Patent ID: 6050525
Filing Date: 2000-04-18
Classification: B64G,H04B

Abstract:
A method of deploying a constellation of satellites in an asymmetric open rosette architecture orbiting about the earth by using multiple inclined orbital planes of satellites with the satellites in each plane asymmetrically spaced in a cluster so as to leave an open space or gap between a trailing satellite and a leading satellite in each of the orbital planes of the constellation, said method comprising,placing a first cluster of satellites in a first asymmetrical spacing in a first orbital plane inclined at a first angle with respect to a reference circle extending about the earth,said first cluster having a leading satellite and a trailing satellite,said first cluster of satellites populating only a portion of the orbital plane so as to leave a first open space or gap between the trailing satellite and the leading satellite in said first inclined orbital plane,placing additional clusters of satellites in asymmetrical spacings in additional inclined orbital planes and wherein each additional inclined orbital plane has the same inclination angle as said first inclined orbital plane, has the same cluster of satellites as in said first cluster, has the same asymmetrical spacing as said first asymmetrical spacing, and has the same open space as said first open space,said first and additional orbital planes being distributed about said reference circle,phasing all of the satellites so that corresponding satellites in each orbital plane all reside on a single wave form which rotates around the earth on an axis normal to the plane of reference for the inclination angle of the planes, and wherein the wave form has at least two cycles, and wherein there is a leading wave form containing a leading satellite in each orbital plane and a trailing wave form containing a trailing satellite in each orbital plane.