of satellite 120-b, the direction of axis 265-a is separated by 180 degrees from the directions of axes 245-a and 255-a (e.g., pointing in opposite directions), but in some other examples following the technique described, the direction of axis 265-a may be separated from the directions of axes 245-a and 255-a at different angles such as 45 degrees, 60 degrees, 90 degrees, 120 degrees, 135 degrees, etc. (e.g., as fixed separation angles between arrays). Furthermore, such techniques may be supported by non-planar surfaces of satellite 120, or fixed arrays of antenna elements, such as one or more curved arrays or arrays of other shapes associated with axes 245-a, 255-a and 265-a (for example, in the case of satellite 120 having one or more curved surfaces, such as cylindrical or spherical surfaces). Furthermore, in the example of satellite 120-b, axes 245-a and 255-a are parallel, but in some other examples, the directions of axes 245-a and 255-a may be separated by fixed angles such as 10 degrees, 20 degrees, 30 degrees, 45 degrees, or some other fixed angle (for example, between the outward directions of the sides of satellite 120, between the nominal directions of the curved array of satellite 120).

[0081] A receiving system for satellite 120-b (e.g., a receiving antenna system, an uplink antenna system, a receiving system including a receiving array 240-a, a crosslink receiving antenna system, a receiving system including a receiving array 260-a) may support receiving beam signals (e.g., uplink signal 132, uplink signal 173, crosslink signal 175, signal 183 via beam 125) from one or more target devices, such as one or more user terminals 150, one or more gateway terminals 130, another satellite 120, satellite 180, or a combination thereof. For example, a receiving array 240-a may include one or more receiving elements (e.g., receiving antenna elements, receiving feed elements) located on a side 315 configured to receive signaling from a target device, and a receiving array 260-a may include one or more receiving elements on a side 316 configured to receive signaling from a target device.

[0082] In some implementations, the receiving elements of the receiving array 240-a may support the reception of their respective component signals associated with different polarizations and may be associated with, or include, respective ports (e.g., one or more ports, each an input port, each an output port) configured for component signals associated with a particular polarization. For example, a set of receiving elements of the receiving array 240-a may receive first component signals (e.g., electromagnetic component signals) of a first received beam signal, each first component signal having a first polarization. The received first component signals may be converted (e.g., to electrical signals, to electrical component signals) and output using a set of first antenna element ports (e.g., output ports). Thus, at least some of the receiving elements may receive a portion or component of a first received beam signal and output the associated electrical signals (e.g., to a first received beamforming network corresponding to the first polarization) from their respective first ports. In some examples, a set of receiving elements may also receive a second component signal of a second received beam signal, each second component signal having a second polarization (e.g., different from the first polarization and orthogonal to the first polarization). The received second component signals may be transformed and output using a set of second antenna element ports. Thus, at least some of the receiving elements may also receive a portion or component of the second received beam signal and output the associated electrical signal (e.g., to a second received beamforming network corresponding to the second polarization) from their respective second ports.

[0083] In some implementations, the receiving elements of the receiving array 260-a may support the reception of each component signal associated with a crosslink polarization (e.g., a single polarization for a signal received from another satellite 120 or satellite 180), which may be the same as one of the first or second polarizations associated with the receiving elements of the receiving array 240-a. For example, a set of receiving elements of the receiving array 260-a may receive third component signals of a third received beam signal, each third component signal having a crosslink polarization. The received third component signals may be transformed and output using a set of third antenna element ports (e.g., output ports). Thus, at least some of the receiving elements of the receiving array 260-a may receive a portion or component of a third received beam signal and output the associated electrical signals from their respective third ports (e.g., to a third received beamforming network corresponding to the crosslink polarization).

[0084] In some examples, the receiving array 240-a may be configured to receive signaling according to a first polarization associated with forward link communication and according to a second polarization associated with return link communication, in which case the first polarization may be orthogonal to the second polarization. For example, the first polarization may be an example of LHCP and the second polarization may be an example of RHCP. In various examples, the crosslink polarization supported by the receiving array 260-a may therefore be either LHCP or RHCP. Additionally or alternatively, the first and second polarizations may be linearly polarized, such as the first polarization having vertical polarization and the second polarization having horizontal polarization, and therefore the crosslink polarization supported by the receiving array 260-a may be either vertical or horizontal polarization.

[0085] One or more receiving systems of satellite 120-b may include one or more beamforming networks that can be configured to support directional reception with respect to axis 245-a via receiving array 240-a (for example, via multiple antenna elements of receiving array 240-a) or to support directional reception with respect to axis 265-a via receiving array 260-a (for example, via multiple antenna elements of receiving array 260-a). For example, each such beamforming network of one or more receiving systems may be configured to output one or more beam signals according to their respective beams 125 (for example, the receiving beams) using component signals from the set of receiving elements of receiving array 240-a or from the set of receiving elements of receiving array 260-a.

[0086] In some implementations, one or more receiving systems of satellite 120-b may include a first beamforming network coupled to the output of a first set of antenna element ports (e.g., associated with receiving array 240-a), which may receive a first set of component signals (e.g., forward link component signals) from the first set of antenna element ports. The first beamforming network may output a single beam signal (e.g., a forward link beam signal) associated with the first polarization to, for example, a transponder (e.g., a forward link transponder, to a forward link signal path, to part of a transponder system), which may route the beam signal to a transmitting system, such as a transmitting system including transmitting array 250-a. In some implementations, one or more receiving systems may also include a second beamforming network coupled to the output of a second set of antenna element ports (e.g., associated with receiving array 240-a), which may receive a second set of component signals (e.g., return link component signals) from the second set of ports. A second beamforming network may output a single beam signal associated with a second polarization (e.g., a return link beam signal) to a transponder (e.g., a return link transponder, a return link signal path, or part of a transponder system), and the transponder may route the beam signal to a transmitting system, such as a transmitting system including a transmitting array 250-a. In some implementations, the receiving system may also include a third beamforming network coupled with the output of a set of third antenna element ports (e.g., associated with a receiving array 260-a), which may receive a set of third component signals (e.g., crosslink component signals) from the set of third ports.A third beamforming network may output a single beam signal associated with crosslink polarization (e.g., a crosslink beam signal) to a transponder (e.g., to a cross-signal path, to part of a transponder system), and the transponder may route the beam signal to a transmitting system, such as a transmitting system including a transmitting array 250-a.

[0087] The transmitting system of satellite 120-b (for example, a transmitting antenna system, a combined crosslink / downlink antenna system, and a transmitting array 250-a) may support transmitting beam signals (for example, downlink signals 133, downlink signals 172, and crosslink signals 175 via beam 125) to one or more target devices, such as one or more user terminals 150, one or more gateway terminals 130, or a combination thereof. For example, the transmitting array 250-a may include one or more transmitting elements (for example, transmitting antenna elements, transmitting feed elements) located on a side 315 configured to transmit signaling to target devices. The transmitting antenna elements may include physical transducers that convert electrical signals (for example, electrical component signals) into electromagnetic signals (for example, electromagnetic component signals).

[0088] The transmitting system of satellite 120-b may include one or more beamforming networks (e.g., transmit beamforming networks) that can be configured to support directional transmission with respect to axis 255-a via transmit array 250-a (e.g., via multiple antenna elements of transmit array 250-a). For example, each such beamforming network of the transmitting system may be configured to transmit one or more beam signals according to their respective beams 125 (e.g., transmit beams) using component signals output to a set of transmit elements of transmit array 250-a.

[0089] In some implementations, the transmitting system may include a first beamforming network coupled to the inputs of a first set of antenna element ports. The first beamforming network may receive, for example, a single beam signal associated with a first polarization (e.g., a transmit beam signal, a forward-link beam signal, or a cross-link beam signal) from a transponder, and the transponder may route the beam signal from one or more receiving systems, including receiving arrays 240-a and 260-a. The first beamforming network may output a set of first component signals (e.g., a forward-link component signal or a cross-link component signal) to the first set of antenna element ports for transmitting a single beam 125 associated with the first polarization. In some implementations, the transmitting system may also include a second beamforming network coupled to the inputs of a second set of antenna element ports. The second beamforming network may receive, for example, a single beam signal associated with a second polarization (e.g., a return-link beam signal) from a transponder, and the transponder may route the beam signal from one or more receiving systems. A second beamforming network may output a set of second component signals (e.g., return link component signals) to a set of second antenna element ports for transmitting a single beam 125 associated with a second polarization.

[0090] In some implementations, the transmitting elements of the transmitting array 250-a may support the transmission of their respective component signals associated with different polarizations and may be associated with, or include, respective ports (e.g., their respective input ports, their respective output ports) configured for component signals associated with a particular polarization. For example, a set of transmitting elements may use a set of first antenna element ports (e.g., input ports) to receive a first component signal (e.g., an electrical component signal from a first transmitting beamforming network corresponding to a first polarization) of a first transmitting beam signal (e.g., a forward link signal, a cross link signal), and the first component signal may be converted by the transmitting elements into an electromagnetic signal (e.g., an electromagnetic component signal) transmitted by the transmitting elements according to the first polarization. Thus, at least some of the transmitting elements may receive a portion or component of the first transmitting beam signal and transmit the associated electromagnetic signal having the first polarization. In some examples, a set of transmitting elements may use a set of second antenna element ports (e.g., input ports) to receive a second component signal of a second transmit beam signal (e.g., a return link beam signal) (e.g., from a second transmit beamforming network corresponding to a second polarization), and the second component signal may be converted by the transmitting elements into an electromagnetic signal transmitted by the transmitting elements according to the second polarization. Thus, at least a portion of the transmitting elements may also receive a portion or component of the second transmit beam signal and transmit an associated electromagnetic signal having a second polarization (e.g., different from the first polarization and orthogonal to the first polarization).

[0091] In some examples, the transmitting array 250-a may transmit signaling according to a first polarization associated with forward link communication (e.g., signaling to user terminal 150) and cross-link communication (e.g., to another satellite 120, to satellite 180) and a second polarization associated with return link communication (e.g., signaling to gateway terminal 130), in which case the first polarization may be orthogonal to the second polarization. For example, the first polarization may be an example of LHCP and the second polarization may be an example of RHCP. Additionally or alternatively, the first and second polarizations may be linearly polarized, such as the first polarization having vertical polarization and the second polarization having horizontal polarization. In some implementations, the transmitting array 250-a may implement the same polarization as the receiving arrays 240-a and 260-a for forward and crosslink communications (e.g., LHCP for forward or crosslink), and the same polarization as the receiving array 240-a for return communications (e.g., RHCP for return links). In some other implementations, the transmitting array 250-a may implement a different polarization for forward communications, or for return communications, or both, as the receiving arrays 240-a and 260-a or both.

[0092] In some implementations, satellite 120-b may include additional components to support wireless communication with other devices, such as gateway terminal 130, user terminal 150, other satellites 120, or satellite 180. For example, satellite 120-b may include patch antenna 284-a (e.g., S-band patch antenna), omnidirectional antenna 282-a (e.g., omnidirectional antenna), or both, which may support communication (e.g., transmit control signaling, receive control signaling) in a limited frequency range (e.g., 2GHz to 4GHz, not overlapping with or distinctly different from receive array 240-a, transmit array 250-a, and receive array 260-a). In some examples, the patch antenna 284-a, the omni-antenna 282-a, or both may be located on a side of satellite 120-b different from the receiving array 240-a and the transmitting array 250-a, for example, side 311 or side 316 (for example, on the opposite side from the receiving array 240-a and the transmitting array 250-a).

[0093] In some implementations, satellite 120-b may include a tracking system 280-a (e.g., a star tracker) to support the detection of telemetry information of satellite 120-b. The tracking system 280-a may be located on a plane of satellite 120-b that is different from the plane containing the receiving array 240-a, the transmitting array 250-a, or the receiving array 260-a, such as being located on the side 312.

[0094] In some implementations, satellite 120-b may include one or more components that support the control of satellite 120-b's orbital parameters. For example, satellite 120-b may include, in some examples, one or more thrusters 286-a that may be located on a side of satellite 120-b different from the receiving array 240-a, transmitting array 250-a, and receiving array 260-a (e.g., side 311), or on one or more other sides. Additionally or alternatively, satellite 120-b may include an angular momentum system (e.g., inside satellite 120-b, not shown) that is operable to orient satellite 120-b around one or more axes (e.g., to rotate it) (e.g., to align one or more sides of satellite 120-b along one or more target directions, such as axis 245-a, axis 255-a, axis 265-a, or a combination thereof).

[0095] Satellite 120-b may include a control system to support various operations of satellite 120-b. For example, such a control system may constitute a directional receiver, a directional transmit, or both, such as correcting beam weighting or beam hopping in one or more beamforming networks of the receiver system, the transmit system, or both. Additionally or alternatively, such a control system may be configured to modify the orbital characteristics of satellite 120-b (e.g., in conjunction with activating transponder signal paths and configuring beamforming parameters), for example, to correct the alignment of satellite 120-b (e.g., using the angular momentum system of satellite 120-b to body-steering the satellite to align the satellite's faces, such as side 315 or side 316, along various directions, or antenna systems, such as axes 245-a, 255-a, or 265-a), or to change the orbital path itself (e.g., using thruster 386-a to change the altitude of satellite 120-b, redirecting the orbital path of satellite 120-b). In various implementations, such a control system may operate based on the configuration on satellite 120-b (e.g., pre-configuration, hardware configuration, software configuration), based on signaling received on satellite 120-b (e.g., via signal 132, via signal 173, via signal 183, via receiving array 240-a, via patch antenna 384, via omni antenna 382, ​​from a network controller, from a terminal, command signaling, parameter signaling, commands), based on detections on satellite 120-b (e.g., characteristics of satellite 120-b, signal quality characteristics, characteristics of communications relayed by satellite 120-b, environmental characteristics, sensor measurements, communication measurements), or any combination thereof.

[0096] In some examples, the receiving array 240-a and the transmitting array 250-a may be configured for communication with a terminal on the ground segment, but the receiving array 240-a and the transmitting array 250-a may additionally or alternatively be configured for communication with or through another satellite, such as another satellite 120 or another satellite 180. For example, to support a GEO link, satellite 120-b may support wireless communication by receiving signal 183 using the receiving array 240-a, or by transmitting signal 183 using the transmitting array 250-a, or both (e.g., via their respective beams 125). In some examples, such a technique may be supported by aligning the positive z-direction of satellite 120-b toward satellite 180 (e.g., a geosynchronous satellite, with respect to at least a portion of satellite 120-b's orbital path).

[0097] Figure 4 shows an example of a payload 400 supporting beamsplitting in a satellite communications system, according to examples disclosed herein. The payload 400 may be implemented on satellite 120, such as satellite 120-a or satellite 120-b, among other implementation embodiments. For example, the payload 400 may include a receiving system 405 (e.g., a receiving subsystem, a receiving antenna system), a transmitting system 415 (e.g., a transmitting subsystem, a transmitting antenna system), and a transponder system 410 (e.g., a transponder subsystem, a set of transponders, a set of signal paths, a set of beam signal paths) coupled to the receiving system 405 and the transmitting system 415. The receiving system 405, the transponder system 410, and the transmitting system 415 are bounded by illustrative boundaries, but their components may be distributed differently among other systems or subsystems according to the techniques described.

[0098] The payload 400 may support relaying beam signals (e.g., signals associated with one or more beams 125) to or between one or more terminals on the ground segment 101 (e.g., between gateway terminal 130 and user terminal 150), to or between one or more other satellites (e.g., another satellite 120, satellite 180), or a combination thereof. For example, the receiving system 405 may include a receiving subsystem 407-a (e.g., an uplink subsystem), which may include a receiving array 240-b and include or be coupled with port 406 (e.g., ports 406-a and 406-b, output port, uplink port). The receiving array 240-b may include one or more antenna elements (e.g., receiving elements) located on the side of satellite 120, such as side 215 or side 315. In some examples, the receiving subsystem 407-a may be configured for reception in a first frequency range (e.g., the uplink frequency range, 81–86 GHz). The receiving subsystem 407-a may be operable to acquire and output one or more beam signals (e.g., signals for each beam 125, an uplink beam signal, a received beam signal) based on component signals received through the antenna elements of the receiving array 240-b via ports 406-a and 406-b.

[0099] In some examples (for instance, a payload in satellite 120 supporting crosslink reception using a separate array), the receiving system 405 may also include a receiving subsystem 407-b (e.g., a crosslink receiving subsystem), which may include a receiving array 260-b and include a port 406-c (e.g., a crosslink port), or otherwise be coupled with port 406-c. The receiving array 260-b may include one or more antenna elements (e.g., receiving elements) located on different sides of satellite 120, such as side 211 or side 316 (e.g., a side orthogonal to, opposite, or otherwise different from, the receiving array 240-b). Such a physical arrangement may reduce interference when receiving signals from different target devices along different directions. In some examples, the receiving subsystem 407-b may be configured for reception in a second frequency range (e.g., a crosslink frequency range, 61–66 GHz, or another frequency range that does not overlap with the first frequency range). The receiving subsystem 407-b may be operable to acquire and output beam signals (e.g., beam 125 signal, crosslink beam signal, received beam signal) based on component signals received through the antenna elements of the receiving array 260-b via port 406-c. In some other examples, the receiving subsystem 407-b and associated circuitry may be omitted (e.g., for payloads in satellite 120 that do not support crosslink reception, or for payloads in satellite 120 that support crosslink reception via the receiving subsystem 407-a).

[0100] The transmitting system 415 may include a transmitting subsystem 417-a (for example, a downlink transmitting subsystem), which may include a transmitting array 250-b and include or be coupled with port 416 (for example, ports 416-a and 416-b, an input port, a downlink port). The transmitting array 250-b may include one or more antenna elements (for example, transmitting elements) located on the side of satellite 120, such as side 215 or side 315. In some examples, the transmitting subsystem 417-a may be configured for transmission in at least a third frequency range (for example, at least the downlink frequency range, 71–76 GHz, or another frequency range that does not overlap with the first and second frequency ranges). The transmitting subsystem 417-a may be configured to acquire (for example, via ports 416-a and 416-b) and transmit beam signals (e.g., signals for each beam 125, downlink beam signals) based on component signals transmitted through the antenna elements of the transmitting array 250-b.

[0101] In some implementations (for example, a payload within satellite 120 that supports crosslink transmission using a separate array such as satellite 120-a), the transmitting system 415 may also include a transmitting subsystem 417-b (e.g., a crosslink transmitting subsystem), which may include a transmitting array 270-b, which may include a port 416-c (e.g., a crosslink port) or otherwise be coupled with port 416-c. The transmitting array 270-a may include one or more antenna elements (e.g., transmitting elements) located on a side of satellite 120, such as a side 212 (e.g., opposite to or otherwise different from the receiving array 260-b). Such a physical arrangement may facilitate relaying crosslink signals along a direction different from that which receives uplink signals or transmits downlink signals. In some examples, the transmit subsystem 417-b may be configured for transmission in a second frequency range (e.g., a crosslink frequency range, 61–66 GHz, so that the crosslink frequency range is centered between the uplink frequency range and the downlink frequency range, thereby improving the isolation between different types of signaling and the hardware supporting such signaling). The transmit subsystem 417-b may be operable to acquire (e.g., via port 416-c) and transmit beam signals (e.g., signals for each beam 125, crosslink beam signals) based on component signals transmitted through the antenna elements of the transmit array 270-b.

[0102] In some other implementations (for example, for payloads within satellite 120 that do not support cross-link transmission using a separate array such as satellite 120-b), the transmit array 270-b may be omitted, and signals from ports 412-b and 412-c may be combined to be transmitted along a single signal path of the transmit system 415 (for example, provided to a single shared beamforming network 440-b). For example, if such a combination is considered to be included in the transmit system 415, the signal paths from ports 416-b and 416-c may be combined via the coupler 421-e of the transmit system 415. In some other examples, such a combination may be considered to be included in the transponder system 410, in which case at least the coupler 421-e may be included in the transponder system 410 instead, and the transponder system 410 may be considered to have two ports 412 (e.g., one corresponding to illustrated port 412-a, and one corresponding to the combination of illustrated ports 412-b and 412-c). In these and other examples, the transmitting system 415 may be considered to include two ports 418 (e.g., two input ports, two beam signal ports) illustrated as ports 418-a and 418-b. In some examples, port 418-a may be a downlink signal (e.g., a return downlink beam signal) Port 418-b may be a dedicated port for transmitting signals, and port 418-b may be a shared port capable of transmitting downlink beam signals (e.g., forward downlink beam signals) or crosslink beam signals (e.g., along the forward or return link), or both. In some such examples, a second frequency range (e.g., crosslink frequency range) may be configured to be adjacent (e.g., continuous) to a third frequency range (e.g., downlink frequency range), such as a crosslink frequency range of 66–71 GHz, among other implementations of such frequencies, which may provide improved antenna characteristics compared to the case where such ranges are not adjacent (e.g., extend to a bandwidth greater than 10 GHz).Therefore, in some examples, the transmission subsystem 417-a may be configured for transmission in a second frequency range and a third frequency range.

