Abstract: A tracking device comprises a cam-driven actuator arm by which the declination of an earth station dish is caused to vertically oscillate with a sidereal day cycle. In a second embodiment, the tracker comprises a constant velocity joint interposed between the satellite dish and the elevation frame of the antenna mounting structure. The rotation of the constant velocity joint over a sidereal day cycle will result in tracking of the figure eight path.

Abstract: A tracking device comprises a cam-driven actuator arm by which the declination of an earth station dish is caused to vertically oscillate with a sidereal day cycle. In a second embodiment, the tracker comprises a constant velocity joint interposed between the satellite dish and the elevation frame of the antenna mounting structure. The rotation of the constant velocity joint over a sidereal day cycle will result in tracking of the figure eight path.

Abstract: The invention is a method of orienting a satellite in a geosynchronous orbit so as to direct a beam from an antenna mounted on the satellite to cover a desired target site, and pointing the beam axis at a desired bore site target. One embodiment of the method according to the invention includes a step of orienting the spin axis of a geosynchronous satellite at a direction angle which equals the inclination angle of the current orbital plane plus an adjustment or correction angle (.beta.), when the inclination angle is greater than zero. The correction angle is determined using one or both of the following equations:.beta.=BS-tan.sup.-1 {[ sin (bs-I)]/[6.61-cos (bs-I)]},or.beta.=.vertline.-(BS-tan.sup.-1 {[ sin (bs+I)]/[6.61-cos (bs+I)]}).vertline.,where, BS=the elevation angle of the bore site target in spacecraft coordinates, bs=the latitude of the bore site target, I=the inclination angle of the orbital plane with respect to the equatorial plane, and .beta.