The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Aug. 28, 2018
Filed:
Mar. 06, 2018
Launchspace Technologies Corporation, Wilmington, DE (US);
Marshall H. Kaplan, Bethesda, MD (US);
Other;
Abstract
An orbiting satellite can be maintained in a geosynchronous orbit (e.g., with an orbital period equal to one sidereal day) at an altitude other than 35,786 km by equipping the satellite with at least one radial thruster. Radial thrusters on the anti-Earth-facing side of the satellite allow for artificial geosynchronous orbits higher than the natural altitude, while radial thrusters on the Earth-facing side of the satellite allow for artificial geosynchronous orbits lower than the natural altitude. This allows a geosynchronous satellite to evade threats, such as orbital debris and/or hostile spacecraft, without losing signal to ground based antennas. Similar techniques can also be used for surveillance of satellites in geosynchronous orbits.