Abstract: In an embodiment, a receiver included in a communications system includes a channel extractor configured to segregate a received signal into a plurality of channel signals, wherein the plurality of channel signals includes a plurality of data signals; and a plurality of decoders electrically coupled to the channel extractor and configured to decode each of the plurality of channel signals into a respective plurality of decoded data beam portions.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a digital beamforming section. The digital beamforming section is configured to encode each data beam of a first plurality of data beams of a first channel with a first plurality of respective time delays and phases to generate an encoded first plurality of data beams and encode each data beam of a second plurality of data beams of a second channel with a second plurality of respective time delays and phases to generate an encoded second plurality of data beams. The second plurality of data beams is different from the first plurality of data beams. The apparatus includes a channel combiner, electrically coupled to the digital beamforming section, and configured to generate a combined channel comprising an aggregation of at least a portion of the encoded first plurality of data beams and at least a portion of the encoded second plurality of data beams.

Abstract: A method of operating an uplink scheduler as part of a medium access control scheduler on a satellite includes selecting, from a plurality of user terminals, a first number of zero-bandwidth request user terminals from the plurality of user terminals, selecting, from the plurality of user terminals, a second number of non-zero-bandwidth request user terminals from the plurality of user terminals, binning the second number of non-zero-bandwidth request user terminals into a plurality of bins based on a respective bandwidth requirement for each non-zero-bandwidth request user terminal and based on a minimum user terminal grant and allocating, according to a grant allocation algorithm, a respective grant of radio resources in an uplink frame to each user terminal of the plurality of user terminals into a respective bin of the plurality of bins in an order associated with increasing bandwidth needs. A downlink scheduler is also disclosed.

Abstract: In some embodiments, an antenna module includes an antenna element having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, the first side comprising a radiating side of the antenna element and a support structure disposed at the second side of the antenna element and configured to define a cavity, the support structure including a portion configured to reduce signal leakage between the antenna element and the cavity.

Abstract: A system for securing spacecraft to a rocket and deploying the spacecraft into orbit includes a stack having a plurality of spacecraft arranged in layers, with each spacecraft being releasably mated with at least one spacecraft in an adjacent layer, and at least one hold down and deploy assembly configured to, in a first configuration, secure the layers of the stack together and secure the entire stack to the rocket, and, in a second configuration, release the entire stack from the rocket into orbit such that the layers passively separate.

Abstract: A method for downlink link adaptation includes receiving, from a satellite and at a user terminal, a first data packet data unit according to a first downlink modulation and coding scheme (MCS), computing an error vector magnitude data associated with the first data packet data unit, generating, based on one or more of the error vector magnitude data, user terminal signal-to-noise-ratio feedback based on a constant times a previous user terminal signal-to-noise-ratio and a current user terminal signal-to-noise-ratio, and transmitting an uplink packet data unit having a downlink block error rate and the user terminal signal-to-noise-ratio feedback. A satellite runs a link adaptation algorithm based on the user terminal signal-to-noise-ratio feedback and block error rate to generate a second downlink MCS. The method includes receiving at the user terminal a second data packet data unit according to the second downlink MCS for the user terminal. An uplink link adaptation algorithm is also disclosed.

Abstract: An antenna calibration system for a phased array antenna in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure generally includes: a beamformer lattice including at least first and second beamformers, each corresponding to a subset of antenna cells, and each including a calibration section for comparing a reference signal to a non-reference signal; and a first operating antenna within the subset of antenna cells corresponding with the first beamformer, wherein the first operating antenna is configured to deliver a first reference signal (mTx) from the first beamformer to be received by a second operating antenna for comparison with a first non-reference signal (Rx) in the first beamformer or in the second beamformer, and/or wherein the first operating antenna is configured to deliver a second non-reference signal (Tx) from a third operating antenna for comparison with a second reference signal (mRx) in the first beamformer or in the second beamformer.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a user terminal includes a connection manager component configured to generate an initial network entry request; an antenna assembly communicatively coupled to the connection manager and configured, in response to the initial network entry request, to find a satellite based on a search of a sky, wherein the satellite comprises a satellite assigned to downlink to a geographic cell associated with the user terminal; and a media access control (MAC) layer component communicatively coupled to the connection manager, the MAC layer component configured to generate an uplink radio frame including a random access channel (RACH) request associated with the initial network entry request at a particular portion of the uplink radio frame for the satellite, wherein the particular portion is selected by the MAC layer component from among a plurality of portions of the uplink radio frame.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a method is provided for configuring an endpoint terminal for communication with a plurality of satellites in non-geosynchronous orbit. The endpoint terminal has an antenna system defining a limited field of regard for satellite communication. The antenna system is capable of gimbaling in order to move the field of regard. The method includes orienting the field of regard in a first position to communicate with a first satellite traveling in a first orbital plane; gimbaling the antenna system to move the field of regard from the first position to a second position to communicate with a second satellite traveling in a second orbital plane; establishing communication with the second satellite; and as the second satellite travels in the second orbital plane, gimbaling the antenna system to move the field of regard from the second position to a third position.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and non-transitory media are provided for low latency handovers. An example method can include receiving, by a user terminal associated with a cell served by a satellite, a schedule of communications between the user terminal and one or more satellites; requesting, based on the schedule, a handover from a beam of the satellite to a different beam of one of the satellite or a different satellite; processing packets transmitted over the beam of the satellite and/or the different beam of the one of the satellite or the different satellite; performing the handover from the beam of the satellite to the different beam of the one of the satellite or the different satellite; and after the handover, transmitting, by the user terminal, one or more packets via the different beam of the one of the satellite or the different satellite.