[0103] The transponder system 410 (for example, a transponder subsystem, a set of transponders, and a set of signal paths between the receiving system 405 and the transmitting system 415) may be operable to couple to port 406 of the receiving system 405 and to receive one or more beam signals from the receiving system 405. For example, the transponder system 410 may include ports 411 (for example, input ports that may be uplink ports, ports 411-a and 411-b, and port 411-c that may be a crosslink port) operable to couple to each of the ports 406 of the receiving system 405. In some other examples, each of the ports 411 and 406 may be referred to as a common port or node, or equivalent. The transponder system 410 may also be operable to couple to port 416 of the transmitting system 415 and to output one or more beam signals to the transmitting system 415. For example, the transponder system 410 may include ports 412 that can operate to couple with each port 416 of the transmitting system 415 (for example, output ports 412-a and 412-b, which may be downlink ports, and port 412-c, which may be a crosslink port). In some other examples, each port 412 and 416 may be referred to as a common port or node, or equivalent. Therefore, in various examples, the transponder system 410 may be considered to include three ports 411 (e.g., three inputs) coupled to each port 406 (e.g., three outputs) of the receiving system 405, and depending on the implementation of the transmitting subsystem 417, the transponder system 410 may be considered to include ports 412 (e.g., three outputs, two outputs) coupled to each port 416 (e.g., three inputs, two inputs) of the transmitting system 415, or ports coupled to each port 418 (e.g., two inputs) of the transmitting system 415.Therefore, the transponder system 410 can connect its port 412 to its port 411 and support various signal paths for performing various intervening signal processing.

[0104] The payload 400 may be capable of operating to support different modes for relaying beam signals (e.g., signaling mode, communication mode, relay mode, signal path mode, signal routing mode, beam signal mode), or combinations of modes. Among other operations of the satellite 120 including the payload 400, such modes may be at least partially controlled (e.g., configured, adjusted, initiated) by a payload control system 460 which may be coupled with at least the receiving system 405, the transponder system 410, and the transmitting system 415 to constitute one or more aspects of each component. For example, among other operations, the control system 460 may support the management of beamforming networks (e.g., beamforming network 420, beamforming network 440), the activation and deactivation of signal paths of the transponder system 410, and the management of satellite alignment (e.g., aligning satellite 120 toward a target, changing the orbital path of satellite 120). The control system 460 may include one or more processors of any number, which may include processors located in the same location within the payload 400 or distributed throughout the payload 400. One or more such processors may be configured to cause the satellite 120 (e.g., the payload 400) to perform the various operations described herein (which may be configured individually or collectively, for example, by software configuration, firmware configuration, hardware configuration, or any combination thereof).

[0105] In various modes, the payload 400 may support relaying crosslink signals (e.g., signaling from or to another satellite 120 or satellite 180), return link signals (e.g., signaling from one or more user terminals 150 to gateway terminal 130), or forward link signals (e.g., signaling from gateway terminal 130 to one or more user terminals 150), or a combination thereof. To support such relaying, the payload 400 may receive component signals (e.g., return uplink component signals as electromagnetic component signals of uplink signal 173, crosslink component signals as electromagnetic component signals of crosslink signal 175) via antenna elements of receiving array 240-b, receiving array 260-b, or both (e.g., receiving antenna elements). In some examples, component signals may be received by antenna elements according to polarizations that may be assigned to specific types of communication. For example, a component signal associated with return link signaling may be associated with a first polarization (e.g., RHCP), a component signal associated with forward link signaling may correspond to a second polarization orthogonal to the first polarization (e.g., LHCP), and a component signal associated with cross-link signaling may correspond to the first polarization, the second polarization, or another polarization, or may not be polarized at all. In some examples, if a component signal is associated with return link signaling or forward link signaling, the component signal may be received in a first frequency range (e.g., 81–86 GHz) (e.g., via receiver array 240-b), and if a component signal is associated with cross-link signaling, the component signal may be received in a second frequency range (e.g., 61–66 GHz) or another frequency range having the same bandwidth as the first frequency range (e.g., via receiver array 260-b).

[0106] The antenna elements of the receiving array 240-b may output their respective first component signals (e.g., electrical component signals associated with the first polarization) to the beamforming network 420-a (e.g., via their respective output ports), and in some examples, their respective second component signals (e.g., associated with the second polarization) may output to the beamforming network 420-b. In some examples, beamforming networks 420-a and 420-b may be referred to as a single beamforming network 420 of the receiving subsystem 407-a, which is configured to support directional reception of each single beam 125 for each of the different polarizations supported by the receiving array 240-b. The antenna elements of the receiving array 260-b may output their respective component signals to the beamforming network 420-c. For at least some of each antenna element, if not all, the beamforming network 420 may apply gain, phase adjustment, or time adjustment, or any combination thereof, to the component signal according to the beamforming direction (for example, the direction of the received beam 125 according to the received beam weight configured by the control system 460) in order to generate a received beam signal (for example, a return link uplink beam signal, a forward link uplink beam signal, or a crosslink beam signal) based on the component signal received from the antenna element.

[0107] Each beamforming network 420 may include outputs 422 that can be configured to output received beam signals to the transponder system 410 (for example, via ports 406-a, 406-b, or 406-c) (e.g., a single output, output 422-a corresponding to the output of the return link uplink beam signal, output 422-b corresponding to the output of the forward link uplink beam signal, and output 422-c corresponding to the output of the crosslink beam signal). In some examples, outputs 422 may be configured to output the received beam signals in the same frequency range in which the component signals were received. In some examples, outputs 422 may be supported by activating their respective amplifiers 465 (e.g., amplifiers 465-a, 465-b, and 465-c) (e.g., by a control system 460).

[0108] The transponder system 410 may include various signal paths between port 411 and port 412. For example, the transponder system 410 may include a first signal path between port 411-b and port 412-b (e.g., for forward uplink-downlink relay), a second signal path between port 411-c and port 412-b (e.g., for forward crosslink-downlink relay), a third signal path between port 411-b and port 412-c (e.g., for forward uplink-crosslink relay), and a fourth signal path between port 411-c and port 412-c (e.g., for crosslink-crosslink relay). The system may include a fifth signal path between port 411-a and port 412-c (for example, for return uplink-crosslink relay), a sixth signal path between port 411-c and port 412-a (for example, for return crosslink-downlink relay), and a seventh signal path between port 411-a and port 412-a (for example, for return uplink-downlink relay), at least some of which may be supported simultaneously by the transponder system 410 (for example, for multidirectional relay).

[0109] In some examples, the transponder system 410 may include one or more switching components 426 having inputs 427 (e.g., input ports) and outputs 428 (e.g., output ports), which may be operable to control coupling between components of various signal paths (for example, implement, configure based on configuring the switching components 426 via a control system 460). For example, the transponder system 410 may include a switching component 426-a (e.g., a single-pole double-throw (SPDT) switch) which may route a signal from input 427-a to output 428-a-1 or output 428-a-2. The transponder system 410 may also include a switching component 426-b (e.g., an SPDT switch) which may route a signal from input 427-b to output 428-b-1 or output 428-b-2. The transponder system 410 may also include a switching component 426-c (for example, a bipolar double-throw (DPDT) switch) which can route a signal from input 427-c-1 or input 427-c-2 to output 428-c-1 or output 428-c-2. The transponder system 410 may also include a switching component 426-d (for example, a single-pole triple-throw (SP3T) switch) which can route a signal from input 427-d to output 428-d-1, output 428-d-2, or output 428-d-3.

[0110] In some examples, the transponder system 410 may include one or more couplers 421 (e.g., signal path junctions) that support passing at least a portion of one or more signals input to the coupler 421 through the coupler 421's output (e.g., providing coupling between components). For example, coupler 421-a may pass a signal from output 428-d-1, a signal from port 411-a, or both to a frequency converter 425-a (e.g., an uplink-IF frequency converter). Coupler 421-b may pass a signal from output 428-d-2, a signal from port 411-b, or both to a frequency converter 425-b (e.g., an uplink-IF frequency converter). Coupler 421-c may pass a signal from output 428-a-2, a signal from output 428-b-2, or both to a frequency converter 436 (e.g., an uplink-IF frequency converter). Coupler 421-d can pass signals from output 428-d-3, or from frequency converter 436, or both, to port 412-c (for example, to beamforming network 440-b via input 442-b). Coupler 421 may include one or more switches (for example, operable using control system 460) to support signal relaying, or it may support signal augmentation (e.g., addition), or both. In some examples, a signal from a single component coupled to coupler 421 may be passed by coupler 421, which may be a result of one or more other components coupled to coupler 421 being disabled (e.g., deactivated, de-energized).

[0111] Each signal path of the transponder system 410 may be coupled (for example, directly, or via amplifier 465, where applicable) to one of the outputs 422 and may be operable to receive a received beam signal from the beamforming network 420 (for example, via port 411). In some implementations, the transponder system 410 may include one or more frequency conversions between port 411 and port 412. For example, the transponder system 410 may receive the received beam signal by down-converting the received beam signal (for example, the uplink beam signal from the receiving subsystem 407-a) from a first frequency range (for example, the uplink frequency range, 81–86 GHz) to the IF range, and generate an IF signal using frequency converters 425 (for example, down-converter, frequency converter 425-a, frequency converter 425-b) that convert the frequency of the IF signal to the IF frequency range. In some examples, the IF frequency range may be 11–16 GHz, or another frequency range having the same bandwidth as the first frequency range. In some cases, to support such frequency conversion, the frequency converter 425 may receive an oscillator signal having a first oscillator frequency (e.g., from switching component 426-c, from input 427-c-2) from a frequency generator 430 or the like (e.g., from switching component 426-c, from input 427-c-2), and may output an IF signal having a frequency corresponding to the difference between the frequency of the received beam signal and the first oscillator frequency.

[0112] Additionally, or alternatively, the transponder system 410 may generate an IF signal by using a frequency converter 425 that receives a second received beam signal and converts the frequency of the second IF signal to the IF frequency range by down-converting the received beam signal (e.g., the crosslink beam signal from the receiving subsystem 407-b) from a second frequency range (e.g., the crosslink frequency range, 61–66 GHz) to an IF frequency range. In some cases, to support such frequency conversion, the frequency converter 425 may receive an oscillator signal having a second oscillator frequency (e.g., 50 GHz, converted from the 61–66 GHz range to the 11–16 GHz range) from a frequency generator 430 or the like (e.g., from a switching component 426-c, from input 427-c-1), and output a second IF signal having a frequency corresponding to the difference between the frequency of the second received beam signal and the second oscillator frequency.

[0113] In some examples, the payload 400 may be considered a processing payload and may include circuits for processing techniques such as analog-to-digital conversion, demodulation, signal extraction, demultiplexing, multiplexing, signal insertion, modulation, digital-to-analog conversion, and other processing techniques. In some such examples, such processing techniques may be implemented in the IF signal between the frequency converter 425 and frequency converters 435 and 436. In some other examples, the payload may be considered an unprocessed payload (e.g., in a vented pipe payload configuration), and the IF signal may be forwarded through the transponder system 410 without such processing techniques.

[0114] Along various signal paths, the transponder system 410 may also upconvert the IF signal from the IF frequency range to another frequency range, such as the downlink frequency range, to generate downlink beam signals (e.g., return-link downlink beam signals, forward-link downlink beam signals), or upconvert it to the crosslink frequency range to generate crosslink beam signals. For example, the transponder system 410 may include frequency converters 435 (e.g., upconverters, frequency converters 435-a and 435-b) that receive the IF signal and convert the frequency of the downlink beam signal to a third frequency range (e.g., the downlink frequency range). In some examples, the third frequency range may be 71–76 GHz, or another frequency range having the same bandwidth as the first frequency range, the second frequency range, the IF frequency range, or a combination thereof. In some implementations, the first and third frequency ranges may not overlap, which can support configurations of a receiving system 405 and a transmitting system 415 (e.g., antenna elements, signal processing hardware) configured according to different operating frequencies, thereby avoiding crosstalk between the transmitting system 415 and the receiving system 405. In some cases, to support such frequency conversion, the frequency converter 435 may receive an oscillator signal having a third oscillator frequency (e.g., 60 GHz, converting from the 11-16 GHz range to the 71-76 GHz range), such as from a frequency generator 430 (e.g., from oscillator 480-a), and may output a downlink beam signal (e.g., via port 412-a or 412-b) having a frequency corresponding to the sum of the frequency of the IF signal and the third oscillator frequency.

[0115] The transponder system 410 may also include a frequency converter 436 that receives an IF signal (for example, from a switching component 426-a or 426-b) and converts the frequency of the crosslink beam signal to a second frequency range (for example, a 61–66 GHz range). In some cases, to support such frequency conversion, the frequency converter 436 may receive an oscillator signal from a frequency generator 430 or the like having a second oscillator frequency (for example, 50 GHz, converted from an 11–16 GHz range to a 61–66 GHz range) and output a crosslink beam signal having a frequency corresponding to the sum of the frequency of the IF signal and the second oscillator frequency.

[0116] The transponder system 410 (e.g., frequency converters 435, 436) may output one or more (e.g., one or two) downlink beam signals, or crosslink beam signals, or both to the transmitting system 415 (e.g., via one or more ports 412, via one or more ports 416) to beamforming networks 440 (e.g., beamforming network 440-a, beamforming network 440-b, beamforming network 440-c, transmitting beamformer), etc. Each beamforming network 440 may include an input 442 (e.g., a single input), which may be configured to receive beam signals from the transponder system 410 (via their respective ports 416). In some examples, the input 442 may be configured to receive downlink beam signals or crosslink beam signals in the same frequency range in which component signals are transmitted. In some examples, beamforming networks 440-a and 440-b may be referred to as a single beamforming network 440 of a transmitting subsystem 417-a configured to support directional transmission of each single beam 125 of different polarizations supported by the transmitting array 250-b.

[0117] In some examples, input 442 may be supported by activating the associated amplifier 470. For at least some, if not all, of the antenna elements of the transmit array 250-b or transmit array 270-b, the beamforming network 440 may apply gains, phase adjustments, or time adjustments, or any combination thereof, to the beam signal to generate component signals for the antenna elements (e.g., return link component signals, forward link component signals, crosslink component signals). Such component signals may be provided to the antenna elements (e.g., to the first input ports of each antenna element) so that the transmit array 250-b or transmit array 270-b can transmit downlink beam signals or crosslink beam signals according to the direction of beamforming (e.g., the direction of the transmit beam 125 according to the transmit beam weights configured by the control system 460).

[0118] The frequency generator 430 can be implemented in various configurations to support the frequency converters 425, 435, and 436 (for example, to output oscillator signals at one or more frequencies). For example, among other configurations, the frequency generator 430 may output one or more oscillator signals using one or more oscillators 480 (for example, an oscillator circuit), or a combination of one or more oscillators 480 and one or more frequency converters 475. In the example of payload 400, the frequency generator 430 may be configured to generate oscillator signals at three frequencies (for example, 70 GHz, 60 GHz, and 50 GHz) using two oscillators 480 (for example, at 60 GHz and 10 GHz). For example, oscillator 480-a may be configured to generate and output an oscillator signal having a third oscillator frequency (for example, 60 GHz) (for example, to frequency converters 435-a, 435-b, 475-a, and 475-b). Oscillator 480-b may be configured to generate and output (for example, to frequency converters 475-a and 475-b) an oscillator signal having a fourth frequency (for example, 10 GHz). In some other examples, frequency generator 430 may include three oscillators 480 that directly generate oscillator signals at the respective frequencies of frequency converters 425, 435, and 436 (for example, 70 GHz, 60 GHz, and 50 GHz).

[0119] Oscillator 480-b may be used by frequency generator 430 to generate oscillator signals having other frequencies. For example, frequency generator 430 may include frequency converter 475-a, which may generate and output (for example to switching component 426-c) an oscillator signal having a first oscillator frequency equal to the sum of the frequencies of oscillators 480-a and 480-b (e.g., 70 GHz, the sum of the third oscillator frequency and the fourth oscillator frequency, or the sum of 60 GHz and 10 GHz). The frequency generator 430 may also include a frequency converter 475-b, which can generate and output (for example, to a switching component 426-c) an oscillator signal having a second oscillator frequency equal to the difference between the frequencies of oscillators 480-a and 480-b (e.g., the difference between a third oscillator frequency and a fourth oscillator frequency, or the difference between 60 GHz and 10 GHz, or 50 GHz). However, other configurations of the frequency generator 430 may be implemented according to the techniques described, including, among other implementation embodiments, a separate oscillator 480 for each oscillator frequency used by frequency converters 425, 435, or 436 (e.g., omitting frequency converter 475).

[0120] The payload 400 may include or may implement a positioning and steering system 485, which may manage operations related to modifying the orbital characteristics of satellite 120 including the payload 400, such as modifying the orbital path of satellite 120 (e.g., velocity along the orbital path, altitude along the orbital path, course along the orbital path) or modifying the orientation of satellite 120 (e.g., for steering satellite 120 along the orbital path, for aligning the axis 245 of the receiving array 240-b, for aligning the axis 255 of the transmitting array 250-b, for aligning the axis 265 of the receiving array 260-b, for aligning the axis 275 of the transmitting array 270-b where applicable, for aligning a side 215 or side 315 of satellite 120, for aligning a side 211 of satellite 120, for aligning a side 212 of satellite 120, for aligning a side 316 of satellite 120, or a combination thereof). For example, the positioning and steering system 485 may include a thruster 286, which may be at least partially operated by the control system 460 to correct the orbital path of the satellite 120. Additionally or alternatively, the positioning and steering system 485 may include an angular momentum system such as a reaction wheel, a control moment gyroscope (CMG), or both. The control system 460 may implement an angular momentum system to adjust the orientation of the satellite 120 (for example, to steer the satellite 120 by converting between angular momentum and electrical energy) to support improved communication of beam signals.

[0121] In some cases, the payload 400 may receive power from the satellite 120 (for example, from solar elements 230 or 330) using, for example, a power system 408 (for example, a direct current (DC) power converter). In some cases, the power system 408 may include or be coupled with a power storage system, such as an onboard battery. The power system 408 may extract power from the battery to power an embodiment of the payload 400, or transfer power to the battery, or both. Additionally or alternatively, the power system 408 may be coupled with a positioning and steering system 485. For example, the power system 408 may extract power from an angular momentum system, or transfer power to an angular momentum system, or both (for example, to impose angular acceleration or deceleration on the satellite 120).

[0122] In some cases, the control system 460 may operate according to signaling received by satellite 120. Such signaling may be associated with a frequency band that is central to the IF frequency range (e.g., 13.5 GHz). For example, the payload 400 may include an operation command receiver 462 that can decode commands (e.g., command messages) received by the receiving system 405. In some examples, the operation command receiver 462 may decode messages contained in the forward uplink beam signal (e.g., commands from gateway terminal 130). For example, the signal path from the receiving system 405 may include a coupler (not shown) that supports relaying at least a portion of the IF signal to both the frequency converter 435-b and the operation command receiver 462. The coupler may, among other examples, include one or more switches (e.g., operable using the control system 460) to support relaying the IF signal to the operation command receiver 462, or it may support adding (e.g., summing) the signal, or both. In some cases, the operation command receiver 462 may receive a schedule containing information such as beam weights (e.g., array beam pointing information for beamforming networks 420 and 440), commands for body steering operations, beam hopping information, or the like, which may be provided to the control system 460.

