Abstract: A communication satellite in a satellite communication system has multiple communication signal transmit horns or other transmit antenna (e.g., phased arrays) that transmit communication downlink signals to multiple corresponding terrestrial communication cells. The satellite includes first and second contiguous, high aspect ratio arrangements of the transmit horns. The first and second arrangements of transmit horns have allocated to them respective first and second orthogonal communication band segments. The first communication band segment is shared and fully allocable among the transmit horns of the first arrangement, and the second communication band segment is shared and fully allocable among the transmit horns of the second arrangement. The high aspect ratios of the first and second transmit horn arrangements result in corresponding high aspect ratios for terrestrial communication cell arrangements that can utilize well the allocable bandwidth of each communication band segment.

Abstract: A communication satellite in a satellite communication system has multiple communication signal transmit horns or other transmit antenna (e.g., phased arrays) that transmit communication downlink signals to multiple corresponding terrestrial communication cells. The satellite includes first and second contiguous, high aspect ratio arrangements of the transmit horns. The first and second arrangements of transmit horns have allocated to them respective first and second orthogonal communication band segments. The first communication band segment is shared and fully allocable among the transmit horns of the first arrangement, and the second communication band segment is shared and fully allocable among the transmit horns of the second arrangement. The high aspect ratios of the first and second transmit horn arrangements result in corresponding high aspect ratios for terrestrial communication cell arrangements that can utilize well the allocable bandwidth of each communication band segment.

Abstract: A communication satellite transmitting system includes communication signal amplifiers (e.g., traveling wave tube (TWT) amplifiers) with outputs that are multiplexed among multiple transmit horns, each of which transmits a downlink communication signal to a corresponding geographic cells. In one implementation, each TWT amplifier is multiplexed among at least three transmit horns.

Abstract: A communication satellite system dynamically allocates additional downlink resources on the satellite to selected downlink signals to compensate for signal degradation. A typical cause of such degradation is rain where the downlink station is located. Another cause of such degradation is increased communication traffic or bandwidth demand within a particular region.

Abstract: A missle such as a ball incorporating a weighted mass having selected optimum for a given mass, velocity, spin and size while simultaneously making I as large as possible. The optimum selected weighted mass creates the desired in-flight path of the missile which experiences less perturbation so that missile precession and nutation is suppressed. In one form, the missile includes an elliptical spheroid such as a football having the selected weighted mass provided in an enclosure or covering with a hollow shell having a cavity containing an air volume. A cushion material such as foam is carried on opposite ends of the ball separating the shell from the covering. A band is disposed about the enclosure and shell midsection coaxially disposed with respect to the central longitudinal axis of the elliptical spheroid.