Abstract: A method and a system for locating ground equipment transmitting signals to a geostationary satellite, the method and the system being based on identifying the arrival directions of such signals within the coverage zone of the satellite. In the method, the arrival directions of the signals are identified by using a beam-forming active-module array antenna system on board the satellite, the system being controlled to define simultaneous beams in the radiation pattern of the antenna, the beams being superposed on one another with small offsets, the superposed beams corresponding to a limited analysis zone being illuminated within the coverage zone of the satellite, the system further being associated with a digital processing program which identifies the arrival directions of the signals which are received in the analysis zone.

Abstract: The invention provides a multibeam antenna comprising:an array 11 of N.sub.e elementary sources 31; energy-focusing optical means comprising a reflector 10 or a lens; the array being situated in the focal zone of said focusing means: and a feed and control circuit cooperating with the N.sub.e primary sources 31 to produce N.sub.b beams each generated from a subgroup of the primary sources, some of which are shared between overlapping beams; the feed and control circuit comprising phase shifter means and attenuator means, said means being organized in N.sub.e feed channels for said N.sub.e primary sources, each feed channel including specific means for acting on the phase and the amplitude of an excitation signal in each feed channel;wherein each required beam is generated by the multibeam antenna solely by acting on the phase and the amplitude of the excitation delivered to each elementary source forming a portion of said beam; andwherein the number of sources N.sub.i contributing to a beam i, 1.ltoreq.i.