Relay Satellite Terminal for Space Sensor Data Latency Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current space-based sensor satellite systems face significant latency in data collection and processing due to limited ground station coverage, leading to inefficiencies in real-time data transmission and high deployment costs associated with dedicated infrastructure for each mission.
Innovation Solution
A system architecture that employs relay satellite terminals on LEO satellites to switch data communications between GEO satellites, utilizing a tracking antenna and sensor control units to manage data transmission and processing, thereby reducing latency and enabling end-to-end consolidation of data from multiple systems in a general-purpose architecture.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If ground stations are deployed near the poles to minimize their number, then the number of ground stations is reduced, but data transmission latency increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces relay satellites as intermediary nodes between LEO sensor satellites and ground stations. These relay satellites receive data from LEO satellites when they are out of direct contact with ground stations and forward the data when in range, effectively mediating the data transmission process to reduce latency without requiring additional ground stations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent adds a spatial dimension to the data transmission architecture by deploying relay satellites in higher orbits (GEO or MEO) that provide different geometric relationships with LEO satellites and ground stations. This dimensional change enables continuous or more frequent data relay opportunities without increasing ground station count.
2Reliability
If dedicated infrastructure is deployed for each space-based sensing system, then system reliability and performance are ensured, but deployment and maintenance costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal relay satellite infrastructure that can serve multiple different LEO sensor satellite constellations simultaneously. A single relay satellite can relay data from various missions (weather, surveillance, scientific research) through common ground stations, eliminating the need for separate dedicated infrastructure for each sensing system while maintaining reliable data transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges multiple dedicated infrastructure requirements into a shared common infrastructure. By combining the relay function across multiple missions and utilizing common ground stations, the system achieves cost-effective deployment while maintaining the reliability needed for different sensing applications.
3Loss of time
If the number of ground stations is increased to reduce data latency, then data transmission latency is reduced, but system cost and operational complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The relay satellites act as mobile intermediaries that dynamically reduce data latency without requiring a dense network of ground stations. This intermediary approach achieves low-latency transmission while maintaining simpler ground infrastructure compared to deploying numerous ground stations globally.
Data Source
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AI summary
A system is provided for reducing latency data collection from space-based sensor satellites. A mobile vehicle platform, configured to travel around the Earth, includes a sensor module and a relay satellite terminal. The sensor module monitors certain conditions, circumstances, environments and/or situations occurring on or around, or associated with, the Earth, and generates sensor data resulting from the monitoring. The relay satellite terminal executes data communications with a first of a plurality of satellites while the mobile vehicle platform is in a first area within a communications range of the first satellite, and, upon moving to a second area within a communications range of a second of the plurality of satellites, the relay satellite terminal switches the data communications to the second satellite. The data communications relay the sensor data, via the satellites, to a central processing facility for aggregation, processing, analysis and/or dissemination of the data.