Patent ID: 7905453

Claim:
A piggyback satellite arrangement for launch from the earth surface by a launch vehicle, comprising: a primary satellite having a nadir end and an apogee end, deployable telecommunications antennae, deployable solar panels and a primary satellite propulsion system disposed at the apogee end and operative to lift the primary satellite into geostationary orbit after separation from the launch vehicle; a plurality of secondary payloads, said plurality of secondary payloads comprising at least one secondary micro-satellite, each secondary payload having a mounted end and an axially opposite end; and a plurality of adapters, each comprising a first coupling structure affixed to the nadir end of the primary satellite and a second coupling structure affixed to the mounted end of the secondary payload, wherein each of the plurality of secondary payloads is affixed at its mounted end to the nadir end of the primary satellite by the adapters for release from the launch vehicle as a combined package, at least said adapter coupled to said secondary microsatellite being controllable for separation of the secondary micro-satellite from the primary satellite after being released from the launch vehicle as a combined package without the generation of space debris, and other of said plurality of adapters being operative to secure said secondary payloads to the primary satellite while in orbit.