Abstract: Technologies for provided for a radio frequency input/output (RFIO) combiner/splitter. An example combiner/splitter can include an RFIO circuit including a receive path including first and second low noise amplifiers (LNAs), first switches, resistors, and capacitors, each of the first switches being in series with a respective one of the first capacitors and first resistors; a transmit path including a first power amplifier (PA) including second switches coupled to second resistors and third switches coupled to third resistors, and a second PA including fourth switches coupled to fourth resistors and fifth switches coupled to fifth resistors, each of the second switches, the third switches, the fourth switches, and the fifth switches being in series with one or more respective ones of the second resistors, the third resistors, the fourth resistors, and the fifth resistors; and a balun that couples the Rx and Tx path to an RFIO terminal.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus includes a transmit section including a first baseband section and a first radio frequency (RF) section, wherein the transmit section is configured to receive a calibration signal, the first RF section is configured to generate a RF calibration signal based on modulating the calibration signal. The calibration signal comprises an orthogonal code based signal; and a receive section configured to receive the RF calibration signal over-the-air, the receive section includes a second RF section and a calibration section, the second RF section is configured to generate a received calibration signal based on the RF calibration signal, the received calibration signal and a reference signal associated with the RF calibration signal comprise inputs to the calibration section and the calibration section is configured to determine one or more of gain, baseband delay, or RF delay compensation values, based on the inputs, to calibrate the transmit section.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a communications system includes a first transmitter including a digital beamforming baseband section configured to receive an input signal to be transmitted, the input signal at a baseband frequency, and a modulation section electrically coupled to the digital beamforming baseband section and a first antenna of a phased array antenna. The modulation section is configured to receive a local oscillator signal at a first local oscillator frequency and apply a baseband frequency shift to the input signal to generate a baseband frequency shifted input signal. The modulation section generates a modulated signal based on the input signal. The communication system includes a second transmitter included in a second IC chip of the plurality of IC chips electrically coupled to a second antenna and configured to provide a second modulated signal at the carrier frequency and a second LO leakage signal at a second local oscillator frequency.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus includes an integrated circuit (IC) chip configured to receive a timing signal and a reference clock signal. The IC chips is configured to a reference time signal based on the timing signal and the reference clock signal. The IC chip includes a phase lock loop (PLL). The PLL is synchronized based on the reference time signal.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a plurality of conductive structures having first sides and second sides opposite the first sides, wherein the second sides of the plurality of conductive structures are configured to be physically coupleable with a printed circuit board (PCB) of a receiver or a transmitter. The first sides of the plurality of conductive structures are configured to be spaced from the PCB by a first distance when the plurality of conductive structures is physically coupled with the PCB. The apparatus includes an antenna having a first side and a second side opposite the first side. The first side of the antenna includes a radiating side of the antenna and the second side of the antenna is disposed closer to the plurality of conductive structures than the first side of the antenna when the plurality of conductive structures is physically coupled with the PCB.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a phased array antenna system includes a first portion carrying an antenna lattice including a plurality of antenna elements, wherein the plurality of antenna elements are arranged in a first configuration, and a second portion carrying a beamformer lattice including a plurality of beamformer elements, wherein the plurality of beamformer elements are arranged in a second configuration different from the first configuration, wherein each of the plurality of antenna elements are electrically coupled to one of the plurality of beamformer elements.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a phased array antenna includes a carrier; a first plurality of antenna elements carried by the carrier and configured to transmit and/or receive signals at a first value of a parameter, and a second plurality of antenna elements carried by the carrier and configured to transmit and/or receive signals at a second value of the parameter different from the first value of the parameter. The antenna elements of the first plurality of antenna elements and the second plurality of antenna elements are located within a common aperture of the phased array antenna.