[0123] Additionally, or alternatively, satellite 120 may use a data link transmitter 467 (e.g., a command transmitter) to transmit signaling to indicate the status of satellite 120. Such signaling may also be associated with a frequency band that is central to the IF frequency range (e.g., 13.5 GHz). For example, data link transmitter 467 may generate a beacon containing information such as telemetry, the health status of satellite 120, payload status (e.g., the status of payload 400), or other information. Data link transmitter 467 may transmit the generated beacon signal to a coupler (not shown), which may add the beacon signal to the downlink beam signal. For example, the coupler may include one or more switches or other circuits that support summing the IF signal and the beacon signal.

[0124] Accordingly, the payload 400 illustrates various examples for supporting communication with a receiving system 405, a transponder system 410, and a transmitting system 415, each having a specific port assigned to a particular type of communication, and therefore a particular type of signaling characteristic. For example, the receiving system 405 (e.g., its subsystem 407) may be configured for an uplink frequency range (e.g., 81–86 GHz) and a crosslink frequency range (e.g., 61–66 GHz, 66–71 GHz), and the transmitting system 415 (e.g., its subsystem) may be configured for a downlink frequency range (e.g., 71–76 GHz) and a crosslink frequency range (e.g., 61–66 GHz). Orthogonality for different ports between forward communication, return communication, and crosslink communication in the receiving system 405 and the transmitting system 415 may be provided by different frequencies and orthogonal polarizations, such as assigning RHCP to return communication and LHCP to forward communication, where crosslink communication may or may not be polarized.

[0125] In some examples, the transponder system 410 may include a single signal path for forward communication between the receiving system 405 and the transmitting system 415, which includes a net frequency conversion from the uplink frequency range to the downlink frequency range and maintains the forward link polarization; a single signal path for return communication between the receiving system 405 and the transmitting system 415, which includes a net frequency conversion from the uplink frequency range to the downlink frequency range and maintains the return link polarization association; and a single signal path for crosslink communication between the receiving system 405 and the transmitting system 415, which omits frequency conversion (e.g., maintaining the crosslink frequency range) and maintains the crosslink polarization or its absence. The payload 400 also illustrates examples of input and output mapping for various relays and associated signal characteristic conversions between uplink, downlink, and crosslink signaling. Such a configuration may provide an efficient means for unidirectional or multidirectional forward and return signal relay on satellite 120 (e.g., satellite 120-a, satellite 120-b) including a payload 400, including such relay which may involve cross-link signaling with another satellite 120 or satellite 180.

[0126] In some examples, the gains of the forward-link transponder (e.g., between output 422-b and input 442-b), return-link transponder (e.g., between output 422-a and input 442-a), and cross-link transponder (e.g., between output 422-c and input 442-c) of the payload 400 may differ and be configured based on their respective signaling characteristics. For example, amplifier 465-a may be configured with a gain based on the transmit power of antenna assembly 151, amplifier 465-b may have a gain based on the transmit power of gateway antenna system 131, and amplifier 465-c may have a gain based on the transmit power of satellite 120 or satellite 180. Furthermore, amplifier 470-a may be configured with a gain based on the receiving sensitivity of the gateway antenna system 131, amplifier 470-b may have a gain based on the receiving sensitivity of the antenna assembly 151, and amplifier 470-c may have a gain based on the receiving sensitivity of satellite 120 or satellite 180. In some examples, such gains may be biased to favor a particular type of communication over others. For example, a forward link transponder may be configured with a gain that is relatively higher or lower than that of a return link transponder (for example, within the given power constraints of satellite 120 including the payload 400), among other examples. Amplifier 465 is illustrated as a component of a receiving system 405, and amplifier 470 is illustrated as a component of a transmitting system 415, but in some other examples, amplifiers 465, 470, or both may be considered components of a transponder system 410, or otherwise may support the configuration of the net gain of a given signal path of a payload 400 for a particular type of communication with a particular type of device.

[0127] Additionally, or alternatively, in some examples, the scan angle configuration between beamforming networks 420 and beamforming networks 420 may differ between uplink communication, downlink communication, or any combination of crosslink communication, between forward communication and return communication, or between combinations thereof, or between other differences for various modes of link balancing or biasing. For example, payload 400 may be configured to relay signaling with gateway terminal 130 in a relatively smaller portion of the service area than to relay signaling with user terminal 150. In such examples, beamforming network 420-b, beamforming network 440-a, or both may be configured according to a first scan angle range, and beamforming network 420-a, beamforming network 440-b, or both may be configured according to a second scan angle range that is larger than the first scan angle range. In some examples, the scan angles for beamforming networks 420-c and 440-c (for example, for cross-link reception or transmission) can be configured independently of beamforming networks 420-a, 420-b, 440-a, and 440-b.

[0128] In some such examples, the communication system 100 may be configured such that the axis 245, axis 255, or both of the satellite 120 containing the payload 400 can be aligned closer to the gateway terminal 130 than to the user terminals 150 that are serviced by the gateway terminal 130. In some examples, to support communication of a coverage area via the gateway terminal 130, the satellite 120 containing the payload 400 may be configured to orient in the positive z direction toward a location in the coverage area that is within a first range of angular separation from the direction of the gateway terminal 130. In such orientation, the satellite 120 may support communication with one or more user terminals 150, each located along each other direction that is within a second range of angular separation from the positive z direction, where the second range of angular separation may be greater than the first range of angular separation.

[0129] Figures 5A to 5G show examples of payload implementations 500 that support beamsplitting in a satellite communication system, according to examples disclosed herein. Each of the payload implementations 500 may be supported by satellite 120-c, which may be an example of an embodiment of satellite 120 (e.g., satellite 120-a, satellite 120-b) described herein. Satellite 120-c may include payload 400-a, which may be an example of an embodiment of payload 400 described with reference to Figure 4 (e.g., some components omitted for illustrative clarity). Payload 400-a may support one or more operating modes for satellite 120-c to relay communications between a gateway antenna system 131 (e.g., associated with a gateway terminal 130) and an antenna assembly 151 (e.g., the antenna assembly of a user terminal 150), which may include cross-link relay via one or more other satellites 120 or satellite 180, among other devices. To support such operating modes, payload 400-a may support one or more configurations (e.g., one or more signal path configurations, one or more relay configurations) that support return link signaling, forward link signaling, or a combination thereof. For example, payload 400-a may be configured to support signal paths 505, so that each of the signal paths 505 includes one of the following: path 530 (e.g., a single forward path), path 535 (e.g., a single return path), or path 540 (e.g., a single cross-link path), and some of the signal paths 505 also include path 545 (e.g., a forward path).

[0130] To support various configurations or combinations thereof, satellite 120-c may be configured to orient itself along various directions (e.g., body steering using positioning and steering system 485, using control system 460) in order to support the signal relaying capabilities of payload 400-a (e.g., throughout the duration that satellite 120-c traverses a portion of the orbital path 520 while one or more signal paths 505 are activated). For example, satellite 120-c may be configured to steer in a direction 515 from satellite 120-c (e.g., an axis of satellite 120-c or an axis from satellite 120-c), where the direction 515 may correspond to an outward direction from the side 215, the side 315, the positive z direction of satellite 120-c, axis 245, axis 255, or a combination thereof. Additionally, or alternatively, satellite 120-c may be configured to steer a direction 511 from satellite 120-c (for example, in an example where satellite 120-c includes a receiving array 260 for crosslink reception), where the direction 511 may correspond to an outward direction from the side 211, an outward direction from the side 316, the positive x-direction of satellite 120-c, the negative z-direction of satellite 120-c, axis 265, or a combination thereof, for various configurations of the receiving array 260. Additionally, or alternatively, satellite 120-c may be configured to steer a direction 512 from satellite 120-c (for example, in an example where satellite 120-c includes a transmitting array 270 for crosslink transmission), where the direction 512 may correspond to an outward direction from the side 212, the negative x-direction of satellite 120-c, axis 275, or a combination thereof. In some other examples (for instance, when satellite 120-c includes a transmit array 250 configured for downlink and crosslink transmissions), directions 515 and 512 may be equivalent.

[0131] In some examples, satellite 120-c may be aligned in a nadir-down orientation such that, as it traverses the orbital path 520, the positioning and steering system 485 is configured to orient direction 515 toward the center of the Earth or at other angles relative to the Earth. In some other examples, the positioning and steering system 485 may be configured to orient direction 515 toward target 510 as satellite 120-c traverses the orbital path 520 (for example, steering direction 515 toward target 510 as satellite 120-c traverses a portion of the orbital path 520 between locations 525). In some examples, target 510 may be a fixed location (e.g., a ground location, a location in a service area associated with one or more user terminals 150, a location in a service area associated with one or more gateway terminals 130, the center of a service area), and satellite 120-c may steer direction 515 toward target 510 continuously or discontinuously (e.g., according to a series of discrete steering impulses) between locations 525 on the orbital path 520. In some other examples, the control system 460 may be configured to orient satellite 120-c (e.g., direction 515, direction 511, direction 512, or a combination thereof) toward one or more target devices, based on one or more of the payload implementation configurations 500 configured on satellite 120-c at a given time.

[0132] Satellite 120-c may be configured to perform such operations by various means. For example, such a configuration may be determined based on information stored in satellite 120-c, such as information regarding communication assignments, terminal locations, characteristics of the orbital path 520, information regarding the target 510, and other information. In some examples, satellite 120-c may be configured by one or more controllers of ground segment 101, which may signal any one or more aspects of the above information from ground segment 101 to satellite 120-c (for example, via uplink signal 132, signal 181, signal 183, signal 173, signal 175, or a combination thereof, signals from gateway terminal 130 received along a previous point on the orbital path 520, which may be relayed via another satellite 120 or satellite 180). For example, a network device 141 or gateway terminal 130 (e.g., a network controller) may determine various configurations of satellite 120-c to support one or more configurations for relaying signaling (e.g., forward signaling or return signaling, which may include crosslinking), and may configure satellite 120-c by signaling to satellite 120-c.

[0133] Figure 5A shows an example of a payload implementation configuration 500-a that supports a first configuration of payload 400-a (for example, a forward uplink-downlink relay configuration), which may include relaying signaling from gateway antenna system 131-c to antenna assembly 151-c.

[0134] In the first configuration, the receiving system 405-a (e.g., the receiving subsystem 407-a) may be configured to receive the uplink signal 132-c from the gateway antenna system 131-c according to the beam 125-c-1 (e.g., the receiving beam) (e.g., according to the receiving beam signal, forward uplink signal, uplink frequency range, and forward link polarization). The beam 125-c-1 may be formed using, for example, a beamforming network 420-b, which may be configured by a control system 460 (e.g., the beamforming network 420-b implements the receiving beam weight, aligns the directional receiver along the beam direction 127-c-1, and generates the beam 125-c-1 according to the scan angle θ1 with respect to direction 515).

[0135] To support the first configuration, the control system 460 may also be configured to couple port 411-b with port 412-b to activate (e.g., enable, configure) the signal path 505-a (e.g., including path 530) of the transponder system 410-a that routes beam signals from the receiving system 405-a to the transmitting system 415-a. Such activations may include, for example, activating beamforming network 420-b or beamforming network 440-b, among other activations, activating amplifier 465-b or amplifier 470-b, activating ports 406-b, 411-b, 412-b, 416-b or connections between them, activating path 530, activating frequency converter 425-b or 435-b, configuring switching component 426-b to couple input 427-b and output 428-b-1, configuring switching component 426-c to couple input 427-c-1 and output 428-c-2, or any combination thereof. Thus, signal path 505-a can implement frequency conversion of frequency converters 425-b and 435-b (for example, converting from the uplink frequency range to the IF range and from the IF range to the downlink frequency range).

[0136] In the first configuration, the transmitting system 415-a (e.g., the transmitting subsystem 417-a) can therefore transmit the downlink signal 172-c (e.g., according to the transmit beam signal, forward downlink signal, downlink frequency range, and forward link polarization) to the antenna assembly 151-c, which is at least partially based on the uplink signal 132-c (e.g., a relay of the uplink signal 132-c, containing information about the uplink signal 132-c). The transmitting system 415-a can transmit the downlink signal 172-c according to the beam 125-c-2 (e.g., the transmit beam). The beam 125-c-2 may be formed using, for example, a beamforming network 440-b, which may be configured by a control system 460 (e.g., the beamforming network 440-b implements transmit beam weighting, aligns directional transmission along beam direction 127-c-2, and generates beam 125-c-2 according to scan angle θ2).

[0137] In some implementations, the first configuration may be supported by steering the direction 515 toward the target 510-a (for example, throughout the duration that satellite 120-c traverses between points 525-a-1 and 525-a-2). In some implementations, steering satellite 120-c to support the first configuration may be based at least in part on the combination of the location of gateway antenna system 131-c and the location of antenna assembly 151-c (for example, the combination with the location of satellite 120-c). For example, the positioning and steering system 485 may be configured to steer satellite 120-c based at least in part on the orientation of the direction 515 toward the location of gateway antenna system 131-c and the location of antenna assembly 151-c. In some examples, the orientation of direction 515 may be determined based on beam performance such as the roll-off characteristics or differences between the receiving array 240 and the transmitting array 250, or the transmitting and receiving capabilities of the target device (e.g., antenna assembly 151-c, gateway antenna system 131-c), or a combination thereof (e.g., in satellite 120-c, in the network controller of ground segment 101). In some examples, the orientation of direction 515 may be calculated continuously such that it lies between the angles between beam direction 127-c-1 and beam direction 127-c-2 as satellite 120-c traverses the orbital path 520-a (e.g., bifurcated), which may mitigate the scan angles of beamforming networks 420 and 440 and improve signal consistency (e.g., by keeping θ1 equal to θ2, or within a threshold difference of θ2, or by selecting θ1 and θ2 to support the same or similar scan roll-off characteristics, or to balance link characteristics in a different way).

[0138] Figure 5B shows an example of a payload implementation embodiment 500-b that supports a second configuration of payload 400-a (e.g., a forward crosslink-downlink relay configuration), which may include relaying signaling from satellite 120-d to antenna assembly 151-c (e.g., within geostationary orbit or traversing along NGSO).

[0139] In a second configuration, the receiving system 405-a (for example, the receiving subsystem 407-b) may be configured to receive the crosslink signal 175-d from satellite 120-d according to beam 125-d-1 (for example, according to forward crosslink signal, according to crosslink frequency range, according to crosslink polarization or absence thereof). Beam 125-d-1 may be formed using, for example, a beamforming network 420-c, which may be configured by a control system 460 (for example, the beamforming network 420-c implements the received beam weight, aligns the directional receiver along beam direction 127-d-1, and generates beam 125-d-1 according to scan angle θ1 with respect to direction 511).

[0140] To support the second configuration, the control system 460 may also be configured to couple port 411-c with port 412-b to activate (e.g., enable, configure) the signal paths 505-b (including, for example, paths 545-a and 530) of the transponder system 410-a that route beam signals from the receiving system 405-a to the transmitting system 415-a. Such activations may include, among other activations, activating beamforming network 420-c or beamforming network 440-b, activating amplifier 465-c or amplifier 470-b, activating ports 406-c, 411-c, 412-b, 416-b or connections between them, activating paths 545-a and 530, activating frequency converters 425-b or 435-b, configuring switching component 426-b to couple input 427-b and output 428-b-1, configuring switching component 426-c to couple input 427-c-2 and output 428-c-2, or any combination thereof. Thus, signal path 505-b can implement frequency conversion of frequency converters 425-b and 435-b (for example, from the crosslink frequency range to the IF range and from the IF range to the downlink frequency range).

[0141] In the second configuration, the transmitting system 415-a (e.g., the transmitting subsystem 417-a) may thus transmit a downlink signal 172-d (e.g., a forward downlink signal, according to the downlink frequency range, according to the forward link polarization) to an antenna assembly 151-c that is at least partially based on a crosslink signal 175-d. The transmitting system 415-a may transmit the downlink signal 172-d according to a beam 125-d-2. The beam 125-d-2 may be formed using, for example, a beamforming network 440-b, which may be configured by a control system 460 (e.g., the beamforming network 440-b implements received beam weighting, aligns directional transmission along beam direction 127-d-2, and generates beam 125-d-2 according to scan angle θ2 with respect to direction 515).

[0142] In some implementations, the second configuration may be supported by steering direction 515 toward target 510-b (for example, throughout the duration that satellite 120-c traverses between points 525-b-1 and 525-b-2). In some implementations, steering satellite 120-c to support the second configuration may be based at least in part on a combination of the location of satellite 120-d and the location of antenna assembly 151-c (for example, a combination with the location of satellite 120-c). For example, the positioning and steering system 485 may be configured to steer satellite 120-c based at least in part on the orientation of direction 511 toward the location of satellite 120-d and the orientation of direction 515 toward the location of antenna assembly 151-c. In some examples, the orientations of directions 511 and 515 may be determined based on beam performance such as roll-off characteristics or differences between the receiving array 260 and the transmitting array 250, or the transmitting and receiving capabilities of the target device (e.g., satellite 120-d, antenna assembly 151-c), or a combination thereof (e.g., in satellite 120-c, in the network controller of ground segment 101). In some examples, the orientations of directions 511 and 515 may be calculated sequentially as satellite 120-c traverses the orbital path 520-b, which may reduce the scan angles of beamforming networks 420 and 440 and improve signal consistency (e.g., by keeping θ1 equal to θ2, or within a threshold difference of θ2, or by selecting θ1 and θ2 to support the same or similar scan roll-off characteristics, or to balance link characteristics in a different way).

[0143] Figure 5C shows an example of a payload implementation embodiment 500-c that supports a third configuration of payload 400-a (e.g., a forward-uplink-crosslink relay configuration), which may include relaying signaling from gateway antenna system 131-c to satellite 120-d (e.g., in geostationary orbit or traversing along NGSO).

[0144] In a third configuration, the receiving system 405-a (for example, the receiving subsystem 407-a) may be configured to receive the uplink signal 132-e from the gateway antenna system 131-c according to beam 125-e-1 (for example, a forward uplink signal, according to the uplink frequency range, according to forward polarization). Beam 125-e-1 may be formed using, for example, a beamforming network 420-b, which may be configured by a control system 460 (for example, the beamforming network 420-b implements the received beam weight, aligns the directional receiver along the beam direction 127-e-1, and generates beam 125-e-1 according to the scan angle θ1 with respect to direction 515).

[0145] To support a third configuration, the control system 460 may also be configured to couple port 411-b with port 412-c to activate (e.g., enable, configure) the signal paths 505-c (including, for example, paths 545-b and 540) of the transponder system 410-a that route beam signals from the receiving system 405-a to the transmitting system 415-a. Such activations may include, for example, activating beamforming network 420-b or beamforming network 440-c, among other activations, activating amplifier 465-b or amplifier 470-c, activating ports 406-b, 411-b, 412-c, 416-c or connections between them, activating paths 545-b and 540, activating frequency converter 425-b or 436, configuring switching component 426-b to couple input 427-b and output 428-b-2, configuring switching component 426-c to couple input 427-c-1 and output 428-c-2, or any combination thereof. Thus, signal path 505-c may implement frequency conversion of frequency converters 425-b and 436 (for example, from the uplink frequency range to the IF range and from the IF range to the crosslink frequency range).

[0146] In the third configuration, the transmitting system 415-a (for example, the transmitting subsystem 417-a or 417-b, depending on which is configured for crosslink transmission) can thus transmit the crosslink signal 175-e (for example, a forward crosslink signal, according to the crosslink frequency range, according to the crosslink polarization or lack thereof) to satellite 120-d, at least in part on the uplink signal 132-e. The transmitting system 415-a can transmit the crosslink signal 175-e according to beam 125-e-2. Beam 125-e-2 can be formed, for example, using a beamforming network 440-c, which can be configured by a control system 460 (for example, implementing transmit beam weights in the beamforming network 440-c, aligning the directional transmission along beam direction 127-e-2, and generating beam 125-e-2 according to scan angle θ2 with respect to direction 512).

