Importance

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Abstract

A satellite communications system is disclosed. One of the embodiments of the present invention includes six to fourteen satellites (12) which operate in a single Equatorial orbit (14). These satellites (12) are capable of providing communications services to locations on the Earth (E) which are within thirty degrees of the Equator (16). Another embodiment of the invention utilizes both the single Equatorial orbit plane (14) in combination with other satellites (12) moving in polar or inclined orbits (60, 63, 210). The embodiment that combines satellites (12) in Equatorial (14), polar (60) and inclined (63, 210) orbits will provide a wide variety of data services to virtually any point on the globe. In the preferred embodiments, the satellites (12) are designed to operate in a circular low Earth orbit at an altitude of from 800 to 1852 kilometers. Although the preferred embodiments utilize this specific range of altitudes, the satellites (12) are designed to fly in any orbit that is not a geosynchronous orbit. The satellites (12) are also capable of speeding packetized messages (225) around the globe either by working in combination with relay stations (34, 61, 65) on the ground, by transferring message payloads (225) across different orbits via the relay stations (34, 61, 65) or by conveying packetized payloads (225) through the use of inter-satellite links (55).

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First Claim