Patent ID: 6633745
Filing Date: 2003-10-14
Classification: H04B

Abstract:
A satellite cluster having at least two module satellites co-positioned at the same geo-stationary orbital position, comprising:a first module satellite, having a receiver unit for receiving signals which are sent out by an earth station and/or having a transmitter unit for sending signals back to earth and having a first communication device for interacting with communication devices of other module satellites; and a second module satellite, having a signal processing unit and having a second communication device for interacting with communication devices of other module satellites, wherein the second communication device receives signals from the first communication device for processing by the signal processing unit, and wherein the second communication device forwards the processed signals to the communication device of at least one other module satellite, and wherein each module satellite is controllable separately as an aerospace vehicle by an earth station such that each respective module satellite is maneuverable out of the cluster and is replaceable by a new module satellite.