Abstract: A method of communication with a non-GEO constellation of satellites, includes providing an Earth-based terminal configured for communication with a satellite constellation, and establishing communication between the Earth-based terminal and a non-GEO constellation of satellites, the non-GEO constellation of satellites including a first plurality of satellites orbiting at a first inclination, wherein each of the satellites in the first plurality of satellites is in a discrete planar orbit to form a first snake of satellites, the first snake of satellites including adjacent satellites in adjacent orbits having adjacent RAAN (Right Ascension of the Ascending Node), wherein the Earth-based terminal is positioned and configured for continuous communication with at least one satellite from the non-GEO constellation of satellites.

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 first plurality of digital beamformers associated with a first channel, the first plurality of digital beamformers configured to encode each data beam of a first plurality of data beams of the first channel to generate an encoded first plurality of data beams; a second plurality of digital beamformers associated with a second channel different from the first channel, the second plurality of digital beamformers configured to encode each data beam of a second plurality of data beams of the second channel to generate an encoded second plurality of data beams; and a channel combiner, electrically coupled to the first and second plurality of digital beamformers, 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: In some embodiments, a phased array antenna, includes a plurality of antenna modules arranged in an antenna lattice configuration to form the phased array antenna, wherein an antenna module of the plurality of antenna modules includes an antenna element packaged together with an amplifier.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a communications system includes a transmitter including a digital beamforming baseband section including a digital mixer, the digital beamforming 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, the modulation section including an up converter configured to receive a local oscillator signal at a local oscillator frequency. The digital mixer is configured to apply a baseband frequency shift to the input signal to generate a baseband frequency shifted input signal at a different frequency from the baseband frequency. The up converter is configured to up convert the baseband frequency shifted input signal based on the local oscillator signal to generate a modulated signal at a carrier frequency, wherein the local oscillator frequency is different from the carrier frequency.

Abstract: A method of increasing the glass transition point of a cured epoxy comprising a bisphenol A diglycidyl ether and a polyetheramine includes the step of including 1,8-diamino-p-menthane as an additional hardener for curing the epoxy. An epoxy formulation includes bisphenol A diglycidyl ether and a hardener including a polyetheramine and 1,8-diamino-p-menthane.

Abstract: In an embodiment, an apparatus included in a communications system 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 the calibration signal, and wherein the calibration signal comprises an orthogonal code based signal; and a receive section configured to receive the RF calibration signal over-the-air, wherein the receive section includes a second RF section and a calibration section, wherein the second RF section is configured to generate a received calibration signal based on the RF calibration signal, and wherein 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, an apparatus includes a first integrated circuit (IC) chip configured to receive a timing signal and a reference clock signal; and a second IC chip configured to receive the timing signal and the reference clock signal. The first and second IC chips are configured to generate respective first and second reference time signals based on the timing signal and the reference clock signal. The first and second IC chips include a respective first phase lock loop (PLL) and second PLL. The first PLL and the second PLL are synchronized to each other based on the first reference time signal and the second reference time signal.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present disclosure, a housing assembly for an antenna apparatus includes a radome portion, a lower enclosure portion, and a fastener system configured for coupling the radome portion and the lower enclosure portion couplable to form an inner compartment for antenna components of an antenna assembly.

Abstract: A wireless communications system includes a stochastic pre-distortion actuator configured to receive a carrier-modulated signal and convert the carrier-modulated signal into an output signal. The system includes one or more antennas configured to receive the output signal and transmit the output signal, one or more power amplifiers electrically coupled between the pre-distortion actuator and the one or more antennas and a receiver configured to receive the output signal over-the-air and generate feedback based on the output signal. The pre-distortion actuator is configured to generate the output signal by applying a correction to the carrier-modulated signal that cancels out nonlinearities associated with the one or more antennas and/or the one or more power amplifiers. The pre-distortion actuator is configured based on the feedback.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure are directed to techniques for autonomously transitioning a spacecraft from a power-saving state to a power-consuming state at a time after launch of the spacecraft on a launch vehicle. Because the spacecraft can autonomously detect conditions for transitioning to the power-consuming state, commands received via an umbilical connection to the launch vehicle, or detecting the presence or absence of such a connection, is unnecessary, thereby removing several technical barriers to eliminating such umbilical connections altogether. In some embodiments, low-cost vacuum detection devices that use very small amounts of power may be used by the spacecraft to detect when the spacecraft has reached an altitude suitable for transitioning to the power-consuming state.

Abstract: An example system can include a first antenna having a first orientation, a second antenna having a second orientation and a control system communicating with the first antenna and the second antenna. The control system performs operations which can include determining a pathway of a satellite, comparing the pathway to a first radiation pattern of the first antenna and a second radiation pattern of the second antenna, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are each positioned such that a first keyhole of the first antenna does not overlap a second keyhole of the second antenna, to yield a comparison and selecting, based on the comparison, one of the first antenna or the second antenna to communicate with the satellite along the pathway.

Abstract: A phased array antenna system configured for communication with a satellite that emits or receives radio frequency (RF) signals travels in a first direction, the antenna system includes a phased array antenna including a plurality of antenna elements distributed in a plurality of M columns oriented in the first direction and a plurality of N rows extending in a second direction normal to the first direction, and a plurality of fixed phase shifters aligned for phase offsets between antenna elements in the first direction and a gain-enhancement system configured for gain enhancement in the second direction of radio frequency signals received by and emitted from the phased array antenna.

Abstract: An example system can include a first antenna having a first orientation, a second antenna having a second orientation and a control system communicating with the first antenna and the second antenna. The control system performs operations which can include determining a pathway of a satellite, comparing the pathway to a first radiation pattern of the first antenna and a second radiation pattern of the second antenna, wherein the first antenna and the second antenna are each positioned such that a first keyhole of the first antenna does not overlap a second keyhole of the second antenna, to yield a comparison and selecting, based on the comparison, one of the first antenna or the second antenna to communicate with the satellite along the pathway.

Abstract: An antenna system includes a first metal housing portion having a metal housing connecting edge, the first metal housing portion having a triangular side profile, and a second non-metal housing portion having a non-metal housing connecting edge, the non-metal housing connecting edge being complimentary to the metal housing connecting edge of the first metal housing, the second non-metal housing portion having a triangular side profile. A first and second dipole antenna are printed on a circuit board positioned in the non-metal housing portion. The first and second dipole antennas are configured such that the direction of the first and second dipole currents are approximately normal to a plane defined by the metal housing connecting edge.