Patent ID: 11909506
Assignee: SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP.
Field: Telecommunications (Electrical engineering)
Classification: CPC H | IPC H

Claim 0:
1. A method of orienting an endpoint terminal for communicating with a non-GEO satellite constellation, the method comprising:
operating a satellite communication system including a non-GEO satellite constellation and an endpoint terminal, wherein the non-GEO satellite constellation includes a first satellite having a first communication load and a first distance from the endpoint terminal and a second satellite having a second communication load and a second distance from the endpoint terminal, wherein the second communication load is less than the first communication load, and wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance, and wherein the endpoint terminal includes an electronically steered phased array antenna system defining a field of regard for a single steerable beam for communication with the non-GEO satellite constellation including the first and second satellites, wherein the field of regard is a limited field of regard having a first end and a second end;
selecting an orientation for the endpoint terminal having a first tilted position for the field of regard in a north or south tilted position configured for communicating with the first satellite; and
moving the field of regard from the first tilted position to a second tilted position having an east or west tilted component, such that the endpoint terminal can communicate with the second satellite instead of the first satellite.