Abstract: A spacecraft has a flat antenna array having an edge and a middle portion. A reconfigurable reaction-momentum wheel is coupled to the antenna array to roll and/or pitch the antenna array in small magnitudes. The reconfigurable reaction-momentum has a reaction operating state or mode (high-torque, low momentum) and a momentum operating state or mode (low-torque, high momentum). A thruster is coupled to the antenna array to move the antenna array.

Abstract: An antenna assembly has a solar layer having one or more solar cells generating solar power, an antenna layer connected to the solar layer and having electronic components utilizing the solar power generated by the solar layer, and a thermal dissipation device dissipating heat locally at the antenna assembly. A large number of antenna assemblies are connected to form an antenna array in which heat is generated locally at each antenna assembly and dissipated locally at each antenna assembly.

Abstract: An array of antenna assemblies each generate solar power and utilize the generated solar power at that antenna assembly, which enables large amounts of power to be generated. An antenna assembly having a flat antenna layer forming a first outer surface of said antenna assembly, a flat solar layer forming a second outer surface of said antenna assembly, and a flat structural layer having a flat support structure sandwiched between the antenna layer and the solar layer. The antenna layer has a flat antenna plate with one or more antennas at the first outer surface of the antenna assembly to communicate with Earth. The solar layer has a flat solar plate with one or more solar cells at the second outer surface of the antenna assembly to receive solar energy and generate power.

Abstract: A LEO satellite communication system is in communication with a first setting satellite having a first field of view including a first plurality of cells, and a second rising satellite having a second field of view including a second plurality of cells. The first and second satellites have an overlapping field of view having an overlapping plurality of cells located therein. A first processing device has a first communication port communicating with a first cell of the first plurality of cells via said first antenna over a first beam, and a second communication port communicating with an overlapping cell of the overlapping plurality of cells via said second antenna over a second beam. Said first processing device switches from said first communication port to said second communication port in response to the first cell of the first plurality of cells moving into the overlapping field of view.

Abstract: The technology employs a polarization switching technique in a satellite-based cellular communication system, in order to prevent dropped connections when communicating with client communication devices. The polarization switching is implementable without requiring additional antenna elements on the satellite(s), while enabling the satellites(s) to be agnostic to the polarization transmitted by user equipment. The dwell time is selected so that the polarization switching is transparent to the users of the client computing devices. In one configuration, certain antenna elements can be set to handle a vertically polarized downlink and a horizontally polarized uplink, while other elements are set to handle a vertically polarized uplink and a horizontally polarized downlink, although other polarization configurations may be employed. A digital switch with a general purpose I/O (GPIO) controller may be employed for switching according to the dwell time.

Abstract: An antenna array has a plurality of square or rectangular antenna assemblies. Each assembly includes a first antenna assembly surface with a solar cell and a second antenna assembly with one or more antenna elements. The antenna assemblies are interconnected without gaps therebetween to form a first contiguous array surface comprised of the first antenna assembly surfaces and a second contiguous array surface comprised of the second antenna assembly surfaces. The antenna assemblies are connected together by mechanically stored-energy connectors, such as spring tape, that self-deploy the array in space without the use of electric energy.

Abstract: A LEO satellite communication system is in communication with a first setting satellite having a first field of view including a first plurality of cells, and a second rising satellite having a second field of view including a second plurality of cells. The first and second satellites have an overlapping field of view having an overlapping plurality of cells located therein. A first processing device has a first communication port communicating with a first cell of the first plurality of cells via said first antenna over a first beam, and a second communication port communicating with an overlapping cell of the overlapping plurality of cells via said second antenna over a second beam. Said first processing device switches from said first communication port to said second communication port in response to the first cell of the first plurality of cells moving into the overlapping field of view.

Abstract: Within a satellite communications system, a base station communicates with standard compliant user equipment (UE) via a satellite having a field of view. The base station has a processor that instructs the satellite to generate a wide beam signal covering a plurality of cells in the field of view, and detects an access request from a user equipment within the plurality of cells over the wide beam signal. The base station, comprising a processing device such as an eNodeB, then generates one or more network broadcast/access signals that is uplink to a satellite and broadcasted via one or more nominal beams generated by the satellite, covering all the inactive cells, one of the plurality of cells having the access request.

Abstract: A communication system has a phased antenna array configured to communicate via a plurality of beams with a wireless device, such as user equipment (e.g., a smart phone). The plurality of beams defines a field of view of the phased antenna array, the field of view having a plurality of cells and each of the plurality of beams is associated with one of the plurality of cells within the field of view. A processing device detects the wireless device within the field of view and determines a coarse geographic location of the wireless device within the field of view of the wireless device when the wireless device is within the field of view, or within a cell. The system further determines a fine geographic location for the wireless device based on frequency offset (due to Doppler) and signal flight time.