[0147] In some implementations, the third configuration may be supported by steering direction 515 toward target 510-c (for example, throughout the duration that satellite 120-c traverses between points 525-c-1 and 525-c-2). In some implementations, steering satellite 120-c to support the third configuration may be based at least in part on a combination of the location of gateway antenna system 131-c and the location of satellite 120-d (for example, a combination with the location of satellite 120-c). For example, the positioning and steering system 485 may be configured to steer satellite 120-c based at least in part on the orientation of direction 515 toward the location of gateway antenna system 131-c and the orientation of direction 512 toward the location of satellite 120-d. In some examples, the orientations of directions 515 and 512 may be determined based on beam performance such as the roll-off characteristics or differences between the receiving array 240 and the transmitting array 250 or 270, or the transmitting and receiving capabilities of the target device (e.g., gateway antenna system 131-c, satellite 120-d), or a combination thereof (e.g., in satellite 120-c, in the network controller of ground segment 101). In some examples, the orientations of directions 515 and 512 may be calculated continuously (e.g., bifurcated) so that they lie between the angles of beam direction 127-e-1 and beam direction 127-e-2 as satellite 120-c traverses the orbital path 520-c, which may mitigate the scan angles of beamforming networks 420 and 440 and improve signal consistency (e.g., by keeping θ1 equal to θ2, or within a threshold difference of θ2, or by selecting θ1 and θ2 to support the same or similar scan roll-off characteristics, or to balance link characteristics in a different way).

[0148] Figure 5D shows an example of a payload implementation embodiment 500-d that supports a fourth configuration of payload 400-a (e.g., a crosslink-to-crosslink relay configuration for forward or return relay), which may include relaying signaling from satellite 120-d-1 to satellite 120-d-2 (e.g., each in geostationary orbit or traversing along NGSO).

[0149] In a fourth configuration, the receiving system 405-a (for example, the receiving subsystem 407-b) may be configured to receive a crosslink signal 175-f-1 from satellite 120-d-1 according to beam 125-f-1 (for example, a forward-received crosslink signal or a return-received crosslink signal, according to the crosslink frequency range, according to the crosslink polarization or absence thereof). Beam 125-f-1 may be formed using, for example, a beamforming network 420-c, which may be configured by a control system 460 (for example, the beamforming network 420-c implements the received beam weight, aligns the directional receiver along the beam direction 127-f-1, and generates beam 125-f-1 according to the scan angle θ1 with respect to direction 511).

[0150] To support a fourth configuration, the control system 460 may also be configured to couple port 411-c with port 412-c to activate (e.g., enable, configure) the signal path 505-d (e.g., including path 540) of the transponder system 410-a that routes beam signals from the receiving system 405-a to the transmitting system 415-a. Such activations may include, for example, activating beamforming network 420-c or beamforming network 440-c, activating amplifier 465-c or amplifier 470-c, activating ports 406-c, 411-c, 412-c, 416-c or connections between them, activating path 540, or any combination thereof. Thus, the signal path 505-d can be implemented without frequency conversion (e.g., maintaining signaling within the cross-link frequency range).

[0151] In the fourth configuration, the transmitting system 415-a (for example, the transmitting subsystem 417-a or 417-b, depending on which is configured for crosslink transmission) can thus transmit the crosslink signal 175-f-2 to satellite 120-d-2, at least in part on the crosslink signal 175-f-1 (for example, the forward transmit crosslink signal, the return crosslink transmit signal, according to the crosslink frequency range, according to the crosslink polarization or lack thereof). The transmitting system 415-a can transmit the crosslink signal 175-f-2 according to the beam 125-f-2. The beam 125-f-2 can be formed, for example, using a beamforming network 440-c, which can be configured by a control system 460 (for example, the beamforming network 440-c implements transmit beam weights, aligns the directional transmit along the beam direction 127-f-2, and generates the beam 125-f-2 according to the scan angle θ2 with respect to direction 512).

[0152] In some implementations, the fourth configuration may be supported by steering direction 515 toward target 510-d (for example, throughout the duration that satellite 120-c traverses between points 525-d-1 and 525-d-2). In some implementations, steering satellite 120-c to support the fourth configuration may be based at least in part on a combination of the locations of satellite 120-d-1 and satellite 120-d-2 (for example, a combination with the location of satellite 120-c). For example, a positioning and steering system 485 may be configured to steer satellite 120-c at least in part on an orientation of direction 511 toward the location of satellite 120-d-1 and an orientation of direction 512 toward the location of satellite 120-d-2. In some examples, the orientation of directions 515, 511, or 512 may be determined based on beam performance such as the roll-off characteristics or differences between the receiving array 260 and the transmitting array 250 or 270, or the transmitting and receiving capabilities of the target device (e.g., satellites 120-d-1 and 120-d-2), or a combination thereof (e.g., in satellite 120-c, in the network controller of ground segment 101). In some examples, the orientation of directions 515, 511, or 512 may be calculated sequentially as satellite 120-c traverses the orbital path 520-d, which may reduce the scan angles of beamforming networks 420 and 440 and improve signal consistency (e.g., by keeping θ1 equal to θ2, or within a threshold difference of θ2, or by selecting θ1 and θ2 to support the same or similar scan roll-off characteristics, or to balance link characteristics in a different way).

[0153] Figure 5E shows an example of a payload implementation configuration 500-e that supports a fifth configuration of payload 400-a (e.g., a return-uplink-crosslink relay configuration), which may include relaying signaling from antenna assembly 151-c to satellite 120-d (e.g., in geostationary orbit, or traversing along NGSO).

[0154] In the fifth configuration, the receiving system 405-a (for example, the receiving subsystem 407-a) may be configured to receive the uplink signal 173-g from the antenna assembly 151-c according to the beam 125-g-1 (for example, the return uplink signal, according to the uplink frequency range, according to the return polarization). The beam 125-g-1 may be formed using, for example, a beamforming network 420-a, which may be configured by a control system 460 (for example, the beamforming network 420-a implements the received beam weight, aligns the directional receiver along the beam direction 127-g-1, and generates the beam 125-g-1 according to the scan angle θ1 with respect to direction 515).

[0155] To support a fifth configuration, the control system 460 may also be configured to couple port 411-a with port 412-c to activate (e.g., enable, configure) the signal paths 505-e (including, for example, paths 545-c and 540) of the transponder system 410-a that route beam signals from the receiving system 405-a to the transmitting system 415-a. Such activations may include, for example, activating beamforming network 420-a or beamforming network 440-c, among other activations, activating amplifier 465-a or amplifier 470-c, activating ports 406-a, 411-a, 412-c, 416-c or connections between them, activating paths 545-c and 540, activating frequency converter 425-a or 436, configuring switching component 426-a to couple input 427-a and output 428-a-2, configuring switching component 426-c to couple input 427-c-1 and output 428-c-1, or any combination thereof. Thus, signal path 505-e may implement frequency conversion of frequency converters 425-a and 436 (for example, from the uplink frequency range to the IF range and from the IF range to the crosslink frequency range).

[0156] In the fifth configuration, the transmitting system 415-a (for example, the transmitting subsystem 417-a or 417-b, depending on which is configured for crosslink transmission) can thus transmit the crosslink signal 175-g (for example, the return crosslink signal, according to the crosslink frequency range, according to the crosslink polarization or absence thereof) to the satellite 120-d, at least in part on the uplink signal 173-g. The transmitting system 415-a can transmit the crosslink signal 175-g according to beam 125-g-2. Beam 125-g-2 can be formed, for example, using a beamforming network 440-c, which can be configured by a control system 460 (for example, the beamforming network 440-c implements the transmit beam weights, aligns the directional transmission along beam direction 127-g-2, and generates beam 125-g-2 according to the scan angle θ2 with respect to direction 512).

[0157] In some implementations, the fifth configuration may be supported by steering direction 515 toward target 510-e (for example, throughout the duration that satellite 120-c traverses between points 525-e-1 and 525-e-2). In some implementations, steering satellite 120-c to support the fifth configuration may be based at least in part on a combination of the location of antenna assembly 151-c and the location of satellite 120-d (for example, a combination with the location of satellite 120-c). For example, a positioning and steering system 485 may be configured to steer satellite 120-c based at least in part on the orientation of direction 515 toward the location of antenna assembly 151-c and the orientation of direction 512 toward the location of satellite 120-d. In some examples, the orientations of directions 515 and 512 may be determined based on beam performance such as the roll-off characteristics or differences between the receiving array 240 and the transmitting array 250 or 270, or the transmitting and receiving capabilities of the target device (e.g., antenna assembly 151-c, satellite 120-d), or a combination thereof (e.g., in satellite 120-c, in the network controller of ground segment 101). In some examples, the orientation of direction 515 of 512 may be calculated continuously (e.g., bifurcated) so that it lies between the angles of beam direction 127-g-1 and beam direction 127-g-2 as satellite 120-c traverses the orbital path 520-e, which may relax the scan angles of beamforming networks 420 and 440 and improve signal consistency (e.g., by keeping θ1 equal to θ2, or within a threshold difference of θ2, or by selecting θ1 and θ2 to support the same or similar scan roll-off characteristics, or to balance link characteristics in a different way).

[0158] Figure 5F shows an example of a payload implementation configuration 500-f that supports a sixth configuration of payload 400-a (e.g., a return crosslink-downlink relay configuration), which may include relaying signaling from satellite 120-d to gateway antenna system 131-c (e.g., within geostationary orbit or traversing along NGSO).

[0159] In the sixth configuration, the receiving system 405-a (for example, the receiving subsystem 407-b) may be configured to receive the crosslink signal 175-h from satellite 120-d according to beam 125-h-1 (for example, according to the return crosslink signal, according to the crosslink frequency range, according to the crosslink polarization or absence thereof). Beam 125-h-1 may be formed using, for example, a beamforming network 420-c, which may be configured by a control system 460 (for example, the beamforming network 420-c implements the received beam weight, aligns the directional receiver along the beam direction 127-h-1, and generates beam 125-h-1 according to the scan angle θ1 with respect to direction 511).

[0160] To support the sixth configuration, the control system 460 may also be configured to couple port 411-c with port 412-a to activate (e.g., enable, configure) the signal paths 505-f (including, for example, paths 545-d and 535) of the transponder system 410-a that route beam signals from the receiving system 405-a to the transmitting system 415-a. Such activations may include, for example, activating beamforming network 420-c or beamforming network 440-a, among other activations, activating amplifier 465-c or amplifier 470-a, activating ports 406-c, 411-c, 412-a, 416-a or connections between them, activating paths 545-d and 535, activating frequency converter 425-a or 435-a, configuring switching component 426-a to couple input 427-a and output 428-a-1, configuring switching component 426-c to couple input 427-c-2 and output 428-c-1, or any combination thereof. Thus, signal path 505-f may implement frequency conversion of frequency converters 425-b and 435-b (for example, from the crosslink frequency range to the IF range and from the IF range to the downlink frequency range).

[0161] In the sixth configuration, the transmitting system 415-a (e.g., the transmitting subsystem 417-a) may thus transmit a downlink signal 133-h (e.g., a return downlink signal, according to the downlink frequency range, according to the return link polarization) to the gateway antenna system 131-c, which is at least partially based on the crosslink signal 175-h. The transmitting system 415-a may transmit the downlink signal 133-h according to beam 125-h-2. Beam 125-h-2 may be formed using, for example, a beamforming network 440-a, which may be configured by a control system 460 (e.g., implementing transmit beam weights in the beamforming network 440-a, aligning the directional transmit along beam direction 127-h-2, and generating beam 125-h-2 according to scan angle θ2 with respect to direction 515).

[0162] In some implementations, the sixth configuration may be supported by steering direction 515 toward target 510-f (for example, throughout the duration that satellite 120-c traverses between points 525-f-1 and 525-f-2). In some implementations, steering satellite 120-c to support the sixth configuration may be based at least in part on a combination of the location of satellite 120-d and the location of gateway antenna system 131-c (for example, a combination with the location of satellite 120-c). For example, a positioning and steering system 485 may be configured to steer satellite 120-c at least in part on the orientation of direction 511 toward the location of satellite 120-d and the orientation of direction 515 toward the location of gateway antenna system 131-c. In some examples, the orientations of directions 515 and 511 may be determined based on beam performance such as roll-off characteristics or differences between the receiving array 260 and the transmitting array 250, or the transmitting and receiving capabilities of the target device (e.g., satellite 120-d, gateway antenna system 131-c), or a combination thereof (e.g., in satellite 120-c, in the network controller of ground segment 101). In some examples, the orientations of directions 515 and 511 may be calculated sequentially as satellite 120-c traverses the orbital path 520-f, which may reduce the scan angles of beamforming networks 420 and 440 and improve signal consistency (e.g., by keeping θ1 equal to θ2, or within a threshold difference of θ2, or by selecting θ1 and θ2 to support the same or similar scan roll-off characteristics, or to balance link characteristics in a different way).

[0163] Figure 5G shows an example of a payload implementation configuration 500-g that supports a seventh configuration of payload 400-a (e.g., a return uplink-downlink relay configuration), which may include relaying signaling from antenna assembly 151-c to gateway antenna system 131-c.

[0164] In the seventh configuration, the receiving system 405-a (for example, the receiving subsystem 407-a) may be configured to receive the uplink signal 173-i from the antenna assembly 151-c according to the beam 125-i-1 (for example, the return uplink signal, according to the uplink frequency range, according to the return link polarization). The beam 125-i-1 may be formed using, for example, a beamforming network 420-a, which may be configured by a control system 460 (for example, the beamforming network 420-a implements the received beam weight, aligns the directional receiver along the beam direction 127-i-1, and generates the beam 125-i-1 according to the scan angle θ1 with respect to direction 515).

[0165] To support a seventh configuration, the control system 460 may also be configured to couple port 411-a with port 412-a to activate (e.g., enable, configure) the signal path 505-g (e.g., including path 535) of the transponder system 410-a that routes beam signals from the receiving system 405-a to the transmitting system 415-a. Such activations may include, for example, activating beamforming network 420-a or beamforming network 440-a, among other activations, activating amplifier 465-a or amplifier 470-a, activating ports 406-a, 411-a, 412-a, 416-a or connections between them, activating path 535, activating frequency converter 425-a or 435-a, configuring switching component 426-a to couple input 427-a and output 428-a-1, configuring switching component 426-c to couple input 427-c-1 and output 428-c-1, or any combination thereof. Thus, signal path 505-g can implement frequency conversion of frequency converters 425-a and 435-a (for example, converting from the uplink frequency range to the IF range and from the IF range to the downlink frequency range).

[0166] In the seventh configuration, the transmitting system 415-a (e.g., the transmitting subsystem 417-a) may thus transmit a downlink signal 133-i (e.g., a return downlink signal, according to the downlink frequency range, according to the return link polarization) to the gateway antenna system 131-c, which is at least partially based on the uplink signal 173-i. The transmitting system 415-a may transmit the downlink signal 133-i according to a beam 125-i-2. The beam 125-i-2 may be formed using, for example, a beamforming network 440-a, which may be configured by a control system 460 (e.g., the beamforming network 440-a implements the transmit beam weights, aligns the directional transmit along the beam direction 127-i-2, and generates the beam 125-i-2 according to the scan angle θ2 with respect to direction 515).

[0167] In some implementations, the seventh configuration may be supported by steering the direction 515 toward the target 510-g (for example, throughout the duration that satellite 120-c traverses between points 525-g-1 and 525-g-2). In some implementations, steering satellite 120-c to support the seventh configuration may be based at least in part on the combination of the location of gateway antenna system 131-c and the location of antenna assembly 151-c (for example, the combination with the location of satellite 120-c). For example, a positioning and steering system 485 may be configured to steer satellite 120-c at least in part on the orientation of the direction 515 toward the location of gateway antenna system 131-c and the location of antenna assembly 151-c. In some examples, the orientation of direction 515 may be determined based on beam performance such as the roll-off characteristics or differences between the receiving array 240 and the transmitting array 250, or the transmitting and receiving capabilities of the target device (e.g., antenna assembly 151-c, gateway antenna system 131-c), or a combination thereof (e.g., in satellite 120-c, in the network controller of ground segment 101). In some examples, the orientation of direction 515 may be calculated continuously such that it lies between the angles of beam direction 127-i-1 and beam direction 127-i-2 as satellite 120-c traverses the orbital path 520-g (e.g., bifurcated), which may mitigate the scan angles of beamforming networks 420 and 440 and improve signal consistency (e.g., by keeping θ1 equal to θ2, or within a threshold difference of θ2, or by selecting θ1 and θ2 to support the same or similar scan roll-off characteristics, or to balance link characteristics in a different way).

[0168] Although the payload implementation modes 500 are illustrated and described separately, satellite 120-c, including payload 400-a, may support multiple payload implementation modes 500 simultaneously.

[0169] In some examples, satellite 120-c may be able to operate to support any pair of configurations implementing different ports 406 (e.g., supporting any two of forward receive, return receive, or crosslink receive) and different ports 416. In some examples (e.g., in a power-limited configuration), satellite 120-c may be able to operate to support signaling paths that implement beamforming network 440-a (e.g., for transmitting return downlink signaling) and either beamforming network 440-b or beamforming network 440-c (e.g., in the case of a configuration following satellite 120-a, for transmitting either forward downlink signaling or crosslink signaling, but not both), or beamforming network 440-b (e.g., in the case of a configuration following satellite 120-b) for transmitting either forward downlink signaling or crosslink signaling. For example, if any one of signaling paths 505-a to 505-d is enabled, the others of these signaling paths may be disabled. Additionally, or alternatively, if any one of the signal paths 505-e to 505-g is enabled, the others of these signal paths may be disabled.

[0170] In some other examples, in a mode supporting bidirectional relay without crosslinks, satellite 120-c may be configured to enable signal paths 505-a and 505-g (for example, simultaneously), and in such a mode, satellite 120-c may be configured to disable the other signal paths 505-b to 505-f (for example, disabling amplifiers 465-c and 470-c, disabling beamforming networks 420-c and 440-c, disabling ports 406-c, 411-c, 412-c, 416-c or connections between them, disabling switching component 426-d or their interconnections). In some other examples (for example, in a power-unlimited configuration when available power meets a threshold), in a mode supporting three-way relay, satellite 120-c may be configured to enable signal paths 505-a, 505-d, and 505-g simultaneously.

[0171] In another example, in a first mode supporting bidirectional relay via forward crosslink, satellite 120-c may be configured to enable signal paths 505-b and 505-g, and in such mode, satellite 120-c may be configured to disable signal paths 505-a and 505-c to 505-f. In yet another example, in a second mode supporting bidirectional relay via forward crosslink, satellite 120-c may be configured to enable signal paths 505-c and 505-g, and in such mode, satellite 120-c may be configured to disable signal paths 505-a, 505-b, and 505-d to 505-f.

[0172] In another example, in a first mode supporting bidirectional relay via a return crosslink, satellite 120-c may be configured to enable signal paths 505-a and 505-e, and in such a mode, the satellite may be configured to disable the other signal paths 505-b to 505-d, 505-f, and 505-g. In another example, in a second mode supporting bidirectional relay via a return crosslink, satellite 120-c may be configured to enable signal paths 505-a and 505-f, and in such a mode, the satellite may be configured to disable the other signal paths 505-b to 505-e and 505-g.

[0173] In another example, in a mode that supports return relay and crosslink relay (for example, in a power-limited configuration), satellite 120-c may be configured to enable signal paths 505-d and 505-g, and in such a mode, satellite 120-c may be configured to disable signal paths 505-a to 505-c, 505-e, and 505-f.

[0174] In each of these examples, the steering of satellite 120-c may be balanced among one or more enabled configurations, such as minimizing the scan angle, balancing or biasing link characteristics, and other considerations.

[0175] Therefore, satellite 120-c may operate in different modes, which may implement configurations 1 through 7, or combinations thereof (e.g., simultaneously, for bidirectional relay, for tridirectional relay). In some examples, oriented satellite 120-c may also involve rotating satellite 120-c around its central axis (e.g., around the z-direction, around direction 515, when signal paths 505-a and / or 505-g are enabled). For example, the control system 460 may configure the positioning and steering system 485 to rotate satellite 120-c around the z-direction (e.g., around direction 515) based on antenna parameters (e.g., directional sensitivity of receiving array 240, receiving array 260, transmitting array 250, or transmitting array 270, along the x-direction, along the y-direction, or both), or it may orient satellite 120-c to improve energy collection using solar elements 230 or 330.

