System and method for observing a satellite using a satellite in retrograde orbit
원문보기
IPC분류정보
국가/구분
United States(US) Patent
등록
국제특허분류(IPC7판)
H04B-007/185
출원번호
US-0542494
(2006-10-03)
등록번호
US-8090312
(2012-01-03)
발명자
/ 주소
Robinson, Ian S.
출원인 / 주소
Raytheon Company
대리인 / 주소
Christie, Parker & Hale, LLP
인용정보
피인용 횟수 :
0인용 특허 :
65
초록▼
A satellite and an arrangement for placing the satellite in a retrograde orbit, i.e. inclined at approximately 180° to the equator. Multiple satellites may be used and the orbits thereof may be circular or elliptical. The invention is well-suited for an illustrative satellite inspection application.
A satellite and an arrangement for placing the satellite in a retrograde orbit, i.e. inclined at approximately 180° to the equator. Multiple satellites may be used and the orbits thereof may be circular or elliptical. The invention is well-suited for an illustrative satellite inspection application. In this embodiment, the system includes one or more satellites; means disposed on each satellite for receiving electromagnetic energy from objects (e.g. satellites) within a field-of-view thereof; and an arrangement for placing the inspection satellites in a retrograde orbit. The satellites may be equally spaced in a single orbit or disposed in equally spaced orbits. The satellites may include a variety of instruments including radar, infrared, visible, etc. In a radar implementation, the satellite may include a bistatic or (with a transmitter) monostatic radar system. In the bistatic case, the signal may be transmitted from a ground-based or space based platform.
대표청구항▼
1. A satellite inspection system comprising: at least one satellite configured to collect imagery of space-orbiting objects within a field-of-view thereof, the space-orbiting objects being in a geosynchronous orbit, and the at least one satellite being configured in a retrograde orbit at an altitude
1. A satellite inspection system comprising: at least one satellite configured to collect imagery of space-orbiting objects within a field-of-view thereof, the space-orbiting objects being in a geosynchronous orbit, and the at least one satellite being configured in a retrograde orbit at an altitude between approximately 34,000 and 37,500 kilometers such that the at least one satellite revisits the space-orbiting objects within 500 km of the space-orbiting objects in substantially 12 hours or less. 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said retrograde orbit is circular. 3. The invention of claim 2 wherein said retrograde orbit is inclined at approximately 180° to the equator. 4. The invention of claim 3 wherein said retrograde orbit is at an altitude of approximately 35,800 kilometers. 5. The invention of claim 3 wherein said retrograde orbit is at an altitude of approximately 35,300 kilometers. 6. The invention of claim 1 wherein said retrograde orbit is eccentric. 7. The invention of claim 6 wherein said retrograde orbit is elliptical. 8. The invention of claim 1 wherein said retrograde orbit is inclined from the equator. 9. The invention of claim 8 wherein said retrograde orbit is inclined at approximately 126° or 180° from the equator. 10. The invention of claim 9, wherein said retrograde orbit has an apogee of 36,000 Km and a perigee of 1000 Km. 11. The invention of claim 1 wherein the at least one satellite comprises N satellites disposed in said retrograde orbit, where N is an integer greater than or equal to one. 12. The invention of claim 11 wherein said N satellites are equally spaced. 13. The invention of claim 1 wherein the at least one satellite includes a radar. 14. The invention of claim 13 wherein said radar is an X-band radar. 15. The invention of claim 13 wherein said radar is a bistatic radar. 16. The invention of claim 15, wherein said bistatic radar comprises a transmitter on the ground. 17. The invention of claim 16, wherein said bistatic radar is adapted to form a synthetic aperture radar image of the space-orbiting objects. 18. The invention of claim 15, wherein said bistatic radar is a bistatic synthetic aperture radar. 19. The invention of claim 18, wherein said bistatic synthetic aperture radar comprises a transmitter on the ground. 20. The invention of claim 13, wherein said radar is a synthetic aperture radar. 21. The invention of claim 1 wherein the at least one satellite includes a receiver adapted to detect visible and/or infrared energy. 22. The invention of claim 1 wherein the at least one satellite includes a lens. 23. The invention of claim 22 wherein said lens is disposed in a telescope. 