Abstract: An antenna array has a plurality of square or rectangular antenna assemblies. Each assembly includes a first antenna assembly surface with a solar cell and a second antenna assembly with one or more antenna elements. The antenna assemblies are interconnected without gaps therebetween to form a first contiguous array surface comprised of the first antenna assembly surfaces and a second contiguous array surface comprised of the second antenna assembly surfaces. The antenna assemblies are connected together by mechanically stored-energy connectors, such as spring tape, that self-deploy the array in space without the use of electric energy.

Abstract: A GSM satellite communication system is in communication with a first satellite having a first field of view including a first plurality of cells in which a plurality of active User Equipment (UEs) is located. The plurality of active UEs is in direct communication with the first satellite. The satellite communication system includes a first feeder link and a first tracking antenna configured to communicate with the plurality of active UEs via the first satellite directly serving the first plurality of cells; a first processing device configured to communicate with the plurality of active UEs; and a second processing device configured to normalize delay for a plurality of beam centers of the first plurality of cells, and provide the normalized delay to the first processing device.

Abstract: A high throughput fractionated satellite (HTFS) system and method where the functional capabilities of a conventional monolithic spacecraft are distributed across many small or very small satellites and a central command and relay satellite, the satellites are separated and flight in carefully design formations that allows the creation of very large aperture or apertures in space drastically reducing cost and weight and enabling high throughput capabilities by spatially reuse spectrum.

Abstract: A spacecraft has a flat antenna array having an edge and a middle portion. A reconfigurable reaction-momentum wheel is coupled to the antenna array to roll and/or pitch the antenna array in small magnitudes. The reconfigurable reaction-momentum has a reaction operating state or mode (high-torque, low momentum) and a momentum operating state or mode (low-torque, high momentum). A thruster is coupled to the antenna array to move the antenna array.

Abstract: Within a satellite communications system, a base station communicates with standard compliant user equipment (UE) via a satellite having a field of view. The base station has a processor that instructs the satellite to generate a wide beam signal covering a plurality of cells in the field of view, and detects an access request from a user equipment within the plurality of cells over the wide beam signal. The base station, comprising a processing device such as an eNodeB, then generates one or more network broadcast/access signals that is uplink to a satellite and broadcasted via one or more nominal beams generated by the satellite, covering all the inactive cells, one of the plurality of cells having the access request.

Abstract: An antenna assembly has a solar layer having one or more solar cells generating solar power, an antenna layer connected to the solar layer and having electronic components utilizing the solar power generated by the solar layer, and a thermal dissipation device dissipating heat locally at the antenna assembly. A large number of antenna assemblies are connected to form an antenna array in which heat is generated locally at each antenna assembly and dissipated locally at each antenna assembly.

Abstract: A base station for communication with a terminal station having a plurality of terminal station antennas. The base station has a plurality of directional antennas, each of the plurality of directional antennas in communication with satellites in view. The base station also has a processing device (e.g., eNodeB) to transmit each of the multiple base-station antenna signals via each of the plurality of directional antennas to satellites and/or the beams of the same satellite seen by the terminal station for retransmission to the plurality of terminal station antennas.

Abstract: A satellite communication system includes a phased antenna array having a field of view (FoV) and configured to communicate with a plurality of cells in the FoV via a plurality of beams. Each of the plurality of beams is associated with one of the plurality of cells. A phased antenna array is configured to apply adaptive taper selection, based on both the satellite position (in relation to a satellite service beam) and its surrounding interference scenario.

Abstract: A communication system has a phased antenna array configured to communicate via a plurality of beams with a wireless device, such as user equipment (e.g., a smart phone). The plurality of beams defines a field of view of the phased antenna array, the field of view having a plurality of cells and each of the plurality of beams is associated with one of the plurality of cells within the field of view. A processing device detects the wireless device within the field of view and determines a coarse geographic location of the wireless device within the field of view of the wireless device when the wireless device is within the field of view, or within a cell. The system further determines a fine geographic location for the wireless device based on frequency offset (due to Doppler) and signal flight time.

Abstract: A GSM satellite communication system is in communication with a first satellite having a first field of view including a first plurality of cells in which a plurality of active User Equipment (UEs) is located. The plurality of active UEs is in direct communication with the first satellite. The satellite communication system includes a first feeder link and a first tracking antenna configured to communicate with the plurality of active UEs via the first satellite directly serving the first plurality of cells; a first processing device configured to communicate with the plurality of active UEs; and a second processing device configured to normalize delay for a plurality of beam centers of the first plurality of cells, and provide the normalized delay to the first processing device.

Abstract: An antenna assembly has a solar layer having one or more solar cells generating solar power, an antenna layer connected to the solar layer and having electronic components utilizing the solar power generated by the solar layer, and a thermal dissipation device dissipating heat locally at the antenna assembly. A large number of antenna assemblies are connected to form an antenna array in which heat is generated locally at each antenna assembly and dissipated locally at each antenna assembly.