[0176] In some implementations, the satellite 120 may be configured to communicate with a relatively wider bandwidth than the user terminal 150. For example, the satellite 120 (e.g., payload 400, receiving array 240, transmitting array 250, receiving array 260, transmitting array 270, payload implementation configuration 500) may be configured to communicate (e.g., transmit and receive) signaling using beam 125 with a system bandwidth of 5 GHz, while the user terminal 150 (e.g., user terminal antenna 155, user terminal controller 158) may be configured to communicate (e.g., receive and transmit) signaling with a user bandwidth of 1 GHz or some other bandwidth smaller than 5 GHz. When the user terminals 150 are spread out relatively in different locations (e.g., along different directions from the satellite 120), some implementations may include beam hopping or other techniques to direct different beams 125 to different locations. However, when communicating with a relatively small number of user terminals 150, if a sufficient number of user terminals 150 are not located within the beam coverage area 126 to utilize the full bandwidth of the satellite 120, a portion of the satellite 120's capacity may remain unused (e.g., unallocated). Therefore, according to the examples disclosed herein, the satellite 120 may be configured to communicate (e.g., transmit, receive) on a single beam 125 (e.g., a 5 GHz beam) having multiple lobes (e.g., multiple directions with local peak signal strength, multiple directions with local peak receive sensitivity), the multiple lobes carrying frequency-division multiplexed unicast communications (e.g., each signal 172, each signal 173 in the 1 GHz band), or other frequency-division multiplexed signaling to or from the user terminals 150 that would otherwise extend outside the beam coverage area 126 of the narrower-focused beam 125.

[0177] Figure 6 shows an example of a communication system implementation 600 supporting beamsplitting in a satellite communication system, according to examples disclosed herein (for example, an implementation of communication system 100). The communication system implementation 600 may include satellites 120-e that implement one or more forms of payload 400 (for example, according to one or more payload implementation 500 at a time). Satellites 120-e may relay communications between one or more gateway terminals 130 (for example, via their respective gateway antenna systems 131) and one or more user terminals 150 (for example, via their respective antenna assemblies 151), which may optionally include cross-link relay (not shown) via one or more other satellites 120 or satellites 180, among other devices. To support such communications, satellite 120-e may be configured to steer itself along various directions (e.g., using a control system to orient, using a steering system to steer its body) in order to support the signal relay performance of payload 400 throughout duration 605-a in which satellite 120-e traverses one or more portions of orbital path 520-h (e.g., the NGSO path).

[0178] For example, satellite 120-e may be configured to steer direction 515-a from satellite 120-e, which may correspond to an outward direction from side 215 or side 315, or the positive z-direction of satellite 120-e, or axis 245 and / or axis 255 (e.g., the boresight direction of satellite 120-e's phased array antenna), or a combination thereof, among other examples. In some examples, the positioning and steering system may be configured to orient direction 515-a toward location 510-h (e.g., target location) when satellite 120-e is traversing the orbital path 520-h (e.g., while providing services to communications in a service area including or associated with gateway terminal 130-d, user terminals 150-d-1, 150-d-2, 150-d-3, 150-d-4, and 150-d-5, or a combination thereof). The service area may be a geographical coverage area associated with each set of one or more gateway terminals 130, or each set of one or more user terminals 150, or both, and in some implementations, location 510-h may be a fixed location associated with the service area (e.g., a ground location, a central location). In some other examples, location 510-h may, separately, be at least partially based on the locations of user terminals 150-d-1 to 150-d-5 (e.g., their directions), or the locations of gateway terminal 130-d, or a combination thereof (e.g., a location supporting signal relay between gateway terminal 130-d and user terminals 150-d-1 to 150-d-5).

[0179] While providing communications in the service area (for example, through a duration 605-a traversing the orbital path 520-h), satellite 120-e may, among other examples, steer toward location 510-h in direction 515-a continuously or discontinuously (for example, according to a plurality of discrete steering impulses) between locations on the orbital path 520-h (e.g., body steering satellite 120-e). In some examples, location 510-h may be the central location (e.g., the center) of the service area, and among other implementations, compared to a configuration in which direction 515 was aligned with a gateway terminal 130 at one end of the service area and a user terminal 150 at the other end of the service area where satellite 120-e provides service, aligning direction 515-a to location 510-h throughout duration 605-a can facilitate relatively small scan angles (e.g., scan angles within a threshold) of the beamforming beam 125 directed toward different locations within the service area (e.g., along various directions, the user beam 125 directed toward user terminal 150, the gateway beam 125 directed toward gateway terminal 130).

[0180] Satellite 120-e may support communication services (e.g., relay communication between them) for at least a portion of the duration 605-a between one or more gateway terminals 130 (e.g., gateway terminal 130-d) and one or more user terminals 150 (e.g., user terminals 150-d-1 to 150-d-5). For example, one or more entities of the communication system 100 (e.g., one or more entities of network devices 141 such as the ground segment 101, gateway terminal 130-d, scheduling entities communicating with gateway terminal 130-d, or a combination thereof) may identify forward link communication to be relayed via satellite 120-e to user terminals 150-d-1 to 150-d-5 according to one or more time slots (e.g., between one or more time slots). In some examples, at least some of such signals may, if not each of, include unicast data for user terminals 150-d-1 to 150-d-5, or multicast data for a subset of user terminals 150-d-1 to 150-d-5, less than all of them. Thus, based at least in part on identifying different forward link communications of user terminals 150-d-1 to 150-d-5, the communication system 100 may generate a composite signal 610-a for transmission by gateway terminal 130-d, which includes a plurality of different forward uplink signals 132-j (e.g., forward uplink signal 132-j-1 for user terminal 150-d-1, forward uplink signal 132-j-2 for user terminal 150-d-2, and so on) relayed via satellite 120-e.

[0181] In some examples, the gateway terminal 130 and satellite 120 of the communication system 100 may be configured to signal using a first bandwidth (e.g., system bandwidth, relay bandwidth, 5GHz bandwidth), and the user terminal 150 of the communication system 100 may be configured to signal using a second bandwidth smaller than the first bandwidth (e.g., channel bandwidth, carrier bandwidth, subband, 1GHz bandwidth). In some examples, implementing a smaller bandwidth in the user terminal 150 may support a relatively lower-cost user terminal antenna 155 or associated signal processing circuitry (e.g., modem of the user terminal controller 158) compared to other implementations configured to support a larger bandwidth, among other cost reductions for the user terminal 150. Thus, in some examples, the communication system 100 may have forward uplink signals 132-j in the uplink frequency range F UL The uplink frequency range F having a first bandwidth is configured to perform frequency division multiplexing between each of its parts (for example, the channel, the carrier subchannel, the subband, and the part having a second bandwidth). UL For transmission at F, a composite signal 610-a can be generated. For example, according to time slot t1, the composite signal 610-a may include a forward uplink signal 132-j-1 assigned to a first uplink channel (e.g., f1u), a forward uplink signal 132-j-2 assigned to a second uplink channel (e.g., f2u), and so on. UL In the example consisting of a frequency range of 81-86 GHz, f1u may correspond to a frequency range of 81-82 GHz, f2u may correspond to a frequency range of 82-83 GHz, and so on. Furthermore, the composite signal 610-a may be transmitted by the gateway terminal 130-d according to forward polarization (e.g., LHCP).

[0182] To receive the composite signal 610-a (for example, according to time slot t1), satellite 120-e may be configured (for example, by one or more entities on the ground segment 101 such as gateway terminal 130-d or scheduling entities, by satellite 120-e itself, or a combination thereof) to generate a forward uplink beam 125-j-1 (for example, a receiving beam for directional reception) along beam direction 127-j-1 toward the location of gateway terminal 130-d, such that the gateway terminal is included in beam coverage area 126-j-1. The forward uplink beam 125-j-1 may be formed using a beamforming network (for example, beamforming network 420), which may be configured by a control system 460 (for example, implementing beamforming weights in beamforming network 420, aligning directional reception along beam direction 127-j-1, and generating beam 125-j-1). Therefore, satellite 120-e can receive the composite signal 610-a (for example, using the receiving system 405 and the receiving array 240, as a composite of the forward-uplink signal 132-j) and forward the received signaling through the transponder system 410 (for example, along the activated signal path 505-a via a single forward-link transponder). The signal path of the transponder system 410 may include one or more frequency converters (e.g., frequency converter 425 for conversion from uplink frequency range to IF range, frequency converter 435 for conversion from IF range to downlink frequency range) so that the satellite 120-e may be configured to transmit a composite signal 620-a (e.g., a frequency-converted composite signal for relaying composite signal 610-a) which includes a plurality of different forward downlink signals 172-j (e.g., forward downlink signal 172-j-1 for user terminal 150-d-1, forward downlink signal 172-j-2 for user terminal 150-d-2, and so on).

[0183] The composite signal 620-a is the forward downlink signal 172-j, which has a frequency range of F DL A downlink frequency range F having a first bandwidth (e.g., system bandwidth) is frequency-division multiplexed between each of its parts (e.g., channel, carrier subchannel, subband, part having a second bandwidth). DL It can be configured for transmission at F. For example, according to time slot t1, the composite signal 620-a may include a forward downlink signal 172-j-1 assigned to a first downlink channel (e.g., f1d), a forward downlink signal 172-j-2 assigned to a second downlink channel (e.g., f2d), and so on. DL In the example consisting of a frequency range of 71-76 GHz, f1d may correspond to a frequency range of 71-72 GHz, f2d may correspond to a frequency range of 72-73 GHz, and so on. Furthermore, the composite signal 620-a may be transmitted by satellite 120-e according to forward polarization (e.g., LHCP).

[0184] User terminals 150-d can be configured for reception on their respective downlink channels by various means. In some examples, user terminals 150-d may have permanent or semi-permanent channel assignments so that each user terminal 150-d is pre-configured for reception on a particular channel at a particular time (e.g., before the transmission of composite signal 620-a). In some other examples, composite signal 620-a may include control signaling indicating each channel assignment of forward downlink signal 172-j. For example, the control signaling of composite signal 620-a may indicate that downlink channel f1d (e.g., forward downlink signal 172-j-1) is assigned to user terminal 150-d-1, downlink channel f1d (e.g., forward downlink signal 172-j-2) is assigned to user terminal 150-d-2, and so on. In some such examples, the control signaling may precede the time slot t1 of the composite signal 620-a, or be part of the initial portion of the time slot t1, to notify user terminals 150-d of their respective reception assignments. In various examples, such control signaling may be interleaved with forward downlink signals within the downlink channel, or carried within the control bandwidth of the system bandwidth, among other implementations.

[0185] To transmit the composite signal 620-a (for example, according to time slot t1), satellite 120-e may be configured to generate a forward downlink beam 125-j-2 (for example, a transmit beam for directional transmission) (for example, by one or more entities on the ground segment 101 such as a gateway terminal 130-d or a scheduling entity, by satellite 120-e itself, or a combination thereof). However, in some examples, user terminals 150-d-1 to 150-d-5 may be relatively spread out and may not be located within the relatively small beam coverage area 126 of a relatively narrowly focused beam 125, which may be implemented in other situations due to relatively high signal intensity. Therefore, satellite 120-e may be configured to generate a beam 125-j-2 (e.g., a 5 GHz beam) having a plurality of lobes 630 (e.g., beam lobes) corresponding to the direction 635-a of user terminal 150-d, each lobe 630 carrying a frequency-division multiplexed forward downlink signal 172-j of a composite signal 620-a. For example, the first lobe 630-a-1 of beam 125-j-2 may correspond to the direction 635-a-1 between satellite 120-e and user terminal 150-d-1, the second lobe 630-a-2 of beam 125-j-2 may correspond to the direction 635-a-2 between satellite 120-e and user terminal 150-d-2, and so on.

[0186] Each of the lobes 630-a may be associated with a local peak transmit intensity, which may be configured to provide a relatively stronger signal to each user terminal 150-d (e.g., along direction 635) than if the beam 125-j-2 were uniformly widened (e.g., focally scattered). Thus, the lobes 630 can distribute the available transmit power of the associated transmitting system 415 (e.g., associated with the antenna array 250) to multiple areas along multiple directions. In some examples, the beam 125-j-2 may feature one or more local minimums of transmit intensity. For example, the beam 125-j-2 may include a local minimum 640 between lobes 630-a-1 and 630-a-2 (e.g., along the direction between directions 635-a-1 and 635-a-2). Additionally or alternatively, one or more lobes 630 may be combined without local minimum transmit intensity. For example, lobes 630-a-4 and 630-a-5 may be considered to combine to form a single lobe (e.g., a relatively wider lobe), even though their respective transmitted energies are focused along different directions 635-a-4 and 635-a-5. In some examples, one or more of the lobes 630 may consist of the same or similar size as a single narrowly focused beam 125. Thus, in these and other examples, lobes 630, or combinations of lobes 630, may be configured to support the transmission of signals 172 for multiple user terminals 150 (e.g., via composite signals 620).

[0187] Lobes 630-a of beam 125-j-2 can project transmit energy toward the ground segment 101 such that the corresponding beam coverage area 126-j-2 (e.g., geographical area) is divided among several separate coverage portions 650, each having transmit characteristics (e.g., signal strength, SNR, SINR) that satisfy a threshold (e.g., match or exceed the threshold). For example, lobe 630-a-1 may support coverage portion 650-a-1 having transmit characteristics that satisfy the threshold, lobes 630-a-4 and 630-a-5 may be combined to support coverage portion 650-a-4 having transmit characteristics that satisfy the threshold, and so on. Each of the portions 650-a may refer to a separate area enclosed by its respective boundary established by the threshold transmit characteristics of beam 125-j-2 (e.g., threshold signal intensity, SNR, or SINR corresponding to the threshold transmit characteristics of beam coverage area 126-j-2 at ground level or other reference level), and each of the portions 650-a may contain one or more relative peaks of transmit characteristics exceeding the threshold transmit characteristics. In some examples, one or more of the coverage portions 650 (e.g., of a single lobe 630) may have the same or similar area (e.g., in surface area, shape) as the beam coverage area 126 of a single narrowly focused transmit beam 125 implemented in other circumstances. Such regions are illustrated as circular or elliptical areas, but in some other examples, following the techniques described, one or more portions 650, or the transmit beam coverage area 126 itself, may include more complex shapes, which may include regions extending inward or outward relative to the central location of the portion 650 or beam coverage area 126 (for example, having boundaries with convex and concave curvatures within the ground plane). In some examples, such techniques may be supported by assigning a specific frequency channel to a particular user terminal 150-d based on the location of each user terminal 150-d.For example, to counteract or take advantage of the beam squints that may occur when implementing a phase shifter in the beamforming network 440, user terminals 150-d located relatively farther from satellite 120-e (e.g., associated with relatively higher scan angles and relatively greater angular separation from direction 515-a) may be assigned to relatively lower frequency channels, while user terminals 150-d located relatively closer to satellite 120-e (e.g., associated with relatively smaller scan angles and relatively smaller angular separation from direction 515-a) may be assigned to relatively higher frequency channels.

[0188] The forward downlink beam 125-j-2 may be formed using a beamforming network (e.g., beamforming network 440), which may be configured by a control system 460 (e.g., implementing beamforming weights in beamforming network 440, distributing directional transmit energy along different directions 635-a around beam direction 127-j-2, and generating beam 125-j-2). In some examples, such beamforming weights may be calculated by one or more entities on the ground segment 101 (e.g., gateway terminal 130-d, scheduling entity) and transmitted to satellite 120-e (e.g., via signal 132, via signal 175, via signal 183, via composite signal 610-a). In some other examples, such beamforming weights may be calculated by satellite 120-e (e.g., based on the respective locations of user terminals 150-d, based on the location of satellite 120-e along orbital path 520-h), among other implementation embodiments. Therefore, user terminals 150-d may be configured to receive each forward-downlink signal 172-j as part of a composite signal 620-a according to their respective frequency channel assignments (for example, during time slot t1), and to demodulate each forward-downlink signal 172-j in order to receive the respective data (for example, user terminal 150-d-1 receives and demodulates forward-downlink signal 172-j-1 according to downlink channel f1d, user terminal 150-d-2 receives and demodulates forward-downlink signal 172-j-2 according to downlink channel f2d, and so on).

[0189] Accordingly, according to these and other examples, one or more devices of the satellite communication system 100 may be configured to identify forward link signals (e.g., forward uplink signal 132, forward downlink signal 172) for communication to multiple user terminals 150 during time slots (e.g., in the gateway terminal 130, in the scheduling entity), and each forward link signal may contain unicast data for each user terminal 150. One or more devices of the satellite communication system 100 may be configured to generate composite signals (e.g., composite signal 610, composite signal 620) containing forward link signals (e.g., in the gateway terminal 130, in the scheduling entity), and each forward link signal is assigned to each frequency channel (e.g., one of f1u to f5u, one of f1d to f5d) of the bandwidth of the composite signal (e.g., the system bandwidth). One or more devices of the satellite communication system 100 may also be configured to generate a set of beamforming weights (for example, at the gateway terminal 130, at the scheduling entity) for application by the satellite 120 to relay a first composite signal (for example, as composite signal 620) to the user terminal 150 during time slots, and the set of beamforming weights is generated (for example, based on the spatial isolation of the user terminals 150, based on the location of each user terminal 150) to form a forward link beam 125 having a plurality of lobes 630 corresponding to each direction 635 of the user terminal 150 with respect to the direction 515 (e.g., boresight, axis 255) of the antenna array of the satellite 120 (e.g., antenna array 250). One or more devices of the satellite communication system 100 may also be configured to transmit a composite signal (for example, via a gateway terminal 130) for relay by one or more satellites (e.g., one or more satellites 120, one or more satellites 180), including a satellite 120 configured to transmit a downlink beam 125 to a user terminal 150 during time slots.

[0190] The communication system 100 may be configured to perform the operation of the communication system implementation 600 by various means. For example, a gateway terminal 130-d, a satellite 120-e, or a user terminal 150-d may be comprised of one or more devices of the corresponding communication system 100, such as one or more controllers of the ground segment 101, which may transmit configuration signaling to the gateway terminal 130-d, the satellite 120-e, or the user terminal 150-d (for example, relayed directly via another device). One or more controllers may determine information such as information regarding communication assignments, the location of the terminal, the characteristics of the orbital path 520-h, information regarding location 510-h, direction 127 or 635, beamforming weights, and other information. One or more controllers may signal one or more aspects of information from the ground segment to satellite 120-e or user terminal 150-d (for example, via uplink signals 132, 181, 183, 173, 175, or a combination thereof, or signals from gateway terminal 130 received along a previous point on orbital path 520-h, which may be relayed via another satellite 120 or satellite 180). For example, a network device 141 or gateway terminal 130 (e.g., a network controller) may determine various aspects of the configuration of satellite 120-e or user terminal 150-d to support one or more configurations for relaying signaling (e.g., forward signaling which may include crosslinks), and may configure satellite 120-e or user terminal 150-d by signaling to satellite 120-e or user terminal 150-d.

[0191] Figure 7 shows an example of a communication system implementation 700 supporting beamsplitting in a satellite communication system, as disclosed herein. The communication system implementation 700 may include a satellite 120-e, a gateway terminal 130-d, and user terminals 150-d-4 to 150-d-8, but may also illustrate other scenarios in which satellite 120 relays communications between one or more gateway terminals 130 and one or more user terminals 150, which may, in some cases, include crosslink relay (not shown). To support such communications, satellite 120-e may be configured to steer direction 515-a from satellite 120-e toward location 510-h (as described, for example, with reference to communication system implementation 600).

[0192] In an example of the communication system implementation embodiment 700, one or more entities of the communication system 100 (for example, one or more entities of network devices 141 such as a terrestrial segment 101, a gateway terminal 130-d, a scheduling entity communicating with gateway terminal 130-d, or a combination thereof) may identify forward link communications to be relayed via satellite 120-e to user terminals 150-d-4 to 150-d-8 according to one or more time slots (for example, between one or more time slots). In some examples, at least some of such signals may, in other examples, include unicast data for user terminals 150-d-4 to 150-d-8, or multicast data for a subset of user terminals 150-d-4 to 150-d-8, or broadcast data for all of user terminals 150-d-4 to 150-d-8, if not each of such signals. Therefore, based at least in part on identifying one or more instances of forward link communication for user terminals 150-d-4 to 150-d-8, the communication system 100 may generate a composite signal 610-b for transmission by gateway terminal 130-d, which includes one or more instances of forward uplink signals 132-k (e.g., forward uplink signal 132-k-4 for user terminal 150-d-4, forward uplink signal 132-k-5 for user terminal 150-d-5, and so on) that are relayed via satellite 120-e.

