Patent ID: 8346162

Claim:
A system for communicating with a remote ground terminal via a first satellite and a second satellite adjacent the fist satellite, the system comprising: a first hub antenna configured to receive a first return signal from and to transmit a first forward signal to the first satellite; a second hub antenna configured to receive a second return signal from and to transmit a second forward signal to the second satellite; and a hub station configured to determine time delay and frequency shift between the first return signal and the second return signal after, and to apply the determined time delay and frequency shift to at least one of the first forward signal and the second forward signal so the first forward signal and the second forward signal are time- and frequency-aligned when received at the remote ground terminal via the first satellite and the second satellite, wherein the first return signal and the second return signal are transmitted from the remote ground terminal to the first hub antenna and the second hub antenna via the first satellite and the second satellite.