Lockheed Martin Corporation

Vector Launch Inc.

Newspace Networks, Inc.

John Edward Metzger

Shaun B Coleman

Robert Randall Cleave

Darren D Garber

Senthilkumar Narayanasamy

Systems, apparatuses, methods, and software are described herein that provide enhanced satellite link-coupled communication nodes. In one example, a parent communication node includes a communication interface configured to communicate with a plurality of child communication nodes over corresponding satellite communication links. The parent communication node includes a resource manager configured to determine physical resources local to each of the plurality of child communication nodes, establish a pool of resources from among the physical resources, and responsive to a request for execution of an application, allocate resources from the pool of resources for execution of the application at one or more selected child communication nodes. The parent communication node can initiate execution of the application using the allocated resources at the one or more selected child communication nodes.

Wireless communication link management for applications deployed to communication nodes

Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for the deployment and management of sensor resources across spaceborne, airborne, and ground-based physical nodes. In one implementation, a method includes collecting sensor data from physical sensors distributed over a geographic region, and establishing logical sensors based at least on requirements indicated by data requestors. The method includes allocating selected portions of the sensor data to the logical sensors to form composite sensor data based on locations monitored by the physical sensors that correspond to the requirements, and providing the composite data in one or more data streams to the data requestors as originating from the logical sensors.

Logical observation sensors for airborne and spaceborne nodes

Resource allocation for application deployment to satellite-linked communication nodes

Systems, apparatuses, methods, and software are described herein that provide enhanced satellite communication nodes. In one example, a satellite communication interface is configured to communicate over one or more satellite communication links provided by at least a satellite communication service provider. A policy engine is configured to identify communication requirements related to execution of one or more applications by the communication node, and initiate changes to the one or more satellite communication links based at least on the communication requirements and monitored properties of the one or more satellite communication links.

Satellite communication link management for communication nodes

Systems, apparatuses, methods, and software are described herein that provide enhanced satellite communication nodes. In one example, a parent communication node is configured to establish a satellite edge network over at least a satellite communication pathway with a child communication node remotely located from a geographic location of the parent node. The child communication node is configured to communicate over at least the satellite communication pathway to establish a connection to the satellite edge network and route communications of a local communication interface to the satellite edge network.

Satellite edge networks

Systems, methods, and software described herein manage data from spaceborne and airborne nodes. In one implementation, a control system may obtain sensor data from sensors of spaceborne or airborne nodes. Once obtained, the control system may process the sensor data to determine metadata associated with the sensor data. Once processed, the sensor data may be stored in one or more data stores, such that applications may access the data based at least in part on the metadata.

Management of sensor data collected across sensor nodes

Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for managing data storage in a satellite platform. In one implementation, a satellite platform includes a plurality of satellites, wherein a first satellite of the platform is configured to identify a request for a ledger entry for a blockchain maintained by the satellite platform and, in response to the request, distribute the ledger entry to one or more other satellites of the satellite platform, wherein the one or more other satellites comprise full nodes for the blockchain. Once distributed, the one or more other satellites each determine whether the ledger entry is verified and, when the ledger entry is verified, enters the ledger entry in a ledger for the satellite.

Distributed blockchain data management in a satellite environment

Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for spaceborne and airborne computing platforms. In one example, an airborne computing platform includes a plurality of airborne devices, with one or more of the airborne devices comprising specialized roles defined by at least one among software elements and hardware elements targeted to the specialized roles. Individual ones of the airborne devices are configured to identify tasks to be serviced using one or more of the specialized roles, determine one or more target devices to handle the tasks based at least in part on attributes of the target devices, and transfer at least task instructions for delivery to the target devices for performing the tasks.

Role-specialization in spaceborne and airborne computing platforms

Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for the deployment and management of converged resources across satellites, aircraft, and ground-based nodes to perform user tasks and applications. In one implementation, a system includes a first physical node that monitors sensor data to determine when the sensor data qualifies for an operation triggering event. Once the sensor data qualifies for the operation triggering event, the first physical node may generate and communicate a notification to a second physical node to initiate a new operation to support the triggering event.

Triggered automated operations for spaceborne and airborne nodes

Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for deploying applications in spaceborne and airborne devices. In one example, a satellite device includes one or more sensor systems, a communication interface, and a virtualized execution system. The virtualized execution system is configured to receive state information via the communication interface from at least a peer device related to execution of one or more software payloads by the peer device, and execute one or more virtual nodes based at least on the state information to employ the one or more sensor systems and establish imaging data.

State transfer among spaceborne and airborne devices

Systems, methods, and software described herein manage the initiation of applications in a system of physical nodes. In one example, a control system may identify a triggering event to initiate an application in the system based on sensor data obtained from at least a subset of the physical nodes. In response to the triggering event, the control system may identify a physical node with an image to support the execution of the application, initiate execution of the application associated with the image, and allocate or provide state information to the executing application.

Triggered application execution in sensor nodes

Systems, methods, and software described herein manage the deployment of applications across multiple provisioning layers. In managing the applications, a management service may monitor resource usage by the applications that are executing in a first provisioning layer, wherein the first provisioning layer comprises physical nodes such as airborne or spaceborne nodes. While monitoring the resource usage, the management service may determine when the resource usage by the applications satisfies migration criteria and, when the applications satisfy the migration criteria, select one or more of the applications to be offloaded to another provisioning layer. Once selected, the management service may initiate deployment of the one or more applications in the other provisioning layer.

Management of application deployment across multiple provisioning layers

Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for managing data storage in a spaceborne or airborne platform. In one implementation, an airborne device in an airborne platform may identify a request to store a data object in a storage pool provided by a plurality of airborne devices. The airborne device will further identify at least one airborne device for storing the data object from the plurality of airborne devices, and communicate the data object to the at least one airborne device.

Distributed storage management in a spaceborne or airborne environment

Systems, methods, and software described herein provide enhancements for the deployment of applications in an airborne and spaceborne system. In one implementation, when an application is to be deployed to the system, the system identifies a subset of physical nodes with sensor data associated with the application. Once identified, the system determines accessibility data for the physical nodes of the system to access the sensor data associated with the application and deploys the application to at least one physical node based on the accessibility data.

Enhanced deployment of applications in airborne and spaceborne nodes

Various enhanced operations and orbital techniques for satellite devices are discussed herein. In one example, a method of operating an orbital satellite platform is provided. The method includes establishing relative distances between a plurality of satellite devices, and performing temporary adjustments to the relative distances between the satellite devices. The method also includes directing at least communication processes among the satellite devices based at least in part on the temporary adjustments to the relative distances.

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Campbell, CA, United States of America

John Edward Metzger