[0193] In some examples, the communication system 100 uses a forward uplink signal 132-k in the uplink frequency range F UL An uplink frequency range F having a first bandwidth (e.g., system bandwidth) is used to frequency-division multiplex between each of its parts. ULIt is possible to generate a composite signal 610-b for transmission therein. For example, according to time slot t2 (for example, different from time slot t1 of communication system implementation mode 600, such as before or after time slot t1), the composite signal 610-b may include a forward uplink signal 132-k-4 assigned to the first uplink channel (for example, f1u), a forward uplink signal 132-k-5 assigned to the second uplink channel (for example, f2u), and so on. If the uplink signal is configured in the frequency range of F UL = 81 to 86 GHz, f1u may correspond to the frequency range of 81 to 82 GHz, f2u may correspond to the frequency range of 82 to 83 GHz, and so on. Further, the composite signal 610-b may be transmitted by the gateway terminal 130-d according to the forward polarization (for example, LHCP).

[0194] To receive the composite signal 610-b (for example, according to time slot t2), satellite 120-e may be configured (for example, by one or more entities on the ground segment 101 such as gateway terminal 130-d or scheduling entities, by satellite 120-e itself, or a combination thereof) to generate a forward uplink beam 125-k-1 (for example, a receiving beam for directional reception) along beam direction 127-k-1 toward the location of gateway terminal 130-d so that gateway terminal 130-d is included in beam coverage area 126-k-1. The forward uplink beam 125-k-1 may be formed using a beamforming network (for example, beamforming network 420), which may be configured by a control system 460 (for example, implementing beamforming weights in beamforming network 420, aligning directional reception along beam direction 127-k-1, and generating beam 125-k-1). Therefore, satellite 120-e can receive the composite signal 610-b (for example, using the receiving system 405 and the receiving array 240, as a composite of the forward-uplink signal 132-k) and forward the received signaling through the transponder system 410 (for example, along the activated signal path 505-a, via a single forward-link transponder). The signal path of the transponder system 410 may include one or more frequency converters (e.g., frequency converter 425 for conversion from uplink frequency range to IF range, frequency converter 435 for conversion from IF range to downlink frequency range) so that the satellite 120-e may be configured to transmit a composite signal 620-b (e.g., a frequency-converted composite signal for relaying composite signal 610-b) which may include a plurality of different forward downlink signals 172-k (e.g., forward downlink signal 172-k-4 for user terminal 150-d-4, forward downlink signal 172-k-5 for user terminal 150-d-5, and so on).

[0195] The composite signal 620-b is the forward downlink signal 172-k with a frequency range of F DL A downlink frequency range F having a first bandwidth (e.g., system bandwidth) is frequency-division multiplexed between each of its parts (e.g., channel, carrier subchannel, subband, part having a second bandwidth). DL It can be configured for transmission at F. For example, according to time slot t2, the composite signal 620-b may include forward downlink signals 172-k-4 assigned to a first downlink channel (e.g., f1d), forward downlink signals 172-k-5 assigned to a second downlink channel (e.g., f2d), and so on. DL In the example consisting of a frequency range of 71-76 GHz, f1d may correspond to a frequency range of 71-72 GHz, f2d may correspond to a frequency range of 72-73 GHz, and so on. Furthermore, the composite signal 620-b may be transmitted by satellite 120-e according to forward polarization (e.g., LHCP).

[0196] User terminals 150-d can be configured for reception on their respective downlink channels by various means. In some examples, user terminals 150-d may have permanent or semi-permanent channel assignments so that each user terminal 150-d is pre-configured for reception on a particular channel (for example, before transmission of composite signal 620-b). In some other examples, composite signal 620-b may include control signaling indicating each channel assignment of forward downlink signal 172-k. For example, the control signaling of composite signal 620-b may indicate that downlink channel f1d (e.g., forward downlink signal 172-k-4) is assigned to user terminal 150-d-4, downlink channel f1d (e.g., forward downlink signal 172-k-5) is assigned to user terminal 150-d-5, and so on. In some such examples, the control signaling may precede the time slot t2 of the composite signal 620-b, or be in the initial part of the time slot t2, to notify user terminals 150-d of their respective reception assignments. In various examples, such control signaling may be interleaved with forward downlink signals within the downlink channel, or carried within the control bandwidth of the system bandwidth, among other implementations.

[0197] To transmit the composite signal 620-b (for example, according to time slot t2), satellite 120-e may be configured to generate a forward downlink beam 125-k-2 (for example, a transmit beam for directional transmission) (for example, by one or more entities of the ground segment 101 such as a gateway terminal 130-d or a scheduling entity, by satellite 120-e itself, or a combination thereof). In an example of the communication system implementation embodiment 700, user terminals 150-d-4 to 150-d-8 may be relatively close to each other and may be located within a relatively small beam coverage area 126-k-2 of a relatively narrowly focused beam 125-k-2, which may be implemented for relatively higher signal strength (for example, higher signal density for a given transmit power). Therefore, satellite 120-e may be configured to generate beam 125-k-2 (e.g., a 5 GHz beam) without multiple lobes 630 (e.g., having a single lobe 630-b) carrying a frequency-division multiplexed forward downlink signal 172-k of composite signal 620-b along a single direction 127-k-2.

[0198] The forward downlink beam 125-k-2 may be formed using a beamforming network (e.g., beamforming network 440), which may be configured by a control system 460 (e.g., implementing beamforming weights in beamforming network 440 and distributing directional transmissions symmetrically or uniformly around beam direction 127-k-2 to generate beam 125-k-2). In some examples, such beamforming weights may be calculated by one or more entities on the ground segment 101 (e.g., gateway terminal 130-d, scheduling entity) and transmitted to satellite 120-e (e.g., via signal 132, via signal 175, via signal 183, via composite signal 610-b). In some other examples, such beamforming weights may be calculated by satellite 120-e (e.g., based on the respective locations of user terminals 150-d, based on the location of satellite 120-e along orbital path 520-h), among other implementation embodiments.

[0199] In some examples, the transmit power for transmitting the composite signal 620-b (for example, using a relatively narrowly focused beam 125-k-2) may be the same as the transmit power for transmitting the composite signal 610-b (for example, using a beam 125-j-2 with multiple lobes 630). However, beam 125-k-2 may be associated with a beam coverage area 126-k-2 that is smaller than the beam coverage area 126-j-2 of beam 125-j-2, and therefore beam 125-k-2 may have a higher peak SNR (e.g., transmit SNR). Thus, forming a relatively narrowly focused transmit beam 125, such as beam 125-k-2 with a single lobe (e.g., a single lobe 630-b), may be advantageous in situations where there are a sufficient number of user terminals 150 located relatively close to effectively utilize the system bandwidth. Nevertheless, forming a multilobe transmit beam 125 such as beam 125-j-2 may be advantageous in some other situations for distributing transmit energy over a wider area, rather than hopping beam 125 across multiple time slots to serve user terminals 150, in order to make more full use of the system bandwidth of a given time slot, and to serve relatively widely spaced user terminals 150 (for example, in that case, frequency range F DL(A portion of this may not be allocated between multiple time slots). In some such examples, the relatively lower SNR for the multilobe beam 125 can be overcome by other techniques, where applicable, such as implementing a lower modulation or coding scheme for one or more of the forward downlink signals 172 (e.g., forward downlink signal 172-j). Thus, user terminals 150-d may be configured to receive each forward downlink signal 172-k as part of the composite signal 620-b according to their respective frequency channel assignments and to demodulate each forward downlink signal 172-k to receive their respective data (for example, user terminal 150-d-4 receives and demodulates forward downlink signal 172-k-4 according to downlink channel f1d, user terminal 150-d-5 receives and demodulates forward downlink signal 172-k-5 according to downlink channel f2d, and so on).

[0200] Accordingly, according to these and other examples, one or more devices of the satellite communication system 100 may be configured to identify forward link signals (e.g., forward uplink signal 132, forward downlink signal 172) for communication to multiple user terminals 150 during time slots (e.g., in the gateway terminal 130, in the scheduling entity), and each forward link signal may contain unicast data for each user terminal 150. One or more devices of the satellite communication system 100 may be configured to generate composite signals (e.g., composite signal 610, composite signal 620) containing forward link signals (e.g., in the gateway terminal 130, in the scheduling entity), and each forward link signal is assigned to each frequency channel (e.g., one of f1u to f5u, one of f1d to f5d) of the bandwidth of the composite signal (e.g., the system bandwidth). One or more devices of the satellite communication system 100 may also be configured to generate a set of beamforming weights (for example, at a gateway terminal 130, in a scheduling entity) for application by satellite 120 to relay a first composite signal (for example, as composite signal 620) to a user terminal 150 during a time slot, the set of beamforming weights is generated to form a forward link beam 125 having a single lobe 630 along a single direction 127. One or more devices of the satellite communication system 100 may also be configured to transmit the composite signal (for example, via a gateway terminal 130) for relay by one or more satellites (for example, one or more satellites 120, one or more satellites 180), including satellite 120 configured to transmit beam 125 to user terminal 150 during a time slot.

[0201] The communication system 100 may be configured to perform the operation of the communication system implementation 600 by various means. For example, a gateway terminal 130-d, a satellite 120-e, or a user terminal 150-d may be comprised of one or more devices of the corresponding communication system 100, such as one or more controllers of the ground segment 101, which may transmit configuration signaling to the gateway terminal 130-d, the satellite 120-e, or the user terminal 150-d (for example, relayed directly via another device). One or more controllers may determine information such as information regarding communication assignments, the location of the terminal, the characteristics of the orbital path 520-h, information regarding location 510-h, direction 127 or 635, beamforming weights, and other information. One or more controllers may signal one or more aspects of information from the ground segment to satellite 120-e or user terminal 150-d (for example, via uplink signals 132, 181, 183, 173, 175, or a combination thereof, or signals from gateway terminal 130 received along a previous point on orbital path 520-h, which may be relayed via another satellite 120 or satellite 180). For example, a network device 141 or gateway terminal 130 (e.g., a network controller) may determine various aspects of the configuration of satellite 120-e or user terminal 150-d to support one or more configurations for relaying signaling (e.g., forward signaling which may include crosslinks), and may configure satellite 120-e or user terminal 150-d by signaling to satellite 120-e or user terminal 150-d.

[0202] Figure 8 shows an example of a communication system implementation 800 supporting beamsplitting in a satellite communication system, as disclosed herein. The communication system implementation 800 may include a satellite 120-e, a gateway terminal 130-d, and user terminals 150-d-1 to 150-d-5, but may also illustrate other scenarios in which satellite 120 relays communications between one or more gateway terminals 130 and one or more user terminals 150, which may, in some cases, include crosslink relay (not shown). To support such communications, satellite 120-e may be configured to steer direction 515-a from satellite 120-e toward location 510-h (as described, for example, with reference to communication system implementation 600).

[0203] In an example of the communication system implementation embodiment 800, one or more entities of the communication system 100 (for example, one or more entities of network devices 141 such as the ground segment 101, gateway terminal 130-d, scheduling entities communicating with gateway terminal 130-d, or a combination thereof) may identify return link communications to be relayed from user terminals 150-d-1 to 150-d-5 via satellite 120-e according to one or more time slots (for example, between one or more time slots). In some examples, each of such signals may include unicast data from user terminals 150-d-1 to 150-d-5, among others. Therefore, based at least in part on identifying different return link communications from user terminals 150-d-1 to 150-d-5, the communication system 100 may configure (e.g., schedule, assign) a composite signal 810-a for reception by satellite 120-e, which includes a plurality of different return uplink signals 173-l (e.g., return uplink signal 173-l-1 transmitted by user terminal 150-d-1, return uplink signal 173-l-2 transmitted by user terminal 150-d-2, and so on) that are relayed via satellite 120-e.

[0204] In some examples, the communication system 100 returns the uplink signal 173-l to the uplink frequency range F UL An uplink frequency range F having a first bandwidth (e.g., system bandwidth) is used to frequency-division multiplex between each of its parts. UL A composite signal 810-a for reception at can be constructed. For example, according to time slot t3 (unlike, for example, time slot t1 in communication system implementation embodiment 600 or time slot t2 in communication system implementation embodiment 700, for example, before, after, or between time slots t1 and t2, or at least partially overlapping with one or both of time slots t1 or t2, and the forward time slot and return time slot may be configured to overlap to support signal propagation delay and / or various combinations of half-duplex or full-duplex configurations, or may be configured in the same way as time slot t1 or t2), the composite signal 810-a may be configured to include a return uplink signal 173-l-1 assigned to a first uplink channel (e.g., f1u), a return uplink signal 173-l-2 assigned to a second uplink channel (e.g., f2u), and so on. UL In the example consisting of a frequency range of 81-86 GHz, f1u may correspond to a frequency range of 81-82 GHz, f2u may correspond to a frequency range of 82-83 GHz, and so on. To support the generation of composite signal 810-a for reception on satellite 120-e, user terminal 150-d-1 may be allocated the transmit resource of time slot t3 in uplink frequency channel f1u, user terminal 150-d-2 may be allocated the transmit resource of time slot t3 in uplink frequency channel f2u, and so on. Each of the return uplink signals 173-l of composite signal 810-a may be configured to be transmitted by the respective user terminal 150-d according to the return polarization (e.g., RHCP).

[0205] User terminals 150-d can be configured for transmission on their respective uplink channels by various means. In some examples, user terminals 150-d may have permanent or semi-permanent channel assignments so that each user terminal 150-d is pre-configured for transmission on a particular channel at a particular time. In some other examples, downlink signaling 172 from satellite 120-e or signaling 182 from satellite 180 may include control signaling indicating each channel assignment of the return uplink signal 173-l. For example, such control signaling may indicate that uplink channel f1u is assigned to user terminal 150-d-1 (e.g., for return uplink signal 173-l-1), uplink channel f2u is assigned to user terminal 150-d-2 (e.g., for return uplink signal 173-l-2), and so on. In some such examples, the control signaling may precede the time slot t3 for the composite signal 810-a, or be in the initial part of the time slot t3, to notify the user terminal 150-d of their respective transmission assignments. In various examples, such control signaling may be interleaved with forward downlink signals within the downlink channel, or carried within the control bandwidth of the system bandwidth, among other implementations.

[0206] To receive the composite signal 810-a (for example, according to time slot t3), satellite 120-e may be configured to generate a return uplink beam 125-l-1 (for example, a receiving beam for directional reception) (for example, by one or more entities on the ground segment 101 such as a gateway terminal 130-d or a scheduling entity, by satellite 120-e itself, or a combination thereof). However, in some examples, user terminals 150-d-1 to 150-d-5 may be relatively spread out and not located within the relatively small beam coverage area 126 of a relatively narrowly focused beam 125 that may be implemented in other situations for relatively high receiving sensitivity. Therefore, satellite 120-e may be configured to generate a beam 125-l-1 (e.g., a 5 GHz beam) having multiple lobes 830 (e.g., beam lobes) corresponding to the direction 835-a of user terminal 150-d, each lobe 830 having a composite signal 810-a (e.g., uplink frequency range F UL It receives energy from within. For example, the first lobe 830-a-1 of beam 125-l-1 may correspond to direction 835-a-1 between satellite 120-e and user terminal 150-d-1, the second lobe 830-a-2 of beam 125-l-1 may correspond to direction 835-a-2 between satellite 120-e and user terminal 150-d-2, and so on.

[0207] Each of the lobes 830-a may be associated with a local peak receiving sensitivity, which may be configured to provide a relatively stronger reception from each user terminal 150-d (e.g., along direction 835) than if beam 125-l-1 were uniformly widened (e.g., focally scattered). Thus, lobes 830 can distribute the available receiving sensitivity of the associated receiving system 405 (e.g., associated with antenna array 240) across multiple areas along multiple directions. In some examples, beam 125-l-1 may feature one or more local minimums of receiving sensitivity. For example, beam 125-l-1 may include a local minimum 840 between lobes 830-a-1 and 830-a-2 (e.g., along the direction between directions 835-a-1 and 835-a-2), and so on. Additionally or alternatively, one or more lobes 830 may be combined without local minimum receiving sensitivity. For example, lobes 830-a-4 and 830-a-5 can be considered to combine to form a single lobe (e.g., a relatively wider lobe), even though their respective receiving sensitivities are focused along different directions 835-a-4 and 835-a-5. Thus, in these and other examples, lobe 830, or a combination of lobes 830, may be configured to support the reception of signals 173 from multiple user terminals 150 (e.g., via a composite signal 810).

[0208] A lobe 830-a of beam 125-l-1 may be configured to collect transmitted energy from the ground segment 101 such that the corresponding beam coverage area 126-l-1 is divided into a plurality of separate coverage portions 850, each having receiving characteristics (e.g., receiving sensitivity, receiving attenuation, SNR, SINR) that meet (e.g., match or exceed) a threshold. For example, lobe 830-a-1 may support a coverage portion 850-a-1 having receiving characteristics that meet a threshold, and lobes 830-a-4 and 830-a-5 may be combined to support a coverage portion 850-a-4 having receiving characteristics that meet a threshold. Each of the portions 850-a may refer to a distinct area enclosed by its respective boundary established by the threshold receiving characteristics of beam 125-l-1 (e.g., threshold receiving sensitivity, SNR, or SINR corresponding to the threshold receiving characteristics of beam coverage area 126-l-1 at ground level or other reference level), and each of the portions 850-a may contain one or more relative peaks of receiving characteristics exceeding the threshold receiving characteristics. In some examples, one or more of the coverage portions 850 (e.g., of a single lobe 830) may have the same or similar area (e.g., in surface area, shape) as the beam coverage area 126 of a single narrowly focused receiving beam 125 implemented in other circumstances. Such regions are illustrated as circular or elliptical areas, but in some other examples, following the technique described, one or more portions 850, or the receiving beam coverage area 126 itself, may include more complex shapes, which may include regions extending inward or outward relative to the central location of portion 850 or the beam coverage area 126 (for example, having boundaries with convex and concave curvatures within the ground plane). In some examples, such a technique may be supported by assigning a specific frequency channel to a particular user terminal 150-d based on the location of each user terminal 150-d.For example, to counteract or take advantage of the beam squint patterns that may occur when implementing a phase shifter in the beamforming network 420, user terminals 150-d located relatively farther from satellite 120-e (e.g., associated with relatively higher scan angles and relatively greater angular separation from direction 515-a) may be assigned to relatively lower frequency channels, while user terminals 150-d located relatively closer to satellite 120-e (e.g., associated with relatively smaller scan angles and relatively smaller angular separation from direction 515-a) may be assigned to relatively higher frequency channels.

[0209] The return uplink beam 125-l-1 may be formed using a beamforming network (e.g., beamforming network 420), which may be configured by a control system 460 (e.g., implementing beamforming weights in beamforming network 420, distributing directional reception along different directions 835-a around beam direction 127-l-1, and generating beam 125-l-1). In some examples, such beamforming weights may be calculated by one or more entities on the ground segment 101 (e.g., gateway terminal 130-d, scheduling entity) and transmitted to satellite 120-e (e.g., via signal 132, via signal 175, via signal 183). In some other examples, such beamforming weights may be calculated by satellite 120-e (e.g., based on the respective locations of user terminals 150-d, based on the location of satellite 120-e along orbital path 520-h), among other implementation embodiments.

[0210] Therefore, satellite 120-e can receive the composite signal 810-a (for example, using the receiving system 405 and the receiving array 240, as a composite of the return uplink signal 173-l) and forward the received signaling through the transponder system 410 (for example, along the activated signal path 505-g, via a single return link transponder). The signal path of the transponder system 410 may include one or more frequency converters (e.g., frequency converter 425 for conversion from uplink frequency range to IF range, frequency converter 435 for conversion from IF range to downlink frequency range) so that the satellite 120-e may be configured to transmit a composite signal 820-a (e.g., a frequency-converted composite signal for relaying composite signal 810-a) which includes a plurality of different return downlink signals 133-l (e.g., return downlink signal 133-l-1 from user terminal 150-d-1, return downlink signal 133-l-2 from user terminal 150-d-2, and so on).

