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.

Date of Patent:
Aug. 25, 2020

Filed:

Jul. 23, 2018
Applicant:

Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems, Inc., Plymouth, MN (US);

Inventor:

John David Fuller, Ashburn, VA (US);

Assignee:
Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B64D 5/00 (2006.01); B64G 1/00 (2006.01); B64G 1/24 (2006.01); B64G 1/10 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
B64G 1/005 (2013.01); B64G 1/1085 (2013.01); B64G 1/242 (2013.01);
Abstract

Systems and methods for calculating launch sites for a satellite constellation are provided. A carrier aircraft may be configured to launch a first satellite into the first orbit and a second satellite into the second orbit. In some embodiments, information about an accessible range of the aircraft may be received. Based on the received information, a geographical area that the aircraft can access without landing may be calculated. Using received information and the orbit parameters of the first orbit and the second orbit, a first launch site for launching the first satellite and a second launch site for launching the second satellite may be calculated. The first launch site may comprise a first geographical position and a first launch time, and the second launch site may comprise a second geographical position and a second launch time. Both launch sites may be within the calculated geographical area.


Find Patent Forward Citations

Loading…