Satellite communication system using quasi-stationary orbits

摘要

In a telecommunications satellite system operating with quasi-stationary orbits and comprising a plurality of earth satellites having elliptical orbits appearing at nearly the same location in space in cyclical succession and relieving one another in radio operation, a different range of the respective satellites to be engaged and disengaged from the ground stations is guaranteed. This enables an additional transit time for storage of data transmitted about the switching time from one satellite to another. To this end, the apogee of the orbital ellipse is shifted to such a degree from the Northern-most or, respectively, Southern-most orbital point against the direction of flight of the respective satellite that an adequate signal repetition of the bits to be transmitted occurs about the switching time. In a specific system comprising three satellites on elliptical orbits having an eccentricity of 0.713 and orbital times of 12 hours, a guaranteed radio spacing difference of one satellite relieving another of 75 km from ground stations occurs given a shift of the apogee from the Northern-most orbital point by 0.2 DEG against the flight direction of the satellites. The lengthening of the propagation time therefore obtainable corresponds to a repetition of 1.024 bits given a rate of 2.048 Mbit/s.