[0211] To transmit the composite signal 820-a (for example, according to time slot t3), satellite 120-e may be configured to generate a return downlink beam 125-l-2 (for example, a transmit beam for directional transmission) along beam direction 127-l-2 toward the location of gateway terminal 130-d (for example, by one or more entities of ground segment 101 such as gateway terminal 130-d or scheduling entities, by satellite 120-e itself, or a combination thereof). The return uplink beam 125-l-2 may be formed using a beamforming network (for example, beamforming network 440), which may be configured by a control system 460 (for example, implementing beamforming weights in beamforming network 440, aligning directional transmission along beam direction 127-l-2, and generating beam 125-l-2).

[0212] The composite signal 820-a is the return downlink signal 133-l, with a frequency range of F DL A downlink frequency range F having a first bandwidth (e.g., system bandwidth) is used to frequency-division multiplex between each of its parts. DL It can be configured for transmission at F. For example, according to time slot t3, the composite signal 820-a may include a return downlink signal 133-l-1 assigned to a first downlink channel (e.g., f1d), a return downlink signal 133-l-2 assigned to a second downlink channel (e.g., f2d), and so on. DL In the example consisting of a frequency range of 71-76 GHz, f1d may correspond to a frequency range of 71-72 GHz, f2d may correspond to a frequency range of 72-73 GHz, and so on. Furthermore, the composite signal 820-a may be transmitted by satellite 120-e according to the return polarization (e.g., RHCP). Gateway terminal 130-d may receive the composite signal 820-a (e.g., in the return link bandwidth) and demodulate the return downlink signal 133-l according to the respective frequency channels assigned to user terminals 150-d-1 to 150-d-5.

[0213] Accordingly, according to these and other examples, one or more devices of the satellite communication system 100 may be configured to identify return link signals (e.g., return uplink signal 173, return downlink signal 133) for communication from multiple user terminals 150 during time slots (e.g., different from, overlapping with, or the same as, time slots with forward link communication), each of which return link signals may contain unicast data from each user terminal 150. One or more devices of the satellite communication system 100 may be configured to constitute (e.g., generate, scale, and allocate) composite signals (e.g., composite signals 810, composite signals 820) containing return link signals for relay by satellite 120, each of which return link signals are allocated to each frequency channel (e.g., one of f1u to f5u, one of f1d to f5d) of the bandwidth of the composite signal (e.g., system bandwidth). One or more devices of the satellite communication system 100 may also be configured to generate a set of beamforming weights (for example, at a gateway terminal 130, at a scheduling entity) for application by satellite 120 to receive a first composite signal (for example, as composite signal 810, as a composite of return uplink signals 173) from a user terminal 150 during a time slot, the set of beamforming weights is generated to form a return link beam 125 having a plurality of lobes 830 corresponding to each direction 835 of the user terminal 150 with respect to the direction 515 (e.g., boresite, axis 245) of the antenna array (e.g., antenna array 240) of satellite 120. One or more devices of the satellite communication system 100 may also be configured to relay the composite signal 810 (for example, via one or more satellites 120, one or more satellites 180), such as via satellite 120 that has received the composite signal 810 from the user terminal 150 during a time slot.

[0214] The communication system 100 can be configured to perform the operation of the communication system implementation 800 by various means. For example, a gateway terminal 130-d, a satellite 120-e, or a user terminal 150-d may be comprised of one or more devices of the corresponding communication system 100, such as one or more controllers of the ground segment 101, which can transmit configuration signaling to the gateway terminal 130-d, the satellite 120-e, or the user terminal 150-d (for example, relayed directly via another device). One or more controllers can determine information such as information regarding communication assignments, terminal locations, characteristics of orbital path 520-h, information regarding location 510-h, direction 127, beamforming weights, and other information. One or more controllers may signal one or more aspects of information from the ground segment to satellite 120-e or user terminal 150-d (for example, via uplink signals 132, 181, 183, 173, 175, or a combination thereof, or signals from gateway terminal 130 received along a previous point on orbital path 520-h, which may be relayed via another satellite 120 or satellite 180). For example, a network device 141 or gateway terminal 130 (e.g., a network controller) may determine various aspects of the configuration of satellite 120-e or user terminal 150-d to support one or more configurations for relaying signaling (e.g., forward signaling which may include crosslinks), and may configure satellite 120-e or user terminal 150-d by signaling to satellite 120-e or user terminal 150-d.

[0215] Figure 9 shows an example of a communication system implementation 900 supporting beamsplitting in a satellite communication system, as disclosed herein. The communication system implementation 900 may include a satellite 120-e, a gateway terminal 130-d, and user terminals 150-d-4 to 150-d-8, but may also illustrate another scenario in which satellite 120 relays communications between one or more gateway terminals 130 and one or more user terminals 150, which may, in some cases, include crosslink relay (not shown). To support such communications, satellite 120-e may be configured to steer direction 515-a from satellite 120-e toward location 510-h (as described, for example, with reference to communication system implementation 600).

[0216] In an example of the communication system implementation embodiment 900, one or more entities of the communication system 100 (for example, one or more entities of network devices 141 such as the ground segment 101, gateway terminal 130-d, scheduling entities communicating with gateway terminal 130-d, or a combination thereof) may identify return link communications to be relayed from user terminals 150-d-4 to 150-d-8 via satellite 120-e according to one or more time slots (for example, between one or more time slots). In some examples, each of such signals may include unicast data from user terminals 150-d-4 to 150-d-8, among others. Therefore, based at least in part on identifying different return link communications from user terminals 150-d-4 to 150-d-8, the communication system 100 may configure (e.g., schedule, assign) a composite signal 810-b for reception by satellite 120-e, which includes a plurality of different return uplink signals 173-m (e.g., return uplink signal 173-m-1 transmitted by user terminal 150-d-4, return uplink signal 173-m-2 transmitted by user terminal 150-d-5, and so on) that are relayed via satellite 120-e.

[0217] In some examples, the communication system 100 returns the uplink signal 173-m in the uplink frequency range F UL An uplink frequency range F having a first bandwidth (e.g., system bandwidth) is used to frequency-division multiplex between each of its parts. UL A composite signal 810-b for reception at F may be constructed. For example, according to time slot t4 (e.g., before or after time slot t3, different from time slot t3 in communication system implementation 800), the composite signal 810-b may be configured to include a return uplink signal 173-m-4 assigned to a first uplink channel (e.g., f1u), a return uplink signal 173-m-5 assigned to a second uplink channel (e.g., f2u), and so on. UL In the example consisting of a frequency range of 81-86 GHz, f1u may correspond to a frequency range of 81-82 GHz, f2u may correspond to a frequency range of 82-83 GHz, and so on. To support the generation of composite signal 810-b for reception on satellite 120-e, user terminal 150-d-1 may be allocated the transmit resource of time slot t4 in uplink frequency channel f1u, user terminal 150-d-2 may be allocated the transmit resource of time slot t4 in uplink frequency channel f2u, and so on. Each of the return uplink signals 173-m of composite signal 810-b may be configured to be transmitted by the respective user terminal 150-d according to the return polarization (e.g., RHCP).

[0218] User terminals 150-d can be configured for transmission on their respective uplink channels by various means. In some examples, user terminals 150-d may have permanent or semi-permanent channel assignments so that each user terminal 150-d is pre-configured for transmission on a particular channel at a particular time. In some other examples, downlink signaling 172 from satellite 120-e or signaling 182 from satellite 180 may include control signaling indicating each channel assignment of the return uplink signal 173-m. For example, such control signaling may indicate that uplink channel f1u is assigned to user terminal 150-d-4 (e.g., for return uplink signal 173-m-4), uplink channel f2u is assigned to user terminal 150-d-5 (e.g., for return uplink signal 173-m-5), and so on. In some such examples, the control signaling may precede the time slot t4 for the composite signal 810-b, or be in the initial part of the time slot t4, to notify the user terminal 150-d of their respective transmission assignments. In various examples, such control signaling may be interleaved with the forward downlink signal within the downlink channel, or carried within the control bandwidth of the system bandwidth, among other implementations.

[0219] To receive the composite signal 810-b (for example, according to time slot t4), satellite 120-e may be configured to generate a return uplink beam 125-m-1 (for example, a receiving beam for directional reception) (for example, by one or more entities on the ground segment 101 such as a gateway terminal 130-d or a scheduling entity, by satellite 120-e itself, or a combination thereof). In an example of the communication system implementation embodiment 900, user terminals 150-d-4 to 150-d-8 may be relatively close to each other and may be located within a relatively small beam coverage area 126-m-1 of a relatively narrowly focused beam 125-m-1, which may be implemented for relatively higher receiving sensitivity. Therefore, satellite 120-e may be configured to generate a beam 125-m-1 (e.g., a 5 GHz beam) without multiple lobes 830 (e.g., having a single lobe 830-b) in order to receive a frequency-division multiplexed return uplink signal 173-m of a composite signal 810-b along a single direction 127-m-1.

[0220] The return uplink beam 125-m-1 may be formed using a beamforming network (e.g., beamforming network 420), which may be configured by a control system 460 (e.g., implementing beamforming weights in beamforming network 420, aligning directional receivers along beam direction 127-m-1, and generating beam 125-m-1). In some examples, such beamforming weights may be calculated by one or more entities on the ground segment 101 (e.g., gateway terminals 130-d, scheduling entities) and transmitted to satellite 120-e (e.g., via signal 132, via signal 175, via signal 183). In some other examples, such beamforming weights may be calculated by satellite 120-e (e.g., based on the respective locations of user terminals 150-d, based on the location of satellite 120-e along orbital path 520-h), among other implementations.

[0221] In some examples, beam 125-m-1 may be associated with a smaller beam coverage area 126-m-1 than beam coverage area 126-l-1 of beam 125-l-1, and therefore beam 125-m-1 may have a higher peak SNR (e.g., received SNR). Thus, forming a relatively narrowly focused receiving beam 125, such as beam 125-m-1 with a single lobe (e.g., single lobe 830), may be advantageous in situations where there are enough user terminals 150 relatively close to effectively utilize the system bandwidth. Nevertheless, forming a multilobe receiving beam 125, such as beam 125-l-1, may be advantageous in some other situations for distributing reception over a wider area, and serving user terminals 150 in order to more fully utilize the system bandwidth of a given time slot (e.g., in that case, frequency range F) rather than hopping beam 125 across multiple time slots to serve user terminals 150. UL (A portion of this may not be allocated between multiple time slots.) In some such cases, the relatively lower SNR for multilobe beams can be overcome by other techniques, such as implementing a lower modulation or coding scheme, among other techniques, where applicable.

[0222] Therefore, satellite 120-e can receive the composite signal 810-b (for example, using the receiving system 405 and the receiving array 240, as a composite of the return uplink signal 173-m) and forward the received signaling through the transponder system 410 (for example, along the activated signal path 505-g, via a single return link transponder). The signal path of the transponder system 410 may include one or more frequency converters (e.g., frequency converter 425 for conversion from uplink frequency range to IF range, frequency converter 435 for conversion from IF range to downlink frequency range) so that the satellite 120-e may be configured to transmit a composite signal 820-b (e.g., a frequency-converted composite signal for relaying composite signal 810-a) which includes a plurality of different return downlink signals 133-m (e.g., return downlink signal 133-m-1 from user terminal 150-d-4, return downlink signal 133-m-2 from user terminal 150-d-5, and so on).

[0223] To transmit the composite signal 820-b (for example, according to time slot t4), satellite 120-e may be configured to generate a return downlink beam 125-m-2 (for example, a transmit beam for directional transmission) along beam direction 127-m-2 toward the location of gateway terminal 130-d (for example, by one or more entities on ground segment 101 such as gateway terminal 130-d or scheduling entities, by satellite 120-e itself, or a combination thereof). The return downlink beam 125-m-2 may be formed using a beamforming network (for example, beamforming network 440), which may be configured by a control system 460 (for example, implementing beamforming weights in beamforming network 440, aligning directional transmission along beam direction 127-m-2, and generating beam 125-m-2).

[0224] The composite signal 820-b is the return downlink signal 133-m, with a frequency range of F DL A downlink frequency range F having a first bandwidth (e.g., system bandwidth) is used to frequency-division multiplex between each of its parts. DL It can be configured for transmission at F. For example, according to time slot t4, the composite signal 820-b may include a return downlink signal 133-m-4 assigned to a first downlink channel (e.g., f1d), a return downlink signal 133-m-5 assigned to a second downlink channel (e.g., f2d), and so on. DL In the example consisting of a frequency range of 71-76 GHz, f1d may correspond to a frequency range of 71-72 GHz, f2d may correspond to a frequency range of 72-73 GHz, and so on. Furthermore, the composite signal 820-b may be transmitted by satellite 120-e according to the return polarization (e.g., RHCP). Gateway terminal 130-d may receive the composite signal 820-b (e.g., in the return link frequency range) and demodulate the return downlink signal 133-m according to the respective frequency channels assigned to user terminals 150-d-4 to 150-d-8.

[0225] Accordingly, according to these and other examples, one or more devices of the satellite communication system 100 may be configured to identify return link signals (e.g., return uplink signal 173, return downlink signal 133) for communication from multiple user terminals 150 during time slots (e.g., at the gateway terminal 130, at the scheduling entity), each of which return link signals may contain unicast data for each user terminal 150. One or more devices of the satellite communication system 100 may be configured to constitute (e.g., generate, scale, and allocate) composite signals (e.g., at the gateway terminal 130, at the scheduling entity) that include return link signals for relay by satellite 120, each of which return link signals are allocated to a respective frequency channel (e.g., one of f1u to f5u, one of f1d to f5d) of the bandwidth of the composite signal (e.g., the system bandwidth). One or more devices of the satellite communication system 100 may also be configured to generate a set of beamforming weights (for example, at a gateway terminal 130, at a scheduling entity) for application by satellite 120 to receive a first composite signal (for example, as composite signal 810, as a composite of return uplink signals 173) from a user terminal 150 during a time slot, the set of beamforming weights is generated to form a return link beam 125 having a single lobe 830 along a single direction 127. One or more devices of the satellite communication system 100 may also be configured to relay the composite signal 810 (for example, via one or more satellites 120, one or more satellites 180), such as via satellite 120 that received the composite signal 810 from the user terminal 150 during a time slot.

[0226] The communication system 100 may be configured to perform the operation of the communication system implementation 900 by various means. For example, a gateway terminal 130-d, a satellite 120-e, or a user terminal 150-d may be comprised of one or more devices of the corresponding communication system 100, such as one or more controllers of the ground segment 101, which may transmit configuration signaling to the gateway terminal 130-d, the satellite 120-e, or the user terminal 150-d (for example, relayed directly via another device). One or more controllers may determine information such as information regarding communication assignments, the location of the terminal, the characteristics of the orbital path 520-h, information regarding location 510-h, direction 127, beamforming weights, and other information. One or more controllers may signal one or more aspects of information from the ground segment to satellite 120-e or user terminal 150-d (for example, via uplink signals 132, 181, 183, 173, 175, or a combination thereof, or signals from gateway terminal 130 received along a previous point on orbital path 520-h, which may be relayed via another satellite 120 or satellite 180). For example, a network device 141 or gateway terminal 130 (e.g., a network controller) may determine various aspects of the configuration of satellite 120-e or user terminal 150-d to support one or more configurations for relaying signaling (e.g., forward signaling which may include crosslinks), and may configure satellite 120-e or user terminal 150-d by signaling to satellite 120-e or user terminal 150-d.

[0227] Figure 10 shows a flowchart illustrating method 1000, which supports beam splitting in a satellite communication system, as disclosed herein. The operation of method 1000 may be implemented by a satellite communication system or its components as described herein. For example, the operation of method 1000 may be carried out by components of a satellite communication system as described with reference to Figures 1 to 9. In some examples, an embodiment of the satellite communication system may execute a set of instructions for controlling functional elements of the satellite communication system to perform the functions described. Additionally or alternatively, the satellite communication system may use one or more instances of dedicated hardware to perform the embodiments of the functions described. Although method 1000 is shown with exemplary operations in an exemplary order, various operations of method 1000 may be modified, omitted, added, or carried out in a different order according to the techniques described.

[0228] In 1005, the method may include identifying a first plurality of forward link signals for communication to a first plurality of user terminals during a first time slot, wherein each of the first plurality of forward link signals includes unicast data for each of the first plurality of user terminals.

[0229] In 1010, the method may include generating a first composite signal comprising a plurality of first forward link signals, wherein each of the plurality of first forward link signals is assigned to each frequency channel of the bandwidth of the first composite signal.

[0230] In 1015, the method may include generating a first set of beamforming weights for a satellite application for relaying a first composite signal to a first plurality of user terminals during a first time slot, wherein the first set of beamforming weights is generated to form a first forward link beam with respect to the boresite of the satellite's antenna array, having a plurality of beam lobes corresponding to the respective directions of the first plurality of user terminals.

[0231] In 1020, the method may include transmitting a first composite signal from a gateway during a first time slot for relay by one or more satellites, including the said satellite.

[0232] In some examples of Method 1000, a first set of user terminals is configured for reception in a second bandwidth smaller than the bandwidth of the first composite signal.

[0233] Some examples of Method 1000 may further include configuring the satellite to orient the boresite of the antenna array at least partially based on the direction of each of the first plurality of user terminals.

[0234] In some examples of Method 1000, configuring a satellite to orient the boresite of an antenna array includes configuring the satellite to orient the side of the satellite to which the antenna array is fixed.

[0235] In some examples of Method 1000, the first forward-link beam has an energy distribution over a geographical region that includes at least one coverage portion separated from at least one other coverage portion of the first forward-link beam.

[0236] In some examples of Method 1000, the first forward link beam is associated with each local minimum transmit intensity along one or more directions between multiple beam lobes.

[0237] In some examples of Method 1000, the first composite signal includes control signaling indicating the frequency channel assignment of each of the first multiple forward link signals.

[0238] Some examples of method 1000 may further include allocating a frequency channel for at least one of the first multiple forward link signals, based at least partially on the location of each user terminal, in order to receive at least one of the first multiple forward link signals.

[0239] Some examples of method 1000 may further include relaying a first composite signal via a satellite, which includes applying a first set of beamforming weights to transmit the first composite signal through multiple antenna elements of the satellite's antenna array.

[0240] Some examples of Method 1000 may further include identifying a second set of forward link signals for communication to a second set of user terminals during a second time slot, each of which includes unicast data for each of the second set of user terminals; generating a second composite signal comprising the second set of forward link signals, each of which is assigned to each frequency channel of the bandwidth of the second composite signal; generating a second set of beamforming weights for satellite application for relaying the second composite signal to the second set of user terminals during a second time slot, each of which is generated to form a second forward link beam having a single lobe along a single direction; and transmitting the second composite signal from a gateway during a second time slot for relay by one or more satellites, including said satellite.

[0241] In some examples of Method 1000, the second forward link beam is associated with a smaller beam coverage area than the first forward link beam.

[0242] In some examples of Method 1000, the second forward link beam is associated with a higher peak signal-to-noise ratio than the first forward link beam.

[0243] In some examples of Method 1000, the first group of user terminals and the second group of user terminals share at least one user terminal in common.

[0244] In some examples of Method 1000, the bandwidth of the second composite signal is equal to the bandwidth of the first composite signal.

[0245] Some examples of method 1000 may further include relaying a second composite signal by a satellite, which includes applying a second set of beamforming weights to transmit the second composite signal through multiple antenna elements of the satellite's antenna array, the transmit power of the second composite signal may be the same as the transmit power of the first composite signal.

[0246] Some examples of Method 1000 may further include: identifying a third plurality of user terminals for communication of return link signals via a second satellite during a third time slot; assigning each of the third plurality of user terminals to a respective frequency channel of the return link bandwidth; generating a third set of beamforming weights for application by the second satellite for relaying a third composite signal in the return link bandwidth during a third time slot, wherein the third set of beamforming weights is generated to form a return link beam with respect to the boresight of the second antenna array of the second satellite, having a plurality of second beam lobes corresponding to the respective directions of the third plurality of user terminals; receiving the third composite signal in the return link bandwidth during a third time slot at a second gateway; and demodulating the respective return link signals associated with the third plurality of user terminals from the third composite signal according to the respective frequency channels assigned to the third plurality of user terminals.

