Viasat, Inc.

Aaron J Mendelsohn

Mark J Miller

Donald Lawson Runyon

Charles Pateros

Donald Wesley Becker

Mark Miller

Broadband satellite communications systems using optical feeder links are disclosed. Various optical modulation schemes are disclosed that can provide improved capacity for fixed spot beam, on board beamforming, and ground-based beamforming broadband satellite systems.

Broadband satellite communication system using optical feeder links

The described features generally relate to adjusting a native antenna pattern of a satellite to adapt communications via the satellite. For example, a communications satellite may include an antenna having a feed array assembly, a reflector, and a linear actuator coupled between the feed array assembly and the reflector. The feed array assembly may have a plurality of feeds for communicating signals associated with a communications service, and the reflector may be configured to reflect the signals transmitted between the feed array assembly and one or more target devices. The linear actuator may have an adjustable length, or otherwise provide an adjustable position between the feed array assembly and the reflector. By adjusting the position of the feed array assembly relative to the reflector, the communications satellite may provide a communications service according to a plurality of native antenna patterns.

Coverage area adjustment to adapt satellite communications

Systems and methods for supporting more flexible coverage areas and spatial capacity assignments using satellite communications systems are disclosed. A hub-spoke, bent-pipe satellite communications system includes: terminals; gateways; a controller for specifying data for controlling satellite operations in accordance with a frame definition including timeslots for a frame and defining an allocation of capacity between forward and return traffic. The satellite communications system may employ a satellite with a feed array assembly and may use on-board beamforming or ground-based beamforming. Beam hopping within timeslots of the frame may be used to provide coverage to different cells in different time periods. The flexible coverage areas may be provided using changes in satellite position, antenna patterns, or beam resource allocations.

Flexible beamforming for satellite communications

Systems and methods are described for enabling flexible signal pathways within a satellite of a satellite communications system. For example, a pathway selection subsystem in a bent-pipe satellite enables a flexible arrangement of non-processed signal pathways that couple uplink antenna ports with downlink antenna ports via uplink and downlink pathway selectors. The pathway selectors can be dynamically reconfigured (e.g., on orbit), so that the configuration of the pathway selectors at one time can form one set of signal pathways between respective uplink and downlink antenna ports, and the configuration at another time can form a different set of signal pathways between respective uplink and downlink antenna ports. The pathway selection subsystem can have a simulcast mode which, when active, couples each of at least one of the uplink antenna ports with multiple of the user downlink antenna ports to form one or more simulcast signal pathways.

Flexible intra-satellite signal pathways

A satellite communication system in which a plurality of satellites each transit about the Earth in a common mid-Earth orbit. The orbit may be configured such that each satellite of the plurality of satellites follows a common, repeating ground track relative to the surface of the Earth. In turn, one or more repeating sky tracks may be defined relative to at least one ground station such that the ground station is in continuous communication with at least one of the plurality of satellites. In an example, a ground station may have visibility to a plurality of repeating sky tracks such that a plurality of discreet communication channels is provided that use different satellites for communication with user terminals of the satellite communications system.

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Dana Point, CA, United States of America

Aaron J Mendelsohn