24. The invention of claim 22 wherein said lens is disposed in a camera. 25. The invention of claim 1 wherein said space-orbiting objects comprise a second satellite. 26. The invention of claim 25 wherein said second satellite is disposed in a geostationary orbit. 27. The invention of claim 1, wherein the at least one satellite is adapted to collect a synthetic aperture radar image having a six inch resolution of at least one of the space-orbiting objects in the geosynchronous orbit in substantially minutes or less. 28. The invention of claim 27, wherein the at least one satellite is adapted to collect the synthetic aperture radar image at X-band or lower frequency. 29. An object observation and inspection method, the method comprising: collecting imagery of space-orbiting objects using at least one satellite using at least one satellite, the space-orbiting objects being in a geosynchronous orbit; andconfiguring the at least one satellite in a retrograde orbit at an altitude between approximately 34,000 and 37,500 kilometers such that the at least one satellite revisits the space-orbiting objects within 500 km of the space-orbiting objects in substantially 12 hours or less. 30. The method of claim 29, wherein the collecting imagery of space-orbiting objects comprises collecting imagery of at least one of the space-orbiting objects with six inch impulse response in less than 30 seconds. 31. The method of claim 30, wherein the collecting imagery of space-orbiting objects further comprises collecting imagery of the at least one of the space-orbiting objects at X-band or lower frequency. 32. The method of claim 29, wherein the collecting imagery of space-orbiting objects comprises collecting reflections of ground-based transmissions from at least one of the space-orbiting objects. 33. The method of claim 32, further comprising transmitting the collected imagery to a ground-based receiver in the same frequency band of the ground-based transmissions. 34. The method of claim 33, wherein the transmitting the collected imagery to a ground-based receiver employs spread-spectrum technique. 35. An object observation and inspection method, the method comprising: configuring at least one satellite in a retrograde orbit to revisit space-orbiting objects in a geosynchronous orbit, in substantially 12 hours or less; andcollecting imagery of at least one of the space-orbiting objects with six inch impulse response in minutes or less.
연구과제 타임라인
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
LOADING...
이 특허에 인용된 특허 (65)
Kent Edward Jay ; Profera ; Jr. Charles Edward ; Hawkes Thaddeus Arthur, Antenna beam congruency system for spacecraft cellular communications system.
Castiel David (Washington DC) Draim John E. (Washington DC) Brosius Jay (Washington DC), Elliptical orbit satellite, system, and deployment with controllable coverage characteristics.
Castiel David (Washington DC) Draim John E. (Washington DC) Brosius Jay (Washington DC), Elliptical orbit satellite, system, and deployment with controllable coverage characteristics.
Castiel David ; Draim John ; Brosius Jay ; Schor Matthew, Elliptical orbit satellite, system, and deployment with controllable coverage characteristics.
Castiel David ; Draim John ; Brosius Jay ; Schor Matthew, Elliptical orbit satellite, system, and deployment with controllable coverage characteristics.
Castiel, David; Draim, John; Manning, Kenneth F., Elliptical satellite system emulating characteristics of geosynchronous satellites during the apogee portion of an elliptical orbit.
Castiel, David; Anderson, Jack; Draim, John E., Fixed satellite constellation system employing non-geostationary satellites in sub-geosynchronous elliptical orbits with common ground tracks.
Kimura Kazuhiro,JPX ; Karasawa Yoshio,JPX, Satellite communication system having double-layered earth orbit satellite constellation with two different altitudes.
Diefes Debra L. (7481 Digby Green Alexandria VA 22310) Fan Leopold C. (10037 Colebrook Ave. Potomac MD 20854) Rodgers Charles E. (3635 St. Leonard Rd. St. Leonard MD 20685), Satellite location and pointing system for use with global positioning system.
Taormina, Frank; Chang, Donald C. D.; Yung, Kar W.; Cheng, David C.; Mayfield, William W.; Novak, III, John; Wang, Arthur W., Satellite system and method of deploying same.
Draim, John E., System and method for implementing a constellation of non-geostationary satellites that does not interfere with the geostationary satellite ring.
※ AI-Helper는 부적절한 답변을 할 수 있습니다.