Patent ID: 6864835

Claim:
A method of transmitting a plurality of images of a passive/target satellite to a Tracking, Telemetry, and Control Station (TTC) by using at least two standard satellite ranging channels, said method comprising the steps of: (A) performing a standard ranging operation to estimate a distance between an active satellite and said passive/target satellite; (B) transmitting to said (TTC) a set of ranging data for estimating said distance between said active satellite and said passive/target satellite by using said at least one standard ranging channel; (C) disabling said standard ranging operation in order to free each said standard satellite ranging channel for a video-ranging operation if said estimated distance between said active satellite and said passive/target satellite is less than a predetermined distance; and (D) performing said video-ranging operation to estimate said distance between said active satellite and said passive/target satellite if said estimated distance between said active satellite and said passive/target satellite is less than said predetermined distance.