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:
Mar. 07, 2017
Filed:
Jun. 15, 2015
Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, Falls Church, VA (US);
Sudhakar K. Rao, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA (US);
Daniel H. Roper, Torrance, CA (US);
Alan M. Taft, Torrance, CA (US);
Sebong Chun, Orange, CA (US);
Christopher S. Brown, Torrance, CA (US);
Mansoor K. Siddique, Torrance, CA (US);
Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation, Falls Church, VA (US);
Abstract
A dual-reflector inter-satellite link (ISL) subsystem, for a communications satellite in a constellation of satellites in low earth orbit or medium earth orbit. The ISL subsystem includes a main antenna reflector which uses a single-axis gimbal to steer the main reflector only in the elevation plane. An antenna subreflector, a horn and RF feed circuitry are stationary with respect to the host satellite. The main reflector has a super-elliptical design which provides a beam shape which requires no steering in the azimuth plane, while meeting ISL signal strength requirements. By steering the main reflector only, and only in the elevation plane, the disclosed ISL subsystem delivers significantly lower size, mass, complexity and cost, and significantly greater reliability, than traditional ISL systems.