Patent ID: 7418236

Claim:
A communications system composing: a first space-based component that is configured to provide wireless communications to a plurality of radioterminals located on an extraterrestrial body using frequencies of a first satellite frequency band wherein the first space-based component includes at least one satellite orbiting the extraterrestrial body; and a first ancillary extraterrestrial component on the extraterrestrial body that is configured to establish first wireless links directly between itself and the first space-based component and directly between itself and a first radioterminal and to use the first wireless links to provide wireless communications between the first radioterminal and a second radioterminal; wherein the second radioterminal communicates with the first radioterminal via a second ancillary extraterrestrial component on the extraterrestrial body that is configured to establish second wireless links directly between itself and the first space-based component and directly between itself and the second radioterminal; and wherein the first ancillary extraterrestrial component is further configured to detect transmissions of the second ancillary extraterrestrial component, to establish a link therebetween responsive to having detected the transmissions and to use the link that is established to coordinate frequency reuse, transmission power and/or hand-off of radioterminals with the second ancillary extraterrestrial component.