Patent ID: 8195090

Claim:
A method for providing satellite communications coverage for a geographical area comprising: operating a satellite to generate at least one first spot beam and at least one second spot beam; operating a plurality of gateways including a first gateway and a second gateway; wherein the first gateway is configured to utilize the at least one first spot beam, the at least one first spot beam associated with at least one first coverage area within the geographic area to provide relayed satellite communications to a plurality of first subscriber terminals located in the at least one first coverage area; wherein the second gateway is configured to utilize the at least one second spot beam, the at least one second spot beam associated with at least one second coverage area within the geographic area to provide relayed satellite communications to a plurality of second subscriber terminals located in the at least one second coverage area; upon a failure condition associated with the at least one first spot beam, expanding the at least one second coverage area of the at least one second spot beam to include a portion of the at least one first coverage area, to provide relayed satellite communications to at least some of the first subscriber terminals without utilizing the at least one first spot beam, wherein the at least one first coverage area is different from the at least one second coverage area, wherein the plurality of first subscriber terminals are different from the plurality of second subscriber terminals, and wherein the at least one second coverage area is expanded to included the at least one second coverage area and a portion of the at least one first coverage area.