[0247] In some examples, the apparatus described herein may carry out aspects of a method such as Method 1000 or more of the methods. The apparatus may include features, circuits, logic, means, or instructions (for example, a non-temporary computer-readable medium for storing instructions executable by a processor) or any combination thereof for carrying out aspects of Method 1000.

[0248] These methods illustrate examples of implementations, and it should be noted that the operations and steps may be rearranged or otherwise modified to allow for other implementations. In some examples, two or more embodiments of this method may be combined. For example, each embodiment of this method may include steps or embodiments of other methods, or other steps or techniques described herein.

[0249] The “configuring” operation of the techniques described herein may refer to various techniques that support the described operation or variations thereof. In some examples, one or more aspects of such configuring may refer to one or more operations performed on satellite 120 (e.g., “configuring on satellite”). For example, one or more operations of satellite 120 may refer to configuring one or more signal paths (e.g., activating), configuring one or more aspects of beamforming (e.g., configuring directional reception, configuring directional transmission, or both), configuring the orientation of satellite 120 (e.g., steering), or any combination thereof. In various implementations, such configuring may be at least in part based on information stored on satellite 120 (e.g., instructions, parameters), or transmitted via signals received on satellite 120 (e.g., signals 132, 183, 173), or any combination thereof, which may be processed by one or more processors of satellite 120 (e.g., control systems).

[0250] In addition, or alternatively, in some examples, one or more aspects of such “configuring” may refer to one or more actions performed by one or more entities in the ground segment 101, which may be performed by network devices 141 such as gateway terminal 130, NOC, or gateway command center, among other devices or combinations thereof (e.g., “send instructions for the satellite to configure,” “determine configuration for the satellite”). For example, such “configuring” may be implemented by one or more instructions (e.g., commands, orders, parameters) signaled to satellite 120, which may include signals 132, 181, 182, 183, 173, 175, or any combination thereof. For example, such “configuring” may refer to one or more gateway terminals 130 (e.g., to satellite 120) that send one or more instructions, which satellite 120 may respond by performing one or more actions to implement the relevant function. In various examples, such instructions may be determined by one or more entities of the ground segment 101 based on various criteria, such as determinations regarding traffic scheduling, traffic demand, traffic priority, device location, device capabilities, attenuation environment, and other criteria.

[0251] The detailed descriptions above, in relation to the attached drawings, illustrate examples and do not represent the only examples that may be implemented or that fall within the scope of the claims. The term “example” as used herein means “serving as an example, illustration, or illustrative example,” and does not imply “preferred” or “advantageous over other examples.” The detailed descriptions include specific details for the purpose of providing an understanding of the described techniques. However, these techniques may be practiced without these specific details. In some examples, well-known structures and apparatus are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the concepts of the described examples.

[0252] The information and signals described herein may be represented using any of the following different techniques and methods. For example, data, instructions, commands, information, signals, bits, symbols, and chips which may be referenced throughout this specification may be represented by voltage, current, electromagnetic waves, magnetic fields or particles, optical fields or photons, or any combination thereof.

[0253] The various illustrative blocks and modules described in connection with the disclosure herein may be implemented or carried out using general-purpose processors, DSPs, ASICs, FPGAs, or other programmable logic devices, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general-purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but alternatively, a processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices (for example, a combination of a digital signal processor (DSP) and a microprocessor, multiple microprocessors, one or more microprocessors combined with a DSP core, or any other such configuration).

[0254] The functions described herein may be implemented in hardware, software executed by a processor, firmware, or any combination thereof. When implemented in software executed by a processor, the functions may be stored or transmitted as one or more instructions or codes on a computer-readable medium. Other examples and implementations are within the scope of this disclosure and the accompanying claims. For example, due to the nature of the software, the functions described herein may be implemented using software executed by a processor, hardware, firmware, hardwiring, or any combination thereof. Features implementing the functions may also be physically located in various locations, including being distributed so that parts of the functions are implemented in different physical locations.

[0255] Computer-readable media include both non-temporary computer storage media and communication media, including any media that facilitate the transfer of computer programs from one location to another. Non-temporary storage media can be any available media that can be accessed from a general-purpose or dedicated computer. Examples, but not limited to, non-temporary computer-readable media may include random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), flash memory, compact disk read-only memory (CDROM) or other optical disk storage devices, magnetic disk storage devices or other magnetic storage devices, or any other non-temporary media that can be used to execute or store desired program code means in the form of instructions or data structures, and that can be accessed by a general-purpose or dedicated computer or general-purpose or dedicated processor. Any connection is also appropriately referred to as computer-readable media. For example, if software is transmitted from a website, server, or other remote source using coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, digital subscriber line (DSL), or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave, then coaxial cable, fiber optic cable, twisted pair, DSL, or wireless technologies such as infrared, radio, and microwave are included in the definition of media. Disk and disc, as used herein, include CDs, laserdiscs, optical discs, digital multipurpose discs (DVDs), floppy disks, and Blu-ray discs, where a disk typically reproduces data magnetically, while a disc reproduces data optically using a laser. Any combination of the above is also included in the scope of computer-readable media.

[0256] When used herein, including in the claims, "or" in a list of items (for example, a list of items preceded by a phrase such as "at least one of" or "one or more of") indicates an inclusive list, such as a list of at least one of A, B, or C meaning A or B or C or AB or AC or BC or ABC (i.e., A and B and C). Also, when used herein, the phrase "based on" should not be interpreted as a reference to a closed set of conditions. For example, an exemplary step described as "based on condition A" may be based on both condition A and condition B without departing from the scope of this disclosure. In other words, when used herein, the phrase "based on" shall be interpreted similarly to the phrase "at least partially based on."

[0257] In the attached figures, similar components or features may have the same reference label. Furthermore, various components of the same type may be distinguished by adding a dash and a second label to distinguish similar components after the reference label. Where only the first reference label is used herein, this description is applicable to any one of the similar components having the same first reference label, regardless of the second reference label or any other subsequent reference labels.

[0258] The descriptions provided herein in relation to the accompanying drawings describe exemplary configurations and do not represent all examples that may be implemented or that fall within the scope of the claims. The term “exemplary” as used herein means “serving as an example, illustration, or illustrative example,” and does not mean “preferred” or “advantageous over other examples.” Detailed descriptions include specific details for the purpose of providing an understanding of the described techniques. However, these techniques may be practiced without these specific details. In some examples, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form to avoid obscuring the concepts of the described examples.

[0259] The descriptions herein are provided to enable those skilled in the art to create or use this disclosure. Various modifications to this disclosure will be obvious to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may apply to other variations without departing from the scope of this disclosure. Thus, this disclosure is not limited to the examples and designs described herein, but is given the broadest scope that conforms to the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A method for satellite communications, A first plurality of forward link signals (132) for communication to a first plurality of user terminals (150) during a first time slot, wherein each of the first plurality of forward link signals identifies the first plurality of forward link signals (132) including unicast data for each of the first plurality of user terminals. The first composite signal (610) is generated, which includes the first plurality of forward link signals, wherein each of the first plurality of forward link signals is assigned to each frequency channel of the bandwidth of the first composite signal. For application by a satellite (120) to relay the first composite signal to the first plurality of user terminals during the first time slot, a first set of beamforming weights is generated such that the first set of beamforming weights is generated to form a first forward link beam (125) with respect to the boresite (255) of the satellite's antenna array (250) having a plurality of beam lobes (630) corresponding to each direction (635) of the first plurality of user terminals, A method comprising transmitting the first composite signal from a gateway (130) during the first time slot for relay by one or more satellites, including the satellite.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first plurality of user terminals are configured for receiving the first composite signal in a second bandwidth smaller than the bandwidth of the first composite signal.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising configuring the satellite to orient the boresite of the antenna array based at least partially on the respective directions of the first plurality of user terminals.

4. The satellite is configured such that the boresite of the antenna array is oriented The method according to claim 1, comprising configuring the satellite so that the antenna array is oriented toward the sides (215, 315) of the satellite to which it is fixed.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first forward link beam has an energy distribution over a geographical region including at least one coverage portion (650) separated from at least one other coverage portion (650) of the first forward link beam.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first forward link beam is associated with each local minimum transmit intensity (640) along one or more directions between the plurality of beam lobes.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first composite signal includes control signaling indicating the frequency channel assignment of each of the first plurality of forward link signals.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising allocating the respective frequency channels for the at least one of the first plurality of forward link signals, at least partially based on the location of the respective user terminal, in order to receive the at least one of the first plurality of forward link signals.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising relaying the first composite signal via the satellite, wherein the relaying comprises applying a first set of beamforming weights to transmit the first composite signal via a plurality of antenna elements of the antenna array of the satellite.

10. A second plurality of forward link signals (132) for communication to a second plurality of user terminals (150) during a second time slot, wherein each of the second plurality of forward link signals identifies the second plurality of forward link signals (132) including unicast data for each of the second plurality of user terminals. The second composite signal (610) includes the second plurality of forward link signals, wherein each of the second plurality of forward link signals is assigned to each frequency channel of the bandwidth of the second composite signal, and the second composite signal (610) is generated. For satellite applications to relay the second composite signal to the second plurality of user terminals during the second time slot, a second set of beamforming weights is generated such that the second set of beamforming weights is generated to form a second forward link beam (125) having a single lobe (630) along a single direction (635, 127), The method according to claim 9, further comprising transmitting the second composite signal from the gateway during the second time slot for relay by one or more satellites, including the satellite.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the second forward link beam is associated with a beam coverage area (126) smaller than that of the first forward link beam.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the second forward link beam is associated with a higher peak signal-to-noise ratio than the first forward link beam.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the first plurality of user terminals and the second plurality of user terminals have at least one user terminal in common.

14. The method according to claim 10, wherein the bandwidth of the second composite signal is equal to the bandwidth of the first composite signal.

15. The satellite further includes relaying the second composite signal, which includes applying a second set of beamforming weights to transmit the second composite signal through the plurality of antenna elements of the antenna array of the satellite. The method according to claim 10, wherein the transmission power of the second composite signal is the same as the transmission power of the first composite signal.

16. Identifying a third set of user terminals (150) for communication of return link signals (173, 133) via a second satellite (120) during a third time slot, Assigning each of the third user terminals to a respective frequency channel of the return link bandwidth, For application by the second satellite to relay a third composite signal (810, 820) over the return link bandwidth during the third time slot, the third set of beamforming weights is generated such that the third set of beamforming weights is generated to form a return link beam (125) with respect to the boresite (245) of the second antenna array (240) of the second satellite, having a plurality of second beam lobes (830) corresponding to the respective directions (835) of the plurality of third user terminals, At the second gateway (130), during the third time slot, the third composite signal is received within the return link bandwidth, The method according to claim 1, further comprising demodulating the respective return link signals associated with the third user terminals from the third composite signal according to the respective frequency channels assigned to the third user terminals.

17. It is a system for satellite communications, A means for identifying a first plurality of forward link signals (132) for communication to a first plurality of user terminals (150) during a first time slot, wherein each of the first plurality of forward link signals includes unicast data for each of the first plurality of user terminals. Means for generating a first composite signal (610) comprising the first plurality of forward link signals, wherein each of the first plurality of forward link signals is assigned to each frequency channel of the bandwidth of the first composite signal, Means for generating a first set of beamforming weights for application by a satellite (120) to relay the first composite signal to the first plurality of user terminals during the first time slot, wherein the first set of beamforming weights is generated to form a first forward link beam (125) with respect to the boresite (255) of the satellite's antenna array (255) having a plurality of beam lobes (630) corresponding to each direction (635) of the first plurality of user terminals, A system comprising means for transmitting the first composite signal from a gateway (130) during the first time slot for relay by one or more satellites, including the satellite.

18. The system according to claim 17, wherein the first plurality of user terminals are configured for receiving the first composite signal in a second bandwidth smaller than the bandwidth of the first composite signal.

19. The system according to claim 17, further comprising means for configuring the satellite to orient the boresite of the antenna array based at least partially on the respective directions of the first plurality of user terminals.

20. The means for configuring the satellite to orient the boresite of the antenna array is The system according to claim 17, comprising means for configuring the satellite so that the antenna array is oriented toward the sides (215, 315) of the satellite to which it is fixed.

21. The system according to claim 17, wherein the first forward link beam has an energy distribution over a geographical area including at least one coverage portion (650) separated from at least one other coverage portion (650) of the first forward link beam.

22. The system according to claim 17, wherein the first forward link beam is associated with each local minimum transmit intensity along one or more directions between the plurality of beam lobes.

23. The system according to claim 17, wherein the first composite signal includes control signaling indicating the assignment of each of the first plurality of forward link signals to a frequency channel.

24. The system according to claim 17, further comprising means for allocating the respective frequency channels for the at least one of the first plurality of forward link signals, based at least partially on the location of the respective user terminal, in order to receive at least one of the first plurality of forward link signals.

25. The system according to claim 17, further comprising means for relaying the first composite signal by the satellite, wherein relaying includes applying a first set of beamforming weights to transmit the first composite signal through a plurality of antenna elements of the antenna array of the satellite.

26. A means for identifying a second plurality of forward link signals (132) for communication to a second plurality of user terminals (150) during a second time slot, wherein each of the second plurality of forward link signals includes unicast data for each of the second plurality of user terminals. Means for generating a second composite signal (610) including the second plurality of forward link signals, wherein each of the second plurality of forward link signals is assigned to each frequency channel of the bandwidth of the second composite signal, Means for generating a second set of beamforming weights for satellite application to relay the second composite signal to the second plurality of user terminals during the second time slot, wherein the second set of beamforming weights is generated to form a second forward link beam (125) having a single lobe (630) along a single direction (635, 127), The system according to claim 25, further comprising means for transmitting the second composite signal from the gateway during the second time slot for relay by one or more satellites, including the satellite.

27. The system according to claim 26, wherein the second forward link beam is associated with a beam coverage area (126) smaller than that of the first forward link beam.

28. The system according to claim 26, wherein the second forward link beam is associated with a higher peak signal-to-noise ratio than the first forward link beam.

29. The system according to claim 26, wherein the first plurality of user terminals and the second plurality of user terminals have at least one user terminal in common.

30. The system according to claim 26, wherein the bandwidth of the second composite signal is equal to the bandwidth of the first composite signal.

31. The satellite further comprises means for relaying the second composite signal, and relaying includes applying the second set of beamforming weights to transmit the second composite signal through the plurality of antenna elements of the antenna array of the satellite, The system according to claim 26, wherein the transmission power of the second composite signal is the same as the transmission power of the first composite signal.

32. Means for identifying a third plurality of user terminals (150) for communication of return link signals (173, 133) via a second satellite (120) during a third time slot, Means for assigning each of the third user terminals to each frequency channel of the return link bandwidth, Means for generating a third set of beamforming weights for application by the second satellite to relay a third composite signal (810, 820) over the return link bandwidth during the third time slot, wherein the third set of beamforming weights is generated to form a return link beam (125) with respect to the boresite (245) of the second antenna array (240) of the second satellite, having a plurality of second beam lobes (830) corresponding to the respective directions (835) of the plurality of third user terminals; The second gateway (130) includes means for receiving the third composite signal within the return link bandwidth during the third time slot, The system according to claim 17, further comprising means for demodulating from the third composite signal each return link signal associated with the third plurality of user terminals according to the respective frequency channels assigned to the third plurality of user terminals.

33. It is a system for satellite communications, The system comprises multiple gateway terminals (130) configured to support communication services via one or more satellites (120), The aforementioned system A first plurality of forward link signals (132) for communication to a first plurality of user terminals (150) during a first time slot, wherein each of the first plurality of forward link signals identifies the first plurality of forward link signals (132) including unicast data for each of the first plurality of user terminals. A first composite signal (610) is generated, which includes the first plurality of forward link signals, wherein each of the first plurality of forward link signals is assigned to each frequency channel of the bandwidth of the first composite signal. For application by a satellite (120) to relay the first composite signal to the first plurality of user terminals during the first time slot, a first set of beamforming weights is generated such that the first set of beamforming weights is generated to form a first forward link beam (125) with respect to the boresite (255) of the satellite's antenna array (250) having a plurality of beam lobes (630) corresponding to each direction (635) of the first plurality of user terminals, A system configured to transmit the first composite signal from a gateway (130) during the first time slot for relay by one or more satellites, including the satellite.

34. The system according to claim 33, wherein the first plurality of user terminals are configured for receiving the first composite signal in a second bandwidth smaller than the bandwidth of the first composite signal.

35. The system according to claim 33, further configured to configure the satellite so as to orient the boresite of the antenna array based at least partially on the respective directions of the first plurality of user terminals.

36. In order to configure the satellite so as to orient the boresite of the antenna array, the system The system according to claim 33, wherein the satellite is configured such that the antenna array is oriented toward the sides (215, 315) of the satellite to which it is fixed.

37. The system according to claim 33, wherein the first forward link beam has an energy distribution over a geographical area including at least one coverage portion (650) separated from at least one other coverage portion (650) of the first forward link beam.

38. The system according to claim 33, wherein the first forward link beam is associated with each local minimum (640) transmit intensity along one or more directions between the plurality of beam lobes.

39. The system according to claim 33, wherein the first composite signal includes control signaling indicating the frequency channel assignment of each of the first plurality of forward link signals.

40. The system according to claim 33, further configured to allocate the respective frequency channels for the at least one of the first plurality of forward link signals, at least partially based on the location of the respective user terminal, in order to receive at least one of the first plurality of forward link signals.

41. The system according to claim 33, further configured to relay the first composite signal via the satellite, wherein relaying includes applying a first set of beamforming weights to transmit the first composite signal via a plurality of antenna elements of the antenna array of the satellite.

42. The processing circuit further connects to the device. A second plurality of forward link signals (132) for communication to a second plurality of user terminals (150) during a second time slot, wherein each of the second plurality of forward link signals identifies the second plurality of forward link signals (132) including unicast data for each of the second plurality of user terminals. A second composite signal (610) is generated which includes the second plurality of forward link signals, wherein each of the second plurality of forward link signals is assigned to each frequency channel of the bandwidth of the second composite signal. For satellite applications to relay the second composite signal to the second plurality of user terminals during the second time slot, a second set of beamforming weights is generated such that the second set of beamforming weights is generated to form a second forward link beam (125) having a single lobe (630) along a single direction (635, 127), The system according to claim 41, configured to transmit the second composite signal from the gateway during the second time slot for relay by one or more satellites, including the satellite.

43. The system according to claim 42, wherein the second forward link beam is associated with a beam coverage area (126) smaller than that of the first forward link beam.

44. The system according to claim 42, wherein the second forward link beam is associated with a higher peak signal-to-noise ratio than the first forward link beam.

45. The system according to claim 42, wherein the first plurality of user terminals and the second plurality of user terminals have at least one user terminal in common.

46. The system according to claim 42, wherein the bandwidth of the second composite signal is equal to the bandwidth of the first composite signal.

47. The satellite is further configured to relay the second composite signal, the relaying of which includes applying the second set of beamforming weights to transmit the second composite signal through the plurality of antenna elements of the antenna array of the satellite, The system according to claim 42, wherein the transmission power of the second composite signal is the same as the transmission power of the first composite signal.

48. Identify a third set of user terminals (150) for communication of return link signals (173, 133) via a second satellite (120) during a third time slot. Each of the third user terminals is assigned to a respective frequency channel of the return link bandwidth. For application by the second satellite to relay a third composite signal (810, 820) over the return link bandwidth during the third time slot, a third set of beamforming weights is generated such that the third set of beamforming weights is generated to form a return link beam (125) with respect to the boresite (245) of the second antenna array (240) of the second satellite, having a plurality of second beam lobes (830) corresponding to the respective directions (835) of the plurality of third user terminals. At the second gateway (130), during the third time slot, the third composite signal is received within the return link bandwidth. The system according to claim 33, further configured to demodulate from the third composite signal each return link signal associated with the third user terminals according to the respective frequency channels assigned to the